Esme Emerson‘s “Stay” is a slow-building, twitchy daydream that explores grief, loss, and (of course) love. The British-Chinese siblings (Esme and Emerson) tell PAPER it’s a “plea for more time with someone, even if it’s just a minute,” adding: “There are so many things to do and say to our loved ones, and never enough time for it all. It’s also about how easy it might seem to leave but how important it is to stay.” The track comes ahead of the release of their latest EP, Applesauce, out March 7 on Communion Records.
The EP promises more of Esme Emerson’s ethereal vocals playing up against strange and askew sounds. The visuals, premiering today on PAPER, encapsulate that feeling of pushing feelings down as the pair runs around at dusk, burying bodies under the glow of a truck headlight. The duo are set to head out on their first headline tour in the UK in April, telling us they’re “working on the live five-piece arrangements of the EP songs.” The tour will also see the band sharing tracks off the EP live for the first time. “We’re always writing, and so we’re excited to share new music whenever that might be,” they say.
At times, Applesauce is lovelorn and lucid, like on “Stay.” Other times, it’s upbeat and nostalgic, like on the vibrant guitar track “Too Far Gone.” As a follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2024 debut EP Big Leap, No Faith, Small Chancer, their latest adds depth, context and vulnerability to their discography. “There are two apple trees in our front yard. Every summer (since we were kids) the apples fall from the trees, roll down the hill, and rot over autumn,” the pair say of the EP’s moniker. “This year, however, our mom picked them. There were too many to eat, so she made applesauce. As well as meaning ‘nonsense,’ Applesauce as an EP title feels like home. Nostalgia is really important when it comes to our songwriting. It probably comes from being siblings. Making music often feels like looking back on our lives together. Our childhoods, growing up, making mistakes.”
Below, Esme and Emerson talk to PAPER about “Stay” and how they hope listeners can use the track to explore their own feelings of loss while also shaking it to the Jersey beat at the chorus.
How do you hope your fans feel when they hear “Stay?”
Esme: For anyone grieving a loss or struggling with their mental health, we hope they find comfort in it.
Emerson: For the rest, we hope they feel the need to get up and shake it when they hear the sick-ass Jersey beat in the chorus.
How did you translate the song into the video?
Esme: Spaced out with the song playing in the background, had an idea — burying bodies under truck headlights, naturally — and simplified so we could afford it; brought it to our friend Dajiana Huang, who is a camera genius, planned it, filmed it. Boom, Bob’s your uncle!
What are some challenges and highlights from creating the music video?
Emerson: One challenge, which is also honestly a highlight, is that we were filming on a farm with two ponies and a little farm cat who were all very curious about what we were doing. They obviously didn’t care about our limited filming time due to filming on tape, so they were hanging out with us and inserting themselves in the video. Love those guys.
Any additional news or highlights you’d like to share with PAPER readers?
Emerson: I’d like the PAPER readers to know that Esme is looking for a D&D group so if anyone out there fancies it please hit us up.
Esme: So many sets of dice, so few adventurers.
Photography: Dajiana Huang