Esther Rose

Equal parts poignant and lighthearted, Esther Rose's introspective songs have navigated honeyed retro-country with the crossover appeal of artists like Margo Price and Kelsey Waldon as well as more dissonant, confrontational alternative country-rock. Steeped in dreamy, rustic twang, her solo debut, This Time Last Night, arrived in 2017. Her third album, 2021's How Many Times, added a touch of pop luminance to the mix without diluting her songs' folksy charm. She stuck with the winning formula on 2023's Safe to Run, which included a duet with Hurray for the Riff Raff, whereas 2025's self-examining Want traded breezy twang for distortion on several songs, moving her more firmly into alternative territory without relinquishing her warm, lilting melodies or appearances by pedal steel guitar.