The Storrs-Willimantic music scene is largely made up of students from the University of Connecticut and Eastern Connecticut State University. But not every artist is from the area, as artists from across the state have made their way through the scene and have even come back for more.
Among those musicians not based in Storrs or Willimantic is Justin Esmer, better known as just Esmer, a singer-songwriter and guitarist from Hamden, Conn., who has maintained a steady presence by playing shows in the area over the past two years. His songs are defined by his beautifully smooth vocals and music arrangements that take influence from R&B, jazz and alternative rock, among other genres.
Esmer’s journey with songwriting began in middle school, where he would write poems that he would turn into songs and raps. But he started taking songwriting more seriously during his senior year of high school in 2020 which was cut short by the pandemic, leading to him having more time to write songs and delve into his craft.
“I was in my senior year of high school when COVID and everything was happening, so I had a lot of free time to discover how to make music and also who would inspire it,” he said.
Soon after this, he released his first single, “Peace of Mind,” at the end of 2020. Starting with that song, he’s released an impressive total of 17 songs and three extended plays over the past four years.
Esmer explained that with his lyrics, he tries to “take something that’s so mundane and [tries] to romanticize it” or “give it a character,” which he expresses with his own vocals. He also said that he thinks about his future self when writing.
“When I write, I’m often thinking about how future me can reflect and how I’ve grown from the time that I wrote the song,” he said.
Musically, he said that most of his ideas start with a quick idea for a vocal melody or chord progression on guitar. He records these ideas in voice memos so he doesn’t forget them, though he said that it’s hard to forget what he considers the best ones.
“I find that the best ideas that I come up with start with really catchy melodies that I can’t get out of my head,” he explained. “And once I have a melody, I ask ‘What kind of vibe do I want with this?’”
He noted that finding the right vibe for a song is the hardest part of the songwriting process for him, but he cited a quote from a friend of his that he thinks of to help him with this: “If it bangs, it bangs,” meaning that he’ll get a gut feeling if something is working.
While his songwriting process has stayed consistent, the way he records music has changed since he started. With his early songs, he would record all the instruments, produce and mix it himself. He described this as an “exhausting” process and has since expanded to work with other musicians, something that he said he has greatly enjoyed.
“As of late, I started asking for help with producing from some of my friends who make really good music,” he said. “And just being in the same room as them and feeling the passion and fire [makes me feel] like maybe I should have been doing this the whole time.”
He utilized this increasingly collaborative approach when making his third EP, “Achilles Heel,” which came out this past August. He said that while it took a long time to make, it was a process that was well worth it.
“It was lengthy but it was worth it,” he said. “I feel like I learned a lot about production during the whole thing, and a lot about singing too.”
In addition to his recording projects, Esmer also thrives on and loves performing live. He started off by playing basement shows with his high school band but has since taken on a consistent schedule of shows across Connecticut with a rotating cast of musicians at his side.
Esmer first played in Storrs in the fall of 2022 at one of the editions of that year’s Sunset Series, hosted by SUBOG, and has continued to play in the area, noting that he admires the bustling music scene at UConn. He most recently performed in Storrs on Sept. 21 at The Dog Pound, one of the newest basement venues in Storrs, which he called one of his favorite shows that he’s played.
“When [the band and I] got there it was a really chill vibe, almost like I didn’t have to think if I was comfortable or not there,” he said. “Lately I’ve been a little anti-social so I talked a bit less than I usually would, but I loved that crowd.”
Esmer said that one of his favorite parts about performing is meeting different people at shows. He recalled a show he played in Indiana in August and meeting people from there for the first time, something that he said is an example of his philosophy about meeting people.
“My theory is that once you meet someone, they’re in your life and they never leave,” he explained. “Even if they physically leave, you always acknowledge them in your mind somewhere. And I totally think that meeting new people is the best feeling ever.”
And for people seeing Esmer perform live for the first time, his music and passion will leave an impression that can’t be easily forgotten.