Denise Kodia interviews Esmee Denters for Flavour Magazine

Justin Timberlake’s new protégé Esmee Denters is a new fun loving artist that despite her humble beginnings is now signed to a major record label, Tennnman Records. Denters is reaching new heights and achieving her life long goals.

First discovered on the social networking site Youtube singing the likes of Aaliyah, Beyonce, Neyo and Alicia Keys, this rising star has a lot to offer to the world and the music industry. She grew up in Oosterbeek in the Netherlands with her family, and first started posting videos of herself on Youtube in 2007. ‘I think that my whole story of starting out on Youtube, people can relate to who I am, as a young girl.

I’ve always dreamed of becoming an artist and now it’s all coming true for me. I’m just ready to work hard and I think I have a cool mixture of sounds and I’m really excited to let everybody hear that.’

Her track Outta Here reached number 3 spot on the UK i­tunes chart in its first week but despite this success she realises that she has a long way to go but is ready for the road ahead.

She also acknowledges the fact that there are quite a few new female artists that are coming up just like her. But she has every faith in her music and acknowledges the challenges she has with being an artist.

‘Of course there are a lot of female artists coming out right now but I’m pretty confident about my music. I think what will be more of a challenge will be travelling around the world and trying to keep in touch with my family and friends. I’ve been kind of struggling with that already but we have e­mail and phones so it’s cool.’

Denters not only expresses herself through her music but also by the clothes that she wears. When asked to name something crazy, sexy and cool about herself she refers to

her boots. Denters, also explains that her clothes are a part of her costume, and she likes to play around with these. ‘That would kind of sound like I had an ego right? My boots are kind of crazy, sexy and cool I really like them. I think a great part of being an artist is expressing yourself by the way you dress. I really love fashion. It’s not that I’m label person, I don’t even care whether it’s some big designer, I just want to look good. I like to mix and match all kinds of things together.’

Being on Tennman Records has definitely benefited her and you can tell that she is very thankful to Justin Timberlake for giving her this opportunity. She’s been able to co­write the majority of the songs on the album with some great producers, like Polo Da Don and label CEO Justin Timberlake. When speaking about who she looks up to within the industry his name comes up and she becomes teary eyed.

With a slight crack in her voice she says: ‘Yeah, he really has become like a mentor to me and he’s been so involved that I feel really lucky to be the first artist on his label and I really want to make him proud.’

Continuing she reaffirms that he is the main person that she looks up too in the industry, ‘especially as I’ve got to work with him and even before that. Now that I get to see his talent close up, and I get to see how amazing he is, he’s an idol to me and someone who I look up to very much.’

Esmee Denters is definitely one to watch in the coming months. Her talent has got her noticed by one artist who is one of the best of this generation. Denters is not only a Dutch girl who can sing, who is signed to Tennman Records but an artist who is ready and willing to give herself to the world.

Outta Here is out now.

Words by Denise Kodia Online 17th September 2009 www.flavourmag.co.uk