Essy – PRESHOW RITUALS

In this Preshow Rituals segment, the electro pop artist, Essy, reveals what she does before taking the stage. You can check out the story, after the break.

It’s fair to say I didn’t realize how much effort and mental preparation went into planning a live show until I took a step back from live performances during the pandemic. There’s so much that goes into a live performance before it even happens. The week before we hit the stage, my band rehearses heavily. We’re usually tweaking small things like song lineup and in-ear mixes, as well as covering transitions between songs and practicing awkward pauses that happen on stage. It’s easy to get stressed about the small things, like if a band member gets sick or if you develop a cold the day before a show. Keeping your head in the right mental space is the most important thing for me. The day of a show, I clear my schedule entirely. I wake up and meditate first. It’s easy to get anxious-excited, so I stay clear of coffee and start hydrating my throat with decaffeinated tea and honey. Throat coat is my go-to. I naturally have an energetic demeanor and the adrenaline I feel before a show totally beats any coffee kick.

As far as pre-show rituals, I tend to always wear my Nike sneakers. I think performers all have control mechanisms to make us feel more comfortable on stage and my attire is one of them! Before the show begins, my band usually has a pre-show huddle. We came up with this really random saying during one of our first showcases. It’s something along the lines of “some die old, some die young, but we’re not dying” and then we walk on stage. I have no idea where it came from. I think I nervously said it once before a show and it stuck.

Drinking is usually kept to a minimum before performing. It’s a silent understanding between the band that we want to give the audience our best performance possible. If we’re not fully engaged, it translates to the people watching. We usually save all the fun and celebration for after the fact.

Live performing really is a one-of-a-kind experience. Being able to perform and dance to songs I’ve created is so surreal. Whenever I walk on stage, it’s a giant rush of emotion and adrenaline. I get tingly, but in a good way. Once the first song kicks off, the rush calms down and it becomes a dance party. I can’t wait to get back out there and plays new shows and travel. Fingers crossed the end of 2021 brings back the thing we all miss most!

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