West London legend Estelle is back with her sixth studio album, Stay Alta — she takes Wonderland exclusively through the track list. 

From origins as a MC in West London’s early noughties undergrowth to collaborations with some of the biggest artists in global music, the journey of Estelle brims with inspiration and imagination. Endeavours away from the mic have taken precedence in the past decade or so, but earlier this month the iconic singer-songwriter returned with her sixth studio album. 

Stay Alta sees Estelle tackling a wider array of musical styles than ever. It’s modern but nostalgic, fearless creatively and nuanced musically. There’s features from a coterie of industry favourites — from Channel Tres to D-Nice and Durand Bernarr — and Estelle herself sounds rejuvenating alongside them, documenting a seeking and acceptance of her artistry and inner self. 

To commemorate the work, the iconic singer-songwriter takes Wonderland through Stay Alta in our latest track-by-track.

Listen to the album…

Read the track-by-track…

“Outside”

This is a song about staying out the box. We’re all born individual, with our own fingerprint and iris lines that are like no other person on earth, so even as much as we agree on things we. Often see things differently based on our upbringing and perspective. You can listen Sade and and still wear crystals in your hair, you can work in the highest ranks of any legal field and smoke a lot of weed, everyone’s experience is their own in this life and it’s what makes you different and a beautiful part of this human family, embrace it. 

“Oh I”

Joy and funk and pop go hand in hand I believe, this was the 2nd record we recorded, I used all of my early 2000’s pop and dance knowledge to add flavour to this, a lot of records I grew up hearing on radio in London had this synth violin line through them mall and a wah-wah guitar that you’d typically use in ska or funk or 70’s soul music either way i wanted a two step record that just felt good and like you’d heard it before. All of these records were recorded in 4 hour blocks. This is no different.

“Grateful (Thank You)”

Theresa quote that says something about being grateful is how you get what you want and more, I’ve experienced that – I find that when I stay present and count my blessings the doors tend to open wider than i knew they could.

When working on the song I walked in singing the melody for the Boyz to Men classic “Thank you” and I pretty much freestyle’d the rap, as we listened over the years it reminded me of the classic house music that Sean Escoffery and Peven Everett make, my friends Russell Taylor and Teedra Moses happened to be in town on the same day and came through with a beautiful reminder of how to stay grateful. I adore them both as people and they have each seen me in various stages of my life – they personally remind me to be present and stay in receiver mode but get up when necessary and go for yours.

“Love On Love”

While I was recording, we were in lockdown in the pandemic and the George Floyd protests were happening at the same time, I thought while I did what I could with our partners to support folks who were protesting I also knew that I wanted to make a song that if I needed a song that would describe the feeling that we had in that week, changes were indeed being made at a real human level and folks are leaning. Into community and love  not in a romantic way but in a strong and real and together way – empathy and love for one another over just self. D-Nice, my brother who I’ve known for a long time, was keeping us all afloat while this was happening and even beyond came to the studio for an hour of the time and did his familiar chants of “ now is the time for love” really I just asked him do a radio drop…but it worked out perfectly.

“Roses”

While listening to D-Nice on Club Quarantine – he started saying I’m giving roses to… and started naming off a good few 80’s souls icons who were on the instagram live listening in, it was about 2pm in the afternoon and I, like any other people, had a glass of wine in my hand dancing round my living room — I began to sing “give me my roses…”

The next day I went in with producer Keith Harris to try this melody I had been singing – it stuck in my head. The song is about doing the work needed to evolve, a love letter to my grandma and great grandma who’s joy courage and sacrifice made my existence possible but also gave me strength to begin a rebirth in my family line and lineage, it’s also about giving roses to the artists who’s shoulders we stand on with all joy and love, the songs we remember dancing to growing up and the songs we remember that give us joy in the sad moments… 

“Like He Is”

The first track i recorded for the album, I’ve listening to a lot of soul music well since birth and never stopped, id gotten into Syreeta wright over the years and its a interpolation sort of a remake of one of her songs, this song is about acceptance and the sweetness you are sometimes able to find in quiet moments of acceptance, be that with a partner or with yourself, there’s always good to ponder or look at in a situation. The drumless loop makes me so happy the bass line is the drum movement that we needed i believe.

“Fire”

This is about affirming and knowing what you want in relationships. In n the middle of writing this album, i had come to terms with certain things about myself and my ability to detail what i like… this is me detailing the type of relationship, man, person I’m comfortable with. No grey areas. The feature artist JOI is brilliant in that she is a master. Of funk, she walked so i could have the hope of running or flying, she is affiliated to Atlanta rap icons goodie mob, and an icon in the funk rock scene for women. I was. Honoured to have her say some things for this record..

 “Stay Alta”

The title track and the main point of the album is to remind you to stay in the highest vibration, to intend to operate from major, from your light to stay up, stay on the metaphorical stars or whatever you determine to be a good place. Of course people have real life mental struggles, I also know there’s the gift of perspective when you’re going through times that feels a little rough. Channel Tres’ voice grounded the whole euphoric message of the song reminding me that harmony is a beautiful alternative to balance.

“Let It Drop”

This song came about scrolling instagram one eve and coming across Durand Bernarr who is now an intl star doing one of his infamous IG stories talking about his day to day in only the way he can, i sampled his voice which echoed my annoyance at all of the madness that was happening in several instances; it echoes my practise of giving annoying moments their time then wrapping it upon and moving forward, not allowing energy vultures to overrun your energy and your time with their personal inability to don their work or leave you out of their manipulation. This can be in love, in families, in friendships relationships of all kinds. Durand came in after hearing the record and added even more light to it.

“On Time (Honey Honey)”

I consider Latinx culture akin to Black Culture, they’re literally our brothers and sisters in culture and genetics just a different name in some cases and different language. The music is the reminder that we’re all one. I’m a huge fan of salsa music and go to my first exposure watching the Fania All-Stars on VHS tape via one of my aunties. Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe, Johnny Pacheco and more all used a lot of African rhythms in and around their music, and I was inspired to make something that I could salsa to but felt authentic to the islands mixing in calypso. My friend comedian, writer, poet and incredible orator Aida Rodriguez guested on the spoken word parts. The song is about being with your true romantic love, I asked her to write as if she was speaking to the love of her life, Nonchalant Savant came in and played congas in the middle of the song, in the tradition of the some of the great records Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe would do, this record took the longest to complete because its so musical…

“New Direction” 

Is a song about not knowing exactly where we are going and yet yearning to be with your community and still finding joy in putting one foot in front of the other, going in a New Direction. The music was inspired by our greats Dizzie Gillespie, Earth, Wind and Fire, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, and again the records you know and love that you don’t have top of mind, Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder, the Brothers Johnson – Stomp, Controllers – Stay, Candi Staton – Young Hearts, etc.

“Start Over”

Another song that sings of the joy and light that comes from taking charge of your future, you spoke to yourself, authority figures, your governments, your school, your family and decided that you were not afraid “to knock all this shit over and start again!” I feel like everyone has been here and if not eventually will. There’s freedom and light in beginning again…

Each of these songs are made to give you permission to be in your light. Every day. To remind you of what you already know to be.