Esther Rose Shares “New Bad” With Video Directed By Anna Marie Tendler

9:48 AM EST on February 4, 2025

After her tour for 2023's Safe To Run, Esther Rose considered quitting music. Instead, the folk musician quit drinking and focused on therapy. Now, she's back with the new album Want, arriving in May. The lead single "New Bad" is out now, and it comes with a music video directed by Anna Marie Tendler.

"This song leaps from the speakers. It’s part grunge, part shoegaze," Rose says, continuing:

Working with Anna Marie Tendler was the collaboration I’ve always dreamed of. We sparked an easy, natural rapport out of mutual admiration for each other’s artistry. After I read her book Men Have Called Her Crazy, I sent her a note, saying that my unreleased album and her memoir were apparently spiritual twins. Luckily, she agreed.

Anna Marie Tendler added:

We spent five days, just the two of us, traversing the desert talking and laughing about love, family, our careers, therapy, ketamine, divorce, and music, all while filming a video whose themes and visuals were predicated on the pluralism of self. We also spent a lot of time in comfortable silence watching a golden sun set into an inky sky. On our last day, I thanked Esther for taking this chance on me. She, of course, had access to all my photographs, but there was little in terms of video work to prove my proficiency, let alone talent. I was surprised to learn it wasn't my visual work, but my memoir, which had gotten me the job. I just knew you would get what I was trying to say, Esther told me.

Want was produced by Video Age's Ross Farbe. About the LP, Rose explains:

This record is introspective and internal. In these songs, I examine my thoughts and behavior patterns. There are other themes, fear being a big one. I write when I’m scared, and I was scared a lot, sometimes by external situations but mostly by deep-diving into my subconscious. Another theme is accountability. I’m still learning about this one. I believe in the power of music to reveal and heal.

Watch the "New Bad" video below.

TRACKLIST:
01 "Want"
02 "tailspin" (Feat. Video Age)
03 "Had To"
04 "Ketamine"
05 "Rescue You"
06 "Scars" (Feat. Dean Johnson)
07 "Messenger"
08 "New Bad"
09 "The Clown"
10 "Color Wheel"
11 "Want Pt. 2"

TOUR DATES:
02/05 - Austin, TX @ Sagebrush *
02/06 - Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips *
02/07 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Resonant Head *
02/11 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gold-Diggers *
02/13 - San Francisco, CA @ 4 Star Theater *
02/14 - Ojai, CA @ Deer Lodge *
02/15 - Phoenix, AZ @ Musical Instrument Museum *
02/16 - Santa Fe, NM @ Tumbleroot Brewery *
02/27 - Nashville, TN @ Blue Room at Third Man Records *
02/28 - Little Rock, AR @ White Water Tavern *
03/01 - Fayetteville, AR @ George's Majestic Lounge *
03/02 - Columbus, MS @ Sunstroke House *
03/04 - Chicago, IL @ Schuba's *
03/05 - St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club *
03/06 - Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon *
03/07 - Newport, KY @ Southgate House *
03/08 - Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar *
03/09 - Asheville, NC @ Eulogy *
03/20 - Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall *
03/21 - Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java *
03/22 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's *
03/23 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right *
03/25 - Toronto, ON @ Garrison *
03/26 - Montreal, QC @ Bar le Ritz PDB *
03/27 - Burlington, VT @ Light Club Lamp Shop *
03/28 - Portland, ME @ SPACE Gallery *
03/29 - Kingston, NY @ Tubby's *
05/07 - Den Haag, NL @ Paard ~
05/08 - Groningen, NL @ Lutherse Kerk ~
05/09 - Amen, NL @ Cultureel Café de Amer ~
05/10 - Breda, NL @ Mezz ~
05/11 - Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg ~
05/13 - Kristiansand, NO @ Vaktbua ~
05/14 - Oslo, NO @ Kampen Bistro ~
05/15 - Trondheim, NO @ Bar Moskus ~
05/16 - Östersund, SE @ Jazzköket ~
05/19 - Glasgow, UK @ Glad Cafe +
05/20 - Manchester, UK @ The Lodge +
05/21 - London, UK @ Lexington +
05/22 - Gothenburg, SE @ Nefertiti +
05/24 - Stockholm, SE @ Echo Three Fest +
05/26 - Copenhagen, DK +
05/27 - Odense, DK +
05/28 - Hamburg, DE +
05/29 - Berlin, DE @ Rough Trade Records +
05/30 - Burghausen @ Jazzkeller +
06/02 - Paris, FR @ Supersonic +