Esbie Fonte is a biracial songwriter who bends unexpected styles to create unique pop music with collaborator Peter Tilley. Her recent single, “Aces High,” features raw lyrical barbs coupled with gorgeous guitar progressions, and the brand-new video allows her stylish personality to shine.

Precise enunciation and weary disposition mirror what one would expect from a musical style more aligned with pop-punk, but warm flamenco guitars subvert expectations. Fonte asks a lot in “Aces High,” with a deep bass line in the chorus reverberating in her chest.

In college Fonte opted to write solo rather than juggle her peers' expectations for success. When she got a job at an office, her isolation came to a head and caused her to write this song. A well-placed detail in the video evokes her spirit’s claustrophobia: The empty picture frame boxes her in as it does wallpaper patterns that yearn to reach further.

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