Blue Élan Records proudly releases Father’s Daughter, the debut album from Essence & Gold Country. A deeply personal and autobiographical work, the record chronicles Essence’s journey through love, loss, and resilience—woven with the Appalachian Americana and country influences she has long cherished.
The album’s spotlight track, “Quit You,” delivers one of its most emotionally raw performances: a romantic duet between Essence and Gold Country co-founder Danny Uzilevsky. In the tradition of timeless male/female pairings like Johnny Cash and June Carter, George Jones and Tammy Wynette, and Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, the song captures the spark of a love that can’t be denied, even when circumstances make it complicated. Essence calls it “about undeniable and ill-timed love”—a track that blends vulnerability and chemistry into one of the record’s most compelling moments.
Recorded at Allegiant Records near her Marin County home and produced by David Simon-Baker (Black Wings), Father’s Daughter draws on the duality of Essence’s story: raised by a loving single father, she later faced the pain of losing him while navigating the challenges of divorce and single motherhood herself. These themes surface throughout the album, from the liberating “Free” to the tender title track “Father’s Daughter.” The record is a reflection of survival, reinvention, and the healing power of music.
Essence first came to national attention through her viral NPR Tiny Desk performance with Bernie and the Believers, a collaboration with her late friend Bernie Dalton, whose journey with ALS inspired a forthcoming feature film. With Father’s Daughter, she steps fully into her own spotlight, backed by her stellar band Gold Country.
“Music has always been very healing for me,” Essence reflects. “From my days as a kid going through hard times, it was my lifeline, my saving grace.”
