Bold move: When she was just 16, Esther performed for international superstar Jessie J who was so impressed by the young singer that she invited her on stage to perform at her Dubai concert. Since then, Esther’s fan base has grown and two years on, she is signed to Universal Music.

Work ethic: Esther, the daughter of a jazz singer, grew up in a musical household and she got her first guitar at 13. “I started learning to play it myself and posted a cover on Youtube which got a lot of attention. Since meeting Jessie J at my school, I have never looked back. I’ve continued writing songs and started producing. By the end of 2015, I was signed with Universal Music MENA. Though this all sounds like a fairy tale, it has taken a lot of hard work and perseverance to get to this point.”

Future goals: After releasing her first two singles, Is This Love and Phoenix, earlier this year, Esther has plans to drop her debut album by the end of the year. “All the songs are written and composed by me,” she adds.

Be inspired: “After my Jessie J performance went viral, I was targeted by online bullies. But I’ve learned to stand up to anything that comes my way and to channel the hurt from malicious comments into my music.”