Montréal-based DJ Esther Coté views music as narrative architecture, approaching sound curation as a way to probe emotion and feeling. Each of her sets tell a story: about space, time, her audience, and how it feels to be there all together.
march 2025, montréal
interview — AUSTIN SAUCO
text — WILHELMINA MER
portraits — COLIN SIMS, on vacation in Mérida
ESTHER COTÉ — Every time I play, I come in with a storyline that’s an investigation and exploration of a feeling. I’ve never played the same set, and each expression is always based on the venue, the type of event, and what type of crowd will be there. Last weekend, for example, I played at Home By 6, which is a rave with a pretty varied crowd. It was a 4-5 AM set, and I knew it was gonna be banging the whole night. I always want to surprise, educate a little and obviously make it fun, cause that’s what this is about, right?
AS — It sounds almost as if you want to take people on a journey.
EC — Always. I was thinking of the atmosphere at the rave, where it might be very overwhelming after a few hours listening to big bass-y drops. So I thought about how to make it soft, and how that specific timeframe could take you out on a certain loop where you kind of forget where you are. Playing 4-5 AM is such a special time slot, right before the sunrise and a time where people are usually asleep. Deep sleep…dreaming. How can I build off this moment where we should all be dreaming? We’re here together, not sleeping, but perhaps all dreaming together.
AS It sounds like you're interested in world-building. There's an element of deep listening and awareness of context. You can shift the shape of people’s perception, bring them something familiar, but lead them somewhere new with it.
EC — And they may not even be aware of it. It was an experimental set, but there was an element of something airy and light, just like when you’re dreaming – not everything needs to make sense in your head afterwards, but at the moment it does.
EC — I've always been a daydreamer. In elementary school, I would walk around and create a music video in my head, where I would just take specific sounds around me—elements of music that would naturally come into my mind while I was walking and looking at my surroundings.
AS — You're layering it with a powerful technology called imagination, asking “what is this world that we're in?”
EC — It's exactly that. I take references from areas that don't belong to music. I learned how to do this through my work as a creative director, in brand building, you borrow references from different worlds. When DJing, curation takes place first in the imagination, and then in the present moment, when I’m there on stage. For me it's about the journey of bringing elements together, and how people experience those elements.
AS — What do you mean by “experience”?
EC — For example, when you go to an art show, there’s the art on the wall, but the space and the people around it create an energy that doesn’t belong to the art itself. It brings it to life and humanizes the experience.
EC — Exactly. In my work in creative direction, when I create an image, I come with specific references, but there’s always something that emerges naturally in the moment with the talent I bring onboard. It’s the same for DJing; something happens organically, and then you're kind of allowing yourself to be led. It’s a beautiful thing. Creativity is mainly led by how we feel in the moment. This is important because it amplifies the aura. There’s an emotional aspect that I think is crucial.
AS — There’s the emotional component, where it’s about bringing people into a world where we can explore emotions. There’s also the technical aspect, like the practicalities of working on set.
EC — We can make a lot of mistakes on the technical side, and you always learn. If it’s your first time playing two songs together, you learn on the spot how to technically manage them. And I truly believe that unpredicted surprises when trying something new is a beautiful thing that can happen during a DJ set. It makes it more alive and human.
AS — It’s about creativity, curiosity, but also about the technicality—understanding how the science of music works, how things work together. Reactions can sometimes be mistakes, and you have to quickly adapt and adjust with experience.
EC — There’s a famous story about Herbie Hancock. He played the wrong chord at the tail end of a tour in the middle of Miles Davis’s solo. It was so off-key that everyone felt it. But Miles went with it and created something new. Sometimes, when I make a mistake—like pressing the wrong button or stopping a song I wasn't supposed to stop—I see it as part of the performance. If you accept that mistake and transform it into a creative experiment, you can literally do anything, as long as you don’t freak out. You can’t just stop the music or turn on the lights. You’re still a performer; it’s still a show.
AS — When you were younger, did you ever imagine yourself in the position you are today?
EC — I didn't know I would be a DJ, that’s for sure. But I was singing when I was younger, always oriented around anything artistic. However, I’ve always pictured myself in a structured career - as a businesswoman who could also have pink hair and an artist's mind. So, while I didn’t know I would become an artist, that’s still how my brain worked at home.
AS — It sounds like you need parameters in order for your creativity to thrive, similar to how theater needs a stage or how a dance floor provides a space to explore.
EC — Exactly. Being born in the rise of the internet era was impactful in becoming a DJ. I was always on my laptop chatting with friends and exchanging music. I remember the LimeWire days, downloading tons of tracks. Even at a young age, I wanted to have the biggest library and create playlists for specific moments with friends—always sharing emotions or memories tied to those playlists.
EC — It’s important that I establish an emotional connection, then find a balance between familiar and unfamiliar sounds, and ensure the energy of the room reflects the journey I want to take the audience on. I rarely play vocals because I’m very specific about the type of vocals I like. Day to day, I listen to post-punk and very alternative music. So, whenever I want to add a signature to a set, I usually include a song with vocals from the post-punk or '90s era. It’s also fun because it’s a different tempo that shifts the whole vibe, and it feels right to close with it—like the credits at the end of a movie.
AS — What was your involvement with Shift Radio and the fascinating intersection of musicians and DJs there, creating a space for music to be shared?
EC — I love Shift Radio. The team is doing something really unique. I’ve helped them with events and acted as a consultant. They provide a platform for DJs to connect with each other. It’s a space for experimentation and showcases Montreal’s talent as well as abroad. It’s all about giving back to the community—it’s made by the community for the community. It’s not about a specific music genre or tone; it’s everyone’s project.
AS — There’s a wonderful openness to it.
EC — It’s cool that there are literally no limits. For the three-year anniversary, we decided to create merch, but instead of just printing "Shift Radio" on a t-shirt, we collaborated with artists. We gave them carte blanche to create something meaningful that reflects the spirit of the project. It allows them to express ideas they might not have known how to integrate otherwise, and it gives great visibility to their work.
AS — It sounds like collaboration is key for you.
EC — For me it’s about building a community of artists that share similar values but come from different backgrounds resulting in a broader creative input. I never do this alone; it’s all about the collective vision. I always give myself the space to be open. From that openness, we can all share and contribute.
AS — Speaking of spaces, Montreal is where you spend most of your time. Are there other places in the world that resonate with you, both as a performer and personally?
EC — It’s a bit odd, but I feel most inspired when I’m in transit. Movement through space gives me a lot of inspiration. So it’s not a specific place in the world, but more in the context of travel. We’re here, but we’re not moving too fast. Being on a train is a prime spot for inspiration. Flying or being on a boat gives me similar feelings. There are also places where I feel grounded, which help me relax, but transportation really sparks my creativity.
EC — That’s beautiful. Sometimes it’s just the way light reflects off something that gives you a new perspective.
AS — What kind of environments make you feel most creative?
EC — It’s funny because I work best in overwhelming environments. Put me in the middle of a busy New York street, and that’s where I feel the most creative.
AS — All that stimulation helps you?
EC — Yes. I’ve tried working in nature and sitting quietly, but I often end up falling asleep. My brain needs that stimulation. In busy environments, a bubble forms around me; everything is happening, but I can shut it out and feel like I’m in a different dimension.
AS — It sounds like you exist between worlds. The concept of dimension relates to travel and space, but emotion. As a dancer, I feel this when you play music; you take us on a journey, transporting us to new sonic spaces grounded in deep emotion, which is magical. What does magic mean to you?
EC — Magic, to me, is the invisible thread that connects people through sound and emotion. It’s that unspoken moment when music transcends, creating a shared energy that feels bigger than us. The most magical things are the ones we experience together—raw, real, and unforgettable.
AS — Do you feel a connection with your younger and future selves in your creative process?
EC — Absolutely. Every project I work on is a reflection of where I’ve been and where I want to go. It’s like a continuous conversation with myself, blending past experiences with future aspirations. When I’m in the studio or on stage, I can feel the presence of all those different versions of me, and it fuels my creativity.
EC — If it doesn’t feel fun, I just won’t do it. Now I’m more selective about my sets, and it’s all about the vibe. When I’m really feeling it, that’s when the magic happens, especially in the middle of a set when I lose track of time.
AS — That’s the moment when the energy in the room shifts and everyone connects. It’s like you’re part of something bigger, where the music binds everyone together.
EC — It’s that instinctive moment when everything just flows. Sometimes it feels like I’m not even in control anymore; it’s just happening, and I’m along for the ride.