‘Salvation’s Forgotten Us’ is the new single by British-Nigerian singer-songwriter Essence Martins, out today. Drawing inspiration from a blend of indie, folk, pop, and soul, Essence’s sound is uniquely her own. This is her second release of the year, following up ‘Quiet & Perfect’, which came after her debut EP Deer In The Headlights.

On ‘Salvation’s Forgotten Us’, Essence’s ethereal vocals explore the powerful feelings of rejecting expectations, embracing freedom, embodying courage, and being true to herself, set against beautifully delicate instrumentation.

Reflecting on her personal inspiration for the song, Essence shares: “I wrote this song at a time when I felt ashamed of my queerness. I was sick of feeling this way, so I pretended I didn’t care what people thought and tried to write a song from the perspective of someone who is brave and proud. This person followed her dreams, loved who she wanted to, and was unapologetically herself. I ended up writing about the character I wanted to become, and even though I still feel far from her, I’m working towards her every day. I still care too much about what others think of me, which is partly why the song is very open-ended lyrically, but I love how it can be interpreted as whatever it needs to be for the listener.”