Estelle California

Estelle California is a singer/songwriter born in France. She started playing the piano when she was 5 years old and went on to study saxophone. Later, she was formally trained in opera. Her current life is a far cry from her childhood growing up in France, where she suffered physical and mental abuse and lived in an environment where she saw many people being discriminated against. Estelle spent time in South Africa, and then in 2013, she moved to Oakland, CA, where she felt drawn to the diverse and respectful community. Her love for the state of California and its people led her to change her artist name. As a musician, Estelle draws inspiration from artists like Nina Simone. Her lyrics offer an overall message of empowerment and hope.