Kanye Helping Pay For Esthero Album

After riding high and rolling in royalties by co-writing the hit "Love Lockdown" and "RoboCop" for Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak and the title track of Brandy's Human last year, Esthero is working on a new record of her own.

"Well, it wasn't really my intent to make an album, but that's what seems to be happening," Esthero (real name Jenny-Bea Englishman) wrote in a Feb. 3 MySpace blog post.

"You see, i was in one of the worst slumps of my life when suddenly, like clockwork, every night around 4am, as i tried to sleep i could not, for visions of sugarplums...lol...the music, the music was so loud in my head.

"My producer brain clicked on....songs i've been sitting on for a minute, suddenly became quite clear....and i could not sleep.

"So i booked some studio time. 4 days, actually, in which my intent was to finish 2 songs. By day 2, i had 4 songs on the go. To date, i've had about 12 sessions, and now have 8 or 9 songs in various stages on my plate.

"Funny isn't it? 7 years for the 2nd album, and it's looking like the third will have taken all of maybe 20 sessions. Not a lot of bells and whistles on this one. Just simple pretty songs."

Esthero has posted snippets of two of her new songs, "Black Mermaid" and "Everything Is Expensive," on her MySpace page.

"When it's done, i'm not sure what i'll do with it - know that when it is done - you will be able to hold a copy in your hands - i'm just not sure of the method yet," Esthero's post continued.

"It is a liberating experience to own ones masters, but also a responsibility - one i've never encoutered before and i will be treading carefuly.

"Please don't ask me for a date, just know i'm dying to let it all out, and let me continue to enjoy this amazing experience, and know i will share it with all of you as soon as it's done."

The 30-year-old Canadian artist who now calls Los Angeles home released her Breath From Another debut through Sony in 1998 and Wikked Lil' Grrrls via Warner in 2005.

Esthero has been more prolific in contributing songs to soundtracks, co-writing with other artists and appearing on recordings by the likes of Black Eyed Peas, Michie Mee, Rascalz, Nelly Furtado, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Jarvis Church, Blue Man Group, Sugar Ray, Mos Def and her brother, J. Englishman.