Amid the Beauty available now
Jennifer Elster’s first album is being released, song by song.
Amid the Beauty is more than just a song—it's an anthem for unity in a fractured world. Elster's poignant lyrics reflect the societal tension that inspired the track. With Mike Handelman on guitar and Eimi Tanaka on piano, the song is the fourth single from her debut album. After a tour of emotionally charged performances, the song became central to Elster’s work, resonating deeply as a message of both critique and hope.
Upcoming videos of live performances:
November 14th at 3:00 PM: Amid the Beauty at signs and symbols with Mike Handelman & Eimi Tanaka
See more dates below.
More upcoming videos of live performances:
November 21st at 6:00 PM: Amid the Beauty Live at New Museum with Eimi Tanaka, Mike Handelman, Joel McGlynn
November 28th at 10:00 AM: Amid the Beauty at The Wake The F*ck Up Show with Mike Handelman and Eimi Tanaka
December 5th at 6:00 PM: Amid the Beauty at The Development Gallery with Shu-Wei Tseng and Mike Handelman
First three singles include C’mon Now Baby, You Know What Will Happen and How We Do (see below)
Joined by David Bronson on acoustic guitar and bass, Bre Plaza on drums, Eimi Tanaka or Elster on piano, and Mike Handelman on electric guitar.
"Elster’s music is a restless blend of downtown avant-garde rock, outsider folk and art-pop with a sound unto herself.” —Tad Hendrickson
Amid the Beauty lyrics
by Jennifer Elster
Amid the beauty I see broken pieces everywhere.
Amid the beauty I see broken pieces everywhere.
People confused angry and hateful, not getting anywhere.
At the end of the day, we need each other, bring everyone together.
Together from everywhere.
Together from everywhere.
Amid the beauty I see lunatics everywhere.
Amid the beauty I see lunatics everywhere.
Amid the Beauty at signs and symbols gallery with Mike Handelman and Eimi Tanaka
Next Live performance of Amid the Beauty from the New Museum joined by wonderful musicians, Mike Handelman on guitar, Joel McGlynn on drum, and Eimi Tanaka on piano.
Video art Unknown by me. This video recorded live by Peter Pavlokis.
Other songs (scroll) down yonder include, We Don’t Want that for Our Future?, The Virus Song, and Concern Citizen.
C’mon Now Baby (official music video)
Song and video by Jennifer Elster
C’mon Now Baby
by Jennifer Elster
My garden is of love’s wisdom
Let us not fear the walk
I am not just a woman,
but a Woman
with life’s deepest wisdom
from life’s shivering
realities
and I want you
through and through.
So c’mon now baby,
c’mon now baby
c’mon now baby
come on.
You Know What Will Happen (official music video)
You Know What Will Happen (Lyrics) By Jennifer Elster
Mama said the moon don’t lie,
Eat your fire
Disappear in the sky.
Leave you on earth to think about you and I
I’m a love volcano
Razor sharp
Lazer eyes.
But if you touch this
You know what will happen.
You’ll burn your fingers
Is that good?
It’s fire.
*Available on all streaming platforms here and follow this Youtube now for next Premiere!
How We Do (official music video)
Song and video by Jennifer Elster. Mike Handelman on Electric Guitar. Bre Plaza on Drums
How We Do is the third single from Jennifer Elster's, upcoming, debut album of love and experimental songs.
How We Do (Lyrics) By Jennifer Elster
I love you.
And I know, I know, I know, you love me too.
It's what we do. To get through.
And another, another, another, won't due.
Your struggles, your fears, your triumphs, your tears, your failed cover-ups, is how you do. To get through.
I watched you become you.
My tenderness, and even my chaos too. Is how I do.
God I love you.
*View full lyrics here
c. The Development Productions, LLC 2022
The Hurricane
We Don't Want That For Our Future, Do We?
By Jennifer Elster
“I am in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Surviving a natural disaster is brutal. We don't want this for our future. Landmine life. House raging rapids. Everything gone outside. Filling up inside. Warning of tornado looming overhead. Slow drown, maybe. Or all at once. No we don't want this for our future, do we? We don't want that for our future, do we? Smattered existence. My chairs down the road. Cherished belongings destroyed. Take down the floors and the walls. Where'd everything go? Even worse, looking for someone you know. We don't want that for our future, do we? No, we don't want that for our future, do we?
THE VIRUS SONG WITH PIANO AVAILABLE ON MANY PLATFORMS HERE.
THE VIRUS SONG lyrics (with piano)
Jennifer Elster
You’ got me cleaning , got me doing the floors.
You’ got me wiping down the handles of doors.
Look at you go, you’re relentless and free.
And you just might kill me.
I don’t see dying, don’t see dying this way.
Oh virus please, oh virus please go away.
Look at you go, you’re relentless and free.
And you just might be what kills me.
*View full lyrics here
CEMETERY: IS DEATH?
By Jennifer Elster
Jennifer Elster invites a group of talented New York City artists to her studio . Upon arrival, they become part of a tragicomedy, an experimental musical art piece that is just as much charged with anger as it is humor, but still the question remains: IS DEATH FINITE? This piece has been performed at The Development Underground, The New Museum, Central Booking Gallery, Cornelia Street Cafe, and Westpark.
IS DEATH FINITE? features Jennifer Elster, who wrote and directed the piece as well as provided harmony and vocals. Sugar Vendil (composer and classical pianist and interdisciplinary artists, Antonym) and Trevor Gureckis (award-winning composer and producer, Servant, Old) play the keyboard, Crockett Doob (editor, Beasts of the Southern Wild) is on drums and Julia Wilkins (experimental dancer, ‘here there nowhere’ ) dances.
Welcome to the Wake the F*ck Up Show Available on All Platforms Here
WELCOME TO THE WAKE THE F*CK UP SHOW
Jennifer Elster performing at her solo exhibition The Wake the F*ck Up Show with Mike Handelman
on guitar and Eimi Tanaku on keyboard.
THE VIRUS SONG lyrics (with keyboard)
You got me cleaning and doing the floors.
You’ve got me wiping down the handles of doors. Look at you go, you’re relentless and free.
And you just might kill me.
I don’t see dying, don’t see dying this way. Oh virus, virus, virus please go away.
Am I what you are here for, a living bacteria, a speckle, a spore.
I don’t see dying, don’t see dying this way.
Oh please, oh please virus, oh please go away. Look at you go, you’re relentless and free.
You just might be the thing that kills me.
On my fifteenth birthday my dad brought a man. Into our place, and he was tall when he stand.
I said “don’t leave me, don’t leave with him.” He’s jacked up and has a weird look on his face. But he didn’t listen, didn’t listen to me.
The man was crying about his son who got killed the night before.
My dad said “I couldn’t imagine that happening to my daughter” then he closed the bathroom door.
*View full lyrics here
ITunes Bandcamp or Spotify
AMID THE BEAUTY
"Here is a performance I did of a song I wrote 'Amid the Beauty'. Chris Colton played on my grandfather’ piano. This has been an incredibly challenging year for us all and so much worse for so many.It has also been an incredible year with so many fantastic people and memories. 'Amid the beauty I see broken pieces everywhere. Amid the darkness I see beauty everywhere.'
Jennifer Elster
YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN
Harmony, vocals, and song by Jennifer Elster, Guitar performed by David Bronson and Percussion performed by Orlando Edmonds.