Ester Dean Enlists Missy Elliott for First Single

Ester Dean has written for megastars including Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Katy Perry, and now she’s calling on one of her own musical inspirations. The platinum hitmaker has collaborated with Missy Elliott on the first single off her upcoming debut.

The Oklahoma native plans to release two singles from her album. “I have a single for overseas and I have song for here,” she told ESSENCE.

The U.S. single is called “How You Love It” and features Missy. “Thank you 4 blessing me with an amazing blue print,” Ester told her idol, who responded, “I’m Humbly Grateful! HYLI is a Club banger!”

She is leaning towards Story Never Told as the title of the project. “I’ve said a lot of things and a lot of people have heard the words I’ve said, but it’s a story never told,” explained Ester. “They don’t understand what I meant by those words because they were always given out through a different source. What I meant by those songs never got told.”

Earlier this year, she gave fans a taste with the Missy-inspired record “Bam Bam” and a leaked collaboration with Nicki Minaj called “Gimmie Money.”

Ester will make her big-screen debut in the musical comedy Pitch Perfect, in theaters nationwide on October 5.