She started her musical career as vocalist for the indie rock band Trespassers William in 1997, and adopted the Lotte Kestner name in 2007 for solo recordings.
Her parts were recorded in an hour at Hollywood's Cello Studios and it was the first time that Williams was asked to do vocal session work.
[3] She has collaborated with numerous other artists, including Mark Burgess, Courtney Marie Andrews, Robert Deeble, Damien Jurado, Anomie Belle, Motopony and Rocky Votolato,[4] Arnar Guðjónsson of Leaves,[5] Delerium,[6] Minotaur Shock,[7] Tuesday the Sky,[8] Fieldhead, Sadistik and Blue Sky Black Death.
[11] In 2013, she was back with more of her own material on The Bluebird of Happiness (Saint Marie Records), for which she wrote all but one track (with the composer credit to Anna-Lynne Williams).
[13] Kestner has also released four download-only collections, generally combining demos, outtakes, and newly recorded material: China Mountain B-Sides (2009), Trespassers William Songs Solo (2011), All That You Start B-Sides (2012), Extra Covers Collection (2012), and Best-of: Requested Cover Songs (6 October 2015).
[3] She has also published three books of poetry, Split Infinitive, In the Night I Go Sailing, and Blind Accidents, and has recorded two albums with her indie band Ormonde.