At the age of 17, Esme auditioned to appear on jazz musician Theo Walters' 1ZB radio show.
When Artie Shaw visited Auckland in 1943, he was asked to add a female vocalist to some recordings, and the radio producer involved contacted Esme.
The group recorded renditions of White Christmas and This Love of Mine which were pressed on an Acetate disc.
During World War II, Esme performed live extensively in and around Auckland with artists such as Freddie Gore, Len Hawkins and Dale Alderton.
She appeared on these records alongside artists such as Julian Lee, Buddy Kaine, Crombie Murdoch and jazz singer Mavis Rivers.