Roadkill – Eszter Vida Single Review

The wonderfully talented Leeds based singer songwriter Eszter Vida is back in 2026 with her latest single ‘Roadkill’. Across her releases, Eszter Vida has evolved from a solo bedroom pop project into a more band centred set up with a wonderful set of musicians. Her latest offering is a collaboration between herself and fellow longtime bandmate, bassist Lola Wainwright. ‘Roadkill’ sees Vida move in a more raw, vulnerable direction that takes the form of a love letter to herself.

Eszter Vida described the track as an encapsulation of parts of her from when she wrote it, with adaptable lyrics that can change meaning, a feature which she compared to bible verses in a way. The track was almost completely recorded live in one take which you can hear echoing throughout, reflecting that raw emotional feel. The guitar riffs that lay the foundations for this track are gorgeous and overflowing which really stood out to me as I listened. I love the direction she’s taken with this one.

It’s a track you would find yourself drifting away with. Vida’s vocals are so soothing that they glide across the shoegaze soft rock sounds. Whilst having more melancholic lyrical content about hardship and self-esteem, Vida sings with a hopeful undertone that is impossible to miss. This evokes a feeling of inspiration as she also reflects on rebirth after a quiet period in her career and lineup changes.

Overall, this is a fantastic new effort from Eszter Vida with incredibly raw production and a welcoming, soothing atmospheric feel. This is a very different direction for her music to take but one I am very excited to see progress further. Make sure you check out the track and keep an eye out for more of Vida’s classic confessional songwriting combined with shoegaze soft rock.

Words by Ruby Macklin