She was considered a musical prodigy, playing violin in the Chamber Music Society of Oregon at five years old. She soon moved from violin to double bass, studying at the Portland State University and later at the Berklee School of Music. In 2017 she was appointed Professor of the Practice of Music at Harvard University.

She has won four Grammy awards, including ‘Best new artist’ in 2011, where she was in competition with Florence and the Machine, Mumford and Sons, and Justin Bieber.

Esperanza has wide musical tastes, and her own compositions show influences from jazz, blues, funk and Latin-American music – especially Brazilian styles.