Spy: Gifted actress-singer Esther Stephens to star in Westside

Esther Stephens as Ngaire Munroe in Westside. Photo / Supplied

Is there anything Esther Stephens can't do?

The gifted actress-singer is on our screens in the final of TV One drama When We Go to War and next Sunday she'll be back in TV3's Outrageous Fortune prequel, Westside.

Yet, she still finds time to play in a band, which has just released its first album.

Esther Stephens and the Means played the Tuning Fork at Vector Arena on Friday night. Opening up about life - and the obvious attention she receives from fans - Stephens says: "In the past month or so we've released our debut self-titled album, our first music video and set off on our first headlining national tour, so the wild story is the workload. It has been really satisfying, though, and the reception has been great."

That included one fan yelling: "I wanna have your daughter." It was a generous offer, says Stephens, "especially as it came from a guy".

Away from performing on screen and stage, Stephens has a particular affinity with the 70s and is an avid op-shopper and collector of vintage wear.

That makes her perfect for the much-anticipated Westside.

Without giving too much away Stephens says: "If there was a Desperate Housewives of West Auckland, [my character] Ngaire would be right at home. She is perfectly turned out on the surface, but beneath the poised, polished exterior there's an ambitious, hair-pulling, cat-clawing mama bear, who looks after number one."