Music Spotlight: Tessa Violet

Pop artist Tessa Violet shares two recent tracks Crush + Bad ideas, leading up to her upcoming album bad ideas, which will be released in three acts over the year. the vlogger turned musician flawlessly captures modern romance + heartbreak paired with her upbeat sound. We chatted with Tessa on her unique transition into music, the two releases + what we can expect to hear on the album.

Asymmetric Magazine: Thanks so much for talking with us! Tell us about your current work as a musician and your singles Crush + Bad Ideas released this year.
Tessa Violet: Thanks for having me! Bad Ideas is the name of my upcoming full length, and Crush and Bad Ideas (the song) are the first two singles form that project. I plan on releasing it one song at a time over three EPs in acts—I, II, and III.

// photo source: Facebook

AM: We're so stoked for the album! What's the record all about?
TV: Thanks! I had just been through a break up when I started writing the album, and was really broken up about everything in life but largely trying to convince myself that I AM FINE. I remember distinctly telling my therapist immediately after the break up, ‘I know this is something someone in denial would say, but I really think I'm fine.’ I wrote the album over the spring and summer—wrapping up a few loose ends that winter. I think the whole writing experience was me coming to terms with not being okay. I don't know though, it will be interesting to see how it's received. Sometimes I have more perspective on songs after they're released.

AM: What themes do you typically pursue through your music?
TV: I use music a lot to work though my own emotional things. I have a lot of anxiety, and I'm easily overwhelmed by my own feelings. When you can put words to feelings and understand them, they have less power over you. I think that's why we listen to sad songs when we're sad. We don't want to escape sadness with happiness, but we want to be understood and know we're not alone.

When you can put words to feelings and understand them, they have less power over you.

AM: You mentioned you were vlogging before pursuing music. What was your experience with that? What kind of content did you cover?
TV: I talked about all sorts of things, but mostly, I talked about my feelings, experiences I'd been though and the lessons I'd felt I learned while doing them.

AM: And you transitioned into music when a friend accidentally left their guitar in your car, right?
TV: Yes! A friend had left his guitar in my car when he moved away, and I felt like it was such a shame that no one was playing it. It's such a beautiful instrument, and I'd always loved music but always felt like that wasn't my gift. But something about that guitar was so serendipitous. I thought someone should play it, so why not me? So, I started learning, and then I started writing and fell in love. Or maybe I always loved it, and now here finally was an outlet. The rest is history.

AM: Where is one place that you feel completely in touch with your creative self and your music?
TV: Holed up alone in my bedroom. That's where I do all my writing. It's a space to get really vulnerable and honest. The other side of the creative experience is working in the studio with my producer Seth Earnest. That's my favorite part of the process—it's so much play in the studio.

AM: What other musicians are you currently listening to?
TV: Some of my very favorite writers of the moment are Cavetown, Julia Michaels, Jack Antonoff, Lorde, and always Taylor Swift.

AM: What will we hear from you in 2019?
TV: More sad songs over happy beats! Hope you like getting sad.

// listen to bad ideas:

// Listen to more Tessa Violet on Spotify + SoundCloud.