Tessa Violet – Bad Ideas

By starrymag | August 14, 2018

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) Melody wise I love things that feel like anthems or bops. Fun. has been very influential on my writing style (as has Taylor Swift) and I think you can hear that. lyrically I like to write from my experience. I love when a song captures something I’ve been struggling to put words to.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Lorde, Jack Antonoff, Twenty One Pilots, Lily Allen, Julia Michaels, Taylor Swift, Troye Sivan

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Crush.”

 

A) When I was writing the album, I was in the habit of writing every day 9-2, just to get something out and practice the craft or writing whether or not I liked it. That particular day I’d been sitting at my piano for probably an hour, having written nothing and scrolling through this guy’s Instagram and I threw my arms up and just said outloud like, “Ugh!! I can’t focus on what needs to get done!” [laughs] That’s the opening line to the song and definitely the jumping off point. It’s all about wanting the idea of a romance, something fun and light! But maybe just under the surface is a deeper loneliness.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) There’s a few lines there that are maybe a little embarrassing, but also pretty universal when it comes to crushes – one about pretending you’re not that into it but secretly taking an interest in things they’ve said they’re interested in and also stalking all their social media. [laughs] Crushes are fun!

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) I love the high normality of performing in a space we’ve all been in a million times. It’s not a typical setting for a performance. I think, like the song, they both feel very playful! The music video for me is more about the feeling than the lyrical content. I like to let the lyrics tell the story.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) I write mostly in my bedroom (sometimes in my living room), either on piano of guitar! Most of the time I start with chords and a line will come to me. I like to start with the first verse and see where it takes me. I sort of feel like the song already exists, like a dinosaur skeleton under the dirt and my job is to brush all the dirt away – sort the fossils from the rocks and assemble it in the right order. Music and lyrics come together for me (for the most part). I like when things are sung with the same cadence they’d be said. It’s hard to do that if you write all melody or all lyrics first. Once the song’s written I bring it in to my producer, Seth!

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) I think quite a bit! I work with Seth Earnest, an amazing and so talented producer. We’ve worked together for years now so we definitely have an understanding of the types of things each other likes and a freedom to throw out ideas (bad or good) because we’ve known each other so long and we trust each other. The whole experience of production feels like play or sometimes like a puzzle we’re trying to solve, trying to find the best production for a song. If you’re trying to convince yourself a production choice it’s right, it’s probably not. You know when it’s right because it pricks up your ears and makes you feel good.

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Tessa Violet performance?

 

A) I always hope my shows can be a bit of an emotional release – both a space to forget about things burdening you and have fun in a live music experience and in the next moment cry about things that make us sad. I love live music and that each night is its own experience. You’re creating something with the audience and everyone’s going to have a completely different night depending on if your audience wants to play ball or not.

 

Q) How did your new album get the name Bad Ideas?

 

A) [laughs] The album is named after the third track on the album, “Bad Ideas.” It was a song that came very quick and very honest to me. When I brought it in to Seth it came together in a day and we both just felt this energy and release. It was the first song that came together like that we both understood it was the cornerstone of the album, both lyrically and thematically. It was never even a question what the album name should be after that song came!

 

Q) What songs off your Bad Ideas album are you looking forward to performing live?

 

A) ALL OF THEM. But at the top “Bad Ideas” as it’s an anthem and the theme of the album.

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your new album as a whole?

 

A) I guess I hope that if people have had experience similar to mine, they feel that reflected in the music. It’s a beautiful thing to me when a song can capture a feeling that I didn’t yet have words for. I hope my music can do that for people.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) Chicago and Atlanta are two of my favorite cities. The crowd there is always so hype and I’ve never had a bad show in those cities!

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) Jack Antonoff. I love Bleachers.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

 

A) I’m obsessed with Cavetown’s album Lemon Boy. It’s such a fresh mix of acoustic music and like 808s. And he’s got a real interesting way of writing lyrics and melody, it feels almost casual while being very honest. Also, I love Phoebe Bridgers album Stranger in the Alps. She’s out of this world.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Twitter’s probably my favorite! For this interview I asked my fans what it was about “Crush” they connected to and I got lots of insightful answers! It’s a great tool.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) You’re good enough, you’re smart enough and doggone it people like you. <3