Dessa is a singer, songwriter and rapper from South Minneapolis who blends genres effortlessly. She produced her new Album 'Chime' herself with some help from fellow Doomtree members Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, and Cecil Otter, as well as the Grammy-nominated composer, Belle and Sebastian and Taylor Swift-collaborator Andy Thompson. Dessa has had a varied career from rapping at Lollapalooza and Glastonbury to co-compositions for a 100-voice choir, and a top-200 entry on the Billboard charts for her album ‘Parts of Speech’. She made her orchestral debut last year selling out with the world-class Minnesota Orchestra.
There are a few thoughts that come to mind when you play Dessa’s new album titled 'Chime.' Listening to the entire album, I love the flow in each song and how not one track sounds like the other. Each one is a different, creative approach. To describe Dessa and her work, I’d say she sounds like Lady Gaga’s edgier sister who spits clever bars and makes equally compelling music. 'Fire Drill' is a great example of these clever bars. Not only is Dessa an amazing rapper, but she is also a spectacular vocalist. I’ve listened to many artists, many singers, and I’d have to say that Dessa’s voice is by far the best I’ve heard.
The track titled 'Good Grief' provides an excellent example of Dessa’s vocal talent. Each song on the album has a mild, steady beat, but paired with Dessa’s fire rhymes and vocals make for a great combination. My personal favourite track off 'Chime' is the track 'Shrimp.' This is one of shorter tracks on the album, but it is also a playful feature that’s just fun to listen to. I also dig the lines “talk real fast when I get nervous, rap real fast but that’s on purpose” and “tried not to watch the ticking clock, always a bridesmaid, never an astronaut.”
Dessa's new music video for her single '5 Out Of 6' is directed by Raquel Marvez and the visuals serialize a moment before Dessa takes the stage before a performance. Honestly, with talent like this, I can see Dessa going far in music and whatever else she pursues in the future.
Dessa kindly took some time out of her busy schedule to tell us more about 'Chime', her writing and what's next....
Tell me about your new album Chime and what inspired you to write it?
I cut my teeth in a hip-hop crew called named Doomtree. The seven of us have toured together, sharing hotel beds and head colds for more than a decade. My solo records include some of the aggression that first drew me to Doomtree, but also allows room to expand into more melodic territory with string sections, huge choral moments. Thematically, 'Chime' focuses on the big themes that have always attracted me: love, loss, death, lust, courage, and connection.
How would you describe your sound to new listeners?
My music runs on restlessness, curiosity, adrenaline, and some melancholy. Big drums, big harmonies, strong lyrics. My live show adds some humor and whiskey.
Most memorable performance?
The highlight reel would include stage-diving in Denton, Texas; performing with a full orchestra in Minneapolis; standing on a wooden stage, built just for the occasion in a bombed-out hospital in Warsaw.
When did you know music was your calling?
I've loved words since I was a little kid. I wound up on stage, in part, because I wasn't quite sure how to get published as a writer. Now I work as a musician, an essayist, a poet--almost any discipline that involves language.
What do you plan to see and do during your time in London?
I'm looking forward to a good cocktail, some cheap chocolate, a catch-up with friends, and maybe a walk through Hyde Park (I just love the guys who blow bubbles there--even though their target demographic is more in the 3-5-year-old range).
Does writing music come easier to you than your other forms of writing?
Writing lyrics to sing is often easier than writing a rap verse, at least for me. The latter involves composing percussive patterns in addition to poignant content, and it can be tricky to do both well. In writing essays, I'm not bound by any metric constraints, so it's easier to venture off on digressions...but of course, music is a powerful emotional tool, so you've got to work harder to get to the heartstrings without a score.
And the same with being a solo artist compared to being part of the Doomtree crew - is one easier and what are the pros and cons?
When Doomtree writes a song together, we bring a really wide and varied set of skills to the table; the producers all have different tastes and talents and the rappers do too. The challenge can be finding the spot where we all overlap. Conversely, when I'm working alone, I've got total control over the direction of the song, don't have to make any compromises or concessions, but it's easier to stall out and fall into old, familiar patterns.
Favourite venue/city to perform and why?
Ah, too many to pick just one. But on my upcoming run, I'm particularly excited to play in New York (a new home base for me), Minneapolis (the city in which I grew up), London (a show I'm madly excited to have sold out), and Beijing (on my first visit to mainland China).
Guilty pleasures?
I like cheap milk chocolate more than the good stuff. And Miley Cyrus has a great voice, dammit.
There is a film being made about your life - who would play you and why?
Oh, I'd probably audition for the part. I'm too much a control enthusiast to leave that stuff to the professionals. But assuming I don't make the grade...let's go with a young Steve Martin. I'd be curious to see what he'd do with the role.
What's next for Dessa?
In September of this year, my first hardcover book will hit shelves. It's called My Own Devices and it's a memoir in essays to be published by Dutton Books. In it, I tell the stories from a decade of touring in an indie rap crew; years spent in a long, hard romance; and a life-long fascination with science.
DESSA UK LIVE SHOWS:
19th April - Birthdays, London
20th April - Soup Kitchen, Manchester
You can stream 'Chime'here.
