Born in Minnesota USA, Dessa is a singer/songwriter genre crossing artist (though her base lies in hiphop). She has released six solo albums, five EPs as well as numerous singles and many collaborations. She is an independent artist though she shares a close connection with the collective and record label known as Doomtree (and was at one point the CEO). She has featured on the Hamilton Mixtapes, is a founding member of the all female a Cappella group The Boy Sopranos, a member of the indie super group Gayngs, has hosted a live music television show, is a published poet and author (with six published works and a cocktail book to her name) and is the host of an incredible podcast called Deeply Human. She even has her own shade of lipstick, an ice cream flavour named after her and has collaborated with RockFilter Distillerys to release two Bourbons (yes, she even has two whiskys that proudly carry her name in their title). This merely scratches the surface of her many and diverse accomplishments.
I first came across her work 13 years ago, on her first full solo album A Badly Broken Code.
I am yet to come across anyone who uses words and lyrics quite like Dessa, she has an intellect and wit, which is capable of transforming something you or I would say on a daily basis into something profound. She has a way with words. Her vocals are packed with power and emotion, crossing effortlessly between Hip-hop lyrical flow, to perfectly pitched harmonies, with a little bit of something like jazz, or blues, mixed in for good measure. From the very first listen, she became my all time favourite artist.
Thirteen years later I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to interview her.
I have always admired your way with words, you have a way of turning an every day phrase into lyrical gold, where did your journey with songwriting begin?
I fell in love with language really early on. I love to eves drop on someone who’s just funny, love anyone who can ‘flex’ in a recognizable style, that to me feels novel and unexpected
As an independent and unique musician, building a career, what challenges have you faced?
I think the key word there is ‘unique’. Let’s talk about sync licensing for example. I’m sympathetic to people who have turned me down, if you’re writing songs about a Raven, flying through the air, but the air is in fact time… well that kind of thing just doesn’t go so well over a car advert.
Women who have given birth credit their willingness to go again on a kind of amnesia. I’ve contemplated retiring when my feelings are hurt, by an album that didn’t do as well as I’d hoped. Then I forget how much that hurt and I have a new melody and my hopes soar again.
If you’re a bridge builder there is clear metric for success, as a songwriter, its not quite so clear. How do you define a songs success?
It’s really important to stay true to what you feel moved to make.
I find that songwriting, for me, is a compulsion.
Compulsion is a great word for it. It’s not so much a moment of inspiration, with a light bulb going off, as it is an appetite.
One of the things I love and admire about you is your clever marketing techniques, everything from embroided towels, to cocktail books, do you get as much out of coming up with a clever idea as you do out of creating a song?
Absolutely. With marketing a song, you’re trying to interest someone in what you’re doing, who has no obligation to be interested, with an idea that is compelling enough, or confusing enough, to warrant continued investment.
A fellow musician once said to me that he was just a travelling t-shirt salesman. I want my merch to at least be artful even if it’s not art.
You certainly create diverse merch, what is your favourite to date?
I collaborated with a neuroscientist from the university of Minnesota, on the Magnetic Resonance Project, where they did an MRI of my brain, and tried to map the areas of the brain connected to how I think about love. We then printed a 3D image of that MRI scan on a cocktail glass, when you filled it those areas of the scan lit up.
You have a love for South Africa, and have been here a few times, this time you are here collaborating with a choir called 29:11, how did this come about?
The Minnesota Orchestra came to South Africa a few years back, and I came along as their social media person. At some point in the tour we ended up in this room watching this small group of vocalist perform, lead by Mr B (Brendan), the video ends with me in tears. So this trip has been along time in the making and a dream come true for all involved.
Aside from singing and recording with this amazing choir, what has stood out to you about your experience here in SA?
We did an outreach event in one of the local communities. From serving meals to 570 people to jumping a gate (with the permission of the parent on site) to play jump rope with the local kids, it was amazing. I felt like I lived a decade on a Saturday afternoon.
SA offers a willingness to engage and try new things and a vibrancy.
You have collaborated with a few people over the years which has been your favourite?
Definitely the collaboration with the Minnesota Orchestra, as well as the collaboration with the Minnesota Resonance Project mentioned earlier.
Personally I agree, hearing your music paired with a full orchestra is incredible and adds a whole other dimension to the tracks.
Lastly what advice do you have for up and coming artist?
There are so many different ways to be an artist, that it defys formula. If I were to give you 3 rules, there would be 800 people who have broken them and crushed it. That being said…Cultivate some modicum of business sense. People seem to think “As soon as I’m good enough someone is going to come and save me from my career” and I haven’t found that to be true. Even if it is, until that happens, you have to tread water. So figure out your social media game, figure out your merch game.
Be nice to people! I sometimes have to spend 8 hours a day in a van with people, if you’re not nice that is going to suck. I have even had people book me for shows who didn’t necessarily love my music, but they liked who I am.
Lastly Be Kind.
Find Dessa on Facebook | Instagram | Website | Bandcamp
To assist the 29:11 choir in their fundraising endeavours follow the link to their Go Fund Me page.