CMU Approved

Approved: Dessa

By | Published on Wednesday 7 February 2018

Dessa

Gearing up for the release of her third album ‘Chime’ – her first since 2013’s ‘Parts Of Speech’ – Dessa has been releasing new music in recent months that finds her on fine and eclectic form.

Dessa is the boss of the Doomtree record label, and you may recognise her voice from ‘The Hamilton Mixtape’, on which she performed a cover of ‘Congratulations’, a song from the original version of the hit musical. On the new album’s previous singles, ‘Good Grief’ and ‘Fire Drills’, and the latest track ‘5 Out Of 6’, she shows off how finely honed both her singing and rapping skills now are.

“I wrote most of the lyrics for ‘5 Out of 6’ on foot, making long, late loops through Central Park and around my neighbourhood”, she tells Complex. “I listened to the beat on repeat in my headphones, trying out different rap patterns and vocal melodies, jotting down anything that felt promising”.

“A lot of walks didn’t yield any material”, she admits. “The beat was so unusual that I couldn’t find a way to ride it. But when I arrived at the line ‘I’m the phoenix and the ash’, I knew I had what would be the heart of the song. These lyrics reconcile sensitivity with grit – they’re about being the sort of person who makes herself available to the world, and who sometimes get hurt by it, but holds her position all the same”.

‘Chime’ is out on 23 Feb. You can catch her live in the UK at Birthdays in London on 19 Apr and the Soup Kitchen in Manchester on 20 Apr. Listen to ‘5 Out Of 6’ here:

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