“Tess may be a thousand of kilometers away from home but the universal music of language has given her plenty of grounding in the land of the long white cloud ”
— Moutain Scene- Queenstown
“Tess' deep soulful voice will send shivers down your spine”
— Golden Bay Weekly
There is an old soul quality that will appeal to listeners searching for stories of the road, of the mind, of letting go and new beginnings. Vulnerable, sometimes innocent, always raw. These songs appeal to listeners looking for melodies, beautiful guitar sounds, a pure voice carrying the stories. a steady band bringing color to the music, head swaying beats and hooks, giving full power to her voice. And some quirky details in the songwriting, deep but also full of references of where Tess comes from musically.
Who is Tess
Singer-songwriter-traveller
Tess is a franco-american singer-songwriter, spending her early years between the eastern city of France, Strasbourg and New York, including a few years covering herself in music in Liverpool in the UK, she then became a regular in the music scene in Paris, where she performed nightly spending a couple years honing her performing craft, before making the move to New Zealand.
A thousand miles from home and the universal language of music has given her plenty of grounding in the land of the long white cloud.
Regularly seen strumming in the vibrant circuit of Wanaka and Queenstown for a few years, and going up and down the South Island to play, she then moved to Golden Bay for new explorations and encounters, Tess has been a nomad going where the music calls, which has forged a certain quality to her music and lyrics, filling them with experiences and people, longing and sometimes raw vulnerability.
Influenced by songwriter giants like Bruce Springsteen, John Prine or Joni Mitchell, Tess' soulful voice sends shivers down your spine, with songs stemming from explorations of the soul on the road in NZ, reflections on change and moving forward, stories connecting cities to mountains, and back to the sea...
Not unfamiliar to the likes of Ray LaMontagne and Glen Hansard in her folk roots output, her sound also spans the indie-rock genre and will get you on your feet with some classic guitar sounds and playful hooks.
Her first album is coming out early next year, recorded at Sublime Studios in Otago, with a mix of acoustic stories and more rocking songs with her new band, weaving guitars, all stemming from a year of writing and reflecting as the world slowed down. Tess is now planning on bringing her songs on the road in the springtime with a full band tour, this November.
The latest gig Tess played before the country went into lockdown, she appeared alongside a beautiful string of musicians from the thriving Lyttelton music scene to celebrate Bob Dylan on the evening of the 6th August, orchestrated by Al Park and featuring Adam McGrath and Jess Shanks (The Eastern), Adam Hattaway, Holly Arrowsmith, Ryan Fisherman, Barry Saunders and Marlon Williams.
Promo photos
photos by © Esther Riess, Brislee Adams, Ray Tiddy
exclusive demo tracks
Unreleased song "Stay (a)shore", sung on the shore of Golden bay beach
