TESSA FLEUR
- ballpointpressbne
- Dec 20, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 24
Writer: Joe Maranta
Photographer: Ghina @analoghin.roll and Kyle Dobie @kyledobie.co
The rain came fast, and it came hard. Her scenic walk through a small town in the Granite Belt has quickly descended into a hasteful search for shelter. The endless rolling hills over the horizon shielded from view by a biblical downpour, the sideways winds creating a dissonant symphony as they scream over boulders and gravel. As the clouds continue to lower and darken, she spots a chapel door swung open, a foreboding but dry refuge beckoning her in. Closing the heavy mahogany door behind her, she slumps onto a pew.
Sodden and exhausted, an overbearing feeling of melancholy washes over her mind as kaleidoscopic rays from the stained-glass wash over her skin, her face now a technicolour tapestry.
Too energy-sapped from the storm to prevent a breakdown, she feels her eyes begin to water, the stained glass now occupying her entire eye-line as her vision blurs through the tears.
This is Tessa Fleur.
The project of Meanjin folk / indie singer, Tessa Fleur's music spans from psychedelia to introspective folk songwriting.
Excelling in evocative storytelling, both audio and visual, Tessa Fleur has created an ethereal world of her own.
JOE: Hey Tessa, thanks for sitting down with me today! So tell me how your relationship with music began?
TESSA: My first introduction to music happened when I was a child. We were living in the south of France at the time with my Dad who was playing professional rugby and my mum who was the front woman of a band. I’d watch her play these French festivals and be in awe of the culture of music, and how it brought people together. My dad listened to a lot of metal and prog rock bands like Iron Maiden, Porcupine Tree, and Dream Theater, while my mum loved artists like Joni Mitchell, Queen, and Supertramp. I think growing up with such a diverse mix of music really contributed to my broad taste and interest in different genres.
I was brought up in a very musical family, especially on my mum’s side. Growing up, I learnt piano, sang in school choirs, and participated in a lot of theatre productions - I absolutely loved musical theatre. I also liked experimenting with GarageBand, but it wasn’t until a year after High School when I experienced my first heartbreak and decided to quit rowing, a sport which I dedicated the majority of my time towards, that I found solace in writing my own music. I was very inspired by a lot of local / Australian music when I began dabbling in songwriting around 2017/ 2018.
JOE: You mentioned local artists, were they also of the folk / indie genre?
TESSA: Most were in the indie genre. I really loved bands such as Hatchie, The Creases, Mosquito Coast, Timberwolf and Stonefield - just to name a few
JOE: What can you say about the relationship between fashion and music, as well as your designer Rosaleen?
TESSA: I think fashion, visuals, and music are all powerful forms of expression. When combining them, they create an entire world. I grew up with a lot of artistic influences and I was very into visual arts as a child. To this day I still love to paint and draw. Fashion has become more prominent in my life since starting my music career. I feel inspired by the local community of designers in Brisbane and the thrifting culture. Levi Cranston, who directed a few of my videos, first introduced me to Rosaleen when we were in production for the Death by Black Hole music video. Although we didn’t end up collaborating on that project, we stayed in touch. I later reached out to her to buy one of her corsets and completely fell in love with the gothic, feminine essence of her designs. I felt it embodied the folky-ethereal production of the EP as well as some of the ideas I had for the videos. Working with Rosie was incredibly inspiring, especially watching how the costumes evolved alongside Levi’s brilliant concept crafting for the video. Looking back at it, I see a beautiful harmony between the song and Rosaleen's fashion.
JOE: You mentioned Trial, your debut EP, how do you reflect on the project a year after the fact?
TESSA: Creating Trial was such a fun and self reflective experience. I recorded it with Alistar Richardson out on his beautiful farm in the Scenic Rim. Over the two years it took to record those five songs, I grew more confident in the recording process and really fell into my own artistic sound.
The care and love that went into every part of the songs and videos is something I will always look back upon with pride. Making the music videos with talented directors like Levi Cranston, Allisa Tsukimori, and Oliver Marshell was very inspiring. Seeing some of those videos receive recognition like a feature on RAGE, #17 in the RAGE Top 50 of 2023, and a Queensland Music Award nomination, was very rewarding.
JOE: We’re doing this interview in an inner-south share house, filled with Musicians. What’s it like living with so many creative people?
TESSA: It’s been a very immersive experience living here, there’s a lot of 60s and 70’s music that’s created and played. We’re always jamming and making music in the studio here, and it’s definitely influenced the new music I’m working on currently. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a lot of amazing people and musicians at this house such as my housemates Drew and Cameron. Drew (The Flamingo Jones) churns out 20 new songs in a week. I also got to meet JB Patterson this year, who pops by when he’s in town for shows, he’s an artist and producer whom I’ve deeply admired for a number of years, I love his style and the music he has made. I recently recorded a track with him and supported him in Sydney. These connections have been really special.
JOE: Regarding the new music you briefly mentioned, would you say it’s a refinement of your current sound? Or are you going in a new direction entirely?
TESSA: The new music I’ve written and recorded this year feels like a wonderful mess. It's full of experimentation and exploration. My creative process is a mix of intentional and unintentional ideas, often driven by my love of different genres. I’ve been co-writing for my project and for others, and creating across various styles has been incredibly inspiring.
JOE: You’ve played many live shows this year, are there any favourite performances you can recall?
TESSA: Most of my shows this year were duo performances. I have a four-piece band, but many of the gigs I supported called for a more intimate setup, so I played with my guitarist, Yanto. It was also the year of my first interstate shows, which was super exciting!
My top three favourite performances would have to be supporting Maple Glider at The Twin in West End, she’s one of my favourite songwriters. Supporting Joe Ghatt at the Eumundi School of Arts Hall was another highlight, probably my favourite performance to date. Playing the Brunswick Music Festival for the Beloved Records showcase and being on a lineup with some of my favourite artists such as Rowena Wise, Darvid Thor, Winten, and Lewis Coleman was really special.
I’ve played some of my favourite shows of all time this year, and I’m so grateful to Third Eye Stimuli and Jet Black Cat for putting on some of these incredible events.
JOE: Do you anticipate 2025 being a year of writing music or a year of performing music?
TESSA: Both! And maybe a year of releasing music.
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