5 MINUTES WITH… TESS PARKS
We recently got the chance to catch up and shoot with the super talented Tess Parks. Tess was over in England recording and touring and we had a lovely day shooting with music photographer Bree Hart at music venuehe Social. We had such a wonderful few hours chatting about everything under the sun and also creating these beautiful photos of Tess. We caught up with her since heading back home to LA for a quick Q&A so you guys could find out more…
For our followers who are new to your music, how would you describe your sound?
Blissfully aware.
What were your musical beginnings? I always loved to sing. I started writing songs in my diaries when I was very young. I started taking piano lessons when I was six and quit within months of starting. I don’t like being taught anything, which is probably why I’m so mediocre at everything. Haha. I played violin for 4 years in school. I started playing guitar when I was eleven… I always tried to put bands together throughout my schooling in Toronto, but it took moving to London to finally start performing my songs on my own.
Now we know you’re a 90s kid and big into Oasis but are there any artists from the 70s that you admire and why?
So many. 70’s Dylan, Paul McCartney… Syd Barrett, Nick Drake, Tim Buckley, Traffic… I’ve got so much time for 1977 Billy Joel… Getting really into the Grateful Dead currently…
You’re an amazing songwriter, what inspires your lyrics?
Thank you! Everything. I go out walking a lot… I look for words and signs on the street. I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from religious writings. Love and loss and surrendering to not knowing where we go when we die… the strong faith some people have that they know where we go when we die… the promises of a potential after life… That all really excites me and fascinates me.
What’s one song you wish you’d written? (It’s Alright Ma) I’m Only Bleeding by Bob Dylan
How important is fashion to you and how would you describe your style? There are so many clothes that I love that I don’t wear but I can’t bare to part with. I’m a huge collector but I normally end up wearing the same few items of clothes most of the time. And I haven’t purchased a full price item from a high street store in so long… I normally find all of my clothes from charity shops. I honestly don’t know how to describe my style, I feel like everyone else always looks so much better and put together than I do.
Do you have one piece of clothing that’s more special than the others and what’s the story behind it?
There’s a blue long sleeve dress with white flowers that I bought from a Goodwill store in Toronto when I was eighteen. I cut it into a baby doll dress and then my mother hemmed the bottom. I actually wore it for the first time in FOREVER yesterday. I just love how I feel in it. I love that my mother sewed it up for me. It reminds me of all of the dresses I wore as a child. It has a good twirl on it too when you dance.
You’ve spent the last year touring Europe, how was this and what were your highlights?
Ahhhh it was so good. We went to so many great places. I always love playing in Paris. We played there shortly after the Notre Dame fires… I loved playing in Vienna for the first time. The people were so brilliant and so receiving everywhere. I feel so lucky, so so blessed to be able to travel to all of these places with my best friends and play music and have people react in such a positive way. It makes my life.
Our followers are big festival goers, what’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen at a festival?
The weirdest thing I’ve ever seen at a festival… I have had such weird luck with festivals. Two festivals I’ve attended have been cancelled because of bad weather.. I was at the festival on Toronto Island where Noel Gallagher got pushed over.
What’s next for Tess Parks?
New album coming out 2020. Lots and lots of new music. I have never been more excited for the future, it’s fucking awesome.
Follow Tess @iamtessparks www.tessparks.com
Photography Bree Hart @breehart
Stylist Naomi Hession @naomihession (The Hippie Shake)
Location The Social, London