Tess Dunn is a 17-year old singer-songwriter phenom who hails from Santa Cruz, California. Tess’ raspy vocals, mature piano compositions and alternative sound transcend her years. She started playing the piano at age 5, began writing songs at age 11, took to the stage at age 12, and released her first album at age 14. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF), an incurable life-threatening disease which causes progressive lung damage, Tess faces issues of mortality that infuse her music and lyrics with radiant richness and haunting depth.
Tess’ first CD, “Darling Just Walk,” released in 2009, was recorded in North Hollywood with a host of internationally recorded musicians, including Ari Shine, Carina Round, Adrienne Pierce, Adam Topol and Dan Burns. Dubbed in the media as “the young and the fearless,” one music reviewer wrote that her lyrics “…delve into deeper and darker spaces than the pop stars of her time.”
Tess' second album, "Honesty Box," released in 2012, was recorded at both the legendary EastWest Recording Studios in Hollywood, and White Buffalo Studios in Los Angeles. Working with Noah Shain and Ari Shine, Tess unleased her girl power, with rockin' dance numbers, and thought provoking ballads. The music video from the album's first single, "Shame To See," won an illustrious San Francisco Bay Area video contest, and led her to be named one of the top SF Bay Area artists of 2011.
A Vans Warped Tour veteran, Tess will perform for the fourth year in a row at the 2012 Vans Warped Tour at in San Francisco. She has headlined sold-out shows in Santa Cruz County, performed throughout California, and opened for artists including Karla Bonoff, Nina Storey, Ari Shine, Adrienne Pierce, and Iris DeMent. She contributed a song for an anthology album in Canada, and has participated in a national film and music production, “The Breathe Song Event,” to raise CF awareness. Most recently, Tess was featured in the Vans Off The Wall TV "Pass The Bucket" series, which highlights inspirational athletes, artists and performers.
Tess says living with CF is “…almost like having a clock ticking over your head, but it has a way of putting things in perspective.” She “finds a certain beauty in the randomness of life,” and her music explores issues of love, trust and relationships. An affecting advocate for anyone battling the challenges of chronic disease, Tess encourages others thanks to her take no prisoners zest for life.
To listen to Tess is to be inspired.
From Tess' myspace:
Some interesting facts about me:
I have cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and epilepsy. I'm different.
My favorite color is black. Yes, I consider it a color.
I love chocolate chip cookies. I will love you if you bake them for me :D
I get revenge on ex-boyfriends by writing songs about them. But I don't have the guts to put their names in them- yeah, you guys are lucky.
I still have my moments where I'm not confident- like when I'm around new people. I'm super shy.
Hair dye = <3
I love love!
My middle nameS are Aurore and Vaeth. I plan to get that changed legally when I'm old enough.
I'm not growing anymore, and have achieved my goal- I didn't make it to five feet :D
I love my friends. They are amazing.
I love my family. They are also amazing.
My favorite holiday is Christmas.
I want to tour around the world and meet my inspirations.
I am terrified of fake blood and real blood- but I poke myself to check blood sugars and inject insulin everyday, which my mother teases me about :]
I want you to be my friend on myspace, facebook, twitter, and youtube- GO GO GO!
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