Raised in Oregon, but now based in Los Angeles, singer-songwriter Tessa Violet has enjoyed an astonishing rise over the past couple of years, earning fans the world over and a considerable amount of critical acclaim thanks to her debut album, Bad Ideas.
That dropped last year towards the end of an extensive tour across the U.S., and Europe soon followed. On said tour, Tessa ended up inviting Detroit singer-songwriter and YouTuber chloe moriondo to perform "Words Ain't Enough" from the album. The pair ended up forming a tight creative bond and have since decided to re-record the track as a duet. Taking a few cues from '90s alternative and a touch of indie — think Pixies at their quietest — "Words Ain't Enough" is subtle and downcast, mired in the feeling of despondency that hits when you realise that you've been made a fool of.
"When I wrote 'Words Ain't Enough'," says Tessa, "I told myself I wrote it from my friend Dodie's perspective about this guy she was seeing. But when I look back on it, I realise I was also writing from my own experience having been in her position many times. Sometimes I tell myself that I'm writing a song from someone else's experience because it's too scary to admit it's actually from my own experience, too.
"While I was on tour with COIN in the spring of 2019, I had a few headline shows and in Chicago I brought chloe out to sing 'Words Ain't Enough' with me during my set, so this collaboration has been in the stars for a while; chloe has this incredible voice, there's so much warmth and depth to it, I thought she'd be beautiful on the song."
Stream "Words Ain't Enough" exclusively below.
