The Name is Tess
By: Erin O’Brien
Traphic Magazine
Tess Santos may be the most limit-pushing musician to come out of New York City since we first heard of Lady GaGa, and while Tess may not wear anything as outrageous as a meat dress, the raw, take-no-prisoners attitude of her lyrics more than makes up for it. Tess maintains an emotional depth in her music that we don’t usually hear from artists these days, especially from an artist who is so young. Her words are powerful and heartfelt and resonate with anyone who has ever had their heart broken, but still remain upbeat enough to let a still open and hopeful spirit shine through.
While her “Hip Rock &B” genre creation may not have a traditional rock feel, she does have the rebellious edginess of a true rock star that simply refuses to fit into a pre-existing category, so she insisted on a new one. Her music has a very intense techno-pop vibe with a touch of soul which never conforms to popular expectations.
Her somewhat controversial song, “Whore”, while having a slightly off putting title, has a strong feminist message of women demanding to be treated with respect by men. She also seems to want to make the term “bottom bitch” a more positive identity that women can own instead of allowing it to remain derogatory.
The track “MJ”, a reference to the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, easily the most fun and upbeat song on the album attracts the more traditional pop audience, adding to her already wide range of genre-crushing magnetism.
Her debut album entitled “The Name Is Tess” was released in May of 2012 and showcases her ability to push the boundaries of the mainstream music scene, while still maintaining a widespread appeal.
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