Hitting emotional notes with her songs is important to singer-songwriter P.K. Tessmann.
Tessmann said her music makes people feel. Part of the reason Tessmann said the songs affect people is because they are inspired by events that hit her emotionally.
Songs on her latest album Dear City were inspired by issues such as Syrian refugees’ experiences and arriving in Canada, the birth of her son and Amanda Todd, the bullied teen who took her own life.
Inspiration can strike at any moment.
“Sometimes little pieces come to my head and I write them down wherever I am,” said Tessmann, adding she also has a room in her house she sits in to write songs.
Just before bed is a creative time for the songwriter.
“The lyrics pop into my head as I am falling asleep,” said Tessmann, adding she writes those thoughts down in a journal she keeps by her bedside.
She produced Dear City with Corwin Fox from Hidden Well Studio in Cumberland.
Fox and Tessmann kept it simple on the album by using instruments, such as an organ, cello and oboe, instead of electronic sound mixes.
“I liked the simplicity of it. I really like to keep the story of the song prominent without overloading it with a lot of instruments,” said Tessmann.
Tessmann said she likes performing live and connecting with audience members.
“Come and be prepared to be brought into my world a little bit … and know they will be feeling a lot from the music,” said Tessmann.
In 2015 Tessmann won the CBC Searchlight contest and that same year her song Cannot Explain won Best Roots/Folk Recording of the Year and was nominated for Vocalist of the Year for the Vancouver Island Music Awards.
This year, her single Careful and Kind won Best Roots/Folk Recording at the Vancouver Island Music Awards.
Tessman is touring Vancouver Island to promote Dear City. She performs with Kim June Johnson, who she works with in the band Little Bridges, with special guest performer Holyroot at the Nanaimo Bar on Thursday (Oct. 13) at 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5 at the door.
For more information about Tessmann, please go to www.pktessmann.ca.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com