Tess Posner is a singer-songwriter from Oakland, CA. Her latest project is the single “The Mask”. The vulnerable lyrics describe longing for authenticity and the fears that hold us back from being our true selves. Tess collaborated on “The Mask” with Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer Sal Oliveri, while the vocals were tracked at the historic Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco, CA. Tess will be promoting the single with several live performances. Have you ever felt like you almost missed out on something wonderful, so then you feel extremely blessed to have it, and want to shout out to the world hey look what I found? Well this is it. Tess Posner is an absolute delight to listen to. She has a very soulful and haunting voice, while the song is beautiful, heartfelt, realistic, and distinctive.
Sounding poised and seasoned, upon initial listen it’s clear Tess is ready to officially set her trail ablaze right out of the gate. Exceptionally written throughout, there isn’t too much or too little of anything on “The Mask”. Never trying too hard or not enough, Tess is so unlike her outwardly fame-seeking contemporaries.
With that said, what is refreshing about the single, is Tess Posner’s ability to convey her message exactly the way it is intended. Her musical appeal is entertaining, her narrative profound, but it is not forced.
“The Mask” arrives with a fully-formed concept, look, and sound, and showcases Poshner’s impressive versatility. Tess’ vocals reach their highest heights while the pulsating production has a deepness to it that creates the perfect contrast.
The song is perhaps better interpreted as a stream of consciousness from an artist who is, like you and me, just trying to make sense of a time that makes little sense. A time when we’re continually attracted to nurturing facades which satisfy social, cultural or environmental norms far removed from our true personal essence.
It’s a contradiction to the philosophy that should be guiding our lives, and Tess Posner lays its intricacies bare, as she sings: “Shake hands, fake smiles, meet eyes, Keep the world seemingly satisfied. I’m so comfortable in this disguise,” or further on: “Night creeps in, edges start wearing thin. But naked feels like a deadly sin. This uniform’s my second skin.”
Part of what is exciting about Tess as an artist is her willingness to explore themes beyond the surface to the point where many would be concerned with totally embracing the narrative. Which is made relatable by Tess’ vocals which are beautifully precise and confident.
“The Mask” is one of those tracks that you can leave on repeat and you will not get tired of it that easily. Lyrically and sound wise it is so strong and powerful that it really moves you Tess Posner is on fire showcasing the uniqueness of her voice and songwriting perfectly. When Tess is playing to her strengths, like she does here, there’s no stopping her.
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