Tess Anthony didn’t come up chasing a trend or squeezing herself into a mold that never fit. Born in Brooklyn and raised in New Jersey, her sound carries the patience of someone who learned to sit with music before trying to sell it. It’s personal, intentional, and rooted in a voice that feels lived-in rather than manufactured—an approach that’s now on full display with her new single, “Jimmy Choo.”
Some of Tess’s earliest musical memories live at home. She’s spoken about how close she is with her mother, who would play Amy Winehouse every night when Tess was growing up. Those nightly soundtracks didn’t just shape her taste—they quietly planted the jazz and soul influences that still echo through her music today. Long before playlists and algorithms, Tess was absorbing phrasing, emotion, and honesty straight from the speakers.
She began singing in seventh grade, discovering her voice in a way that felt instinctive rather than planned. A few formal singing lessons came later, but they didn’t last. The assigned songs didn’t reflect who she was or how she wanted to sound, and instead of forcing herself into someone else’s idea of progress, Tess chose independence. She bought a piano, a microphone, and built a home studio from the ground up. From there, she taught herself how to write, create, and shape songs on her own terms. She plays piano by ear, trusting feel over theory, emotion over instruction.
That DIY foundation still defines how she works. Tess writes her songs at home on the piano, crafting melodies first, then bringing them to her producer to build beats around her ideas. Her involvement runs deep—her voice is sampled into the production of every song on her tape, making each track feel inseparable from her presence. While her music often lands in pop and R&B, soul remains at the core. It was her original entry point into music, and it continues to guide how she sings and writes.
Live performance marked a turning point. Once Tess began performing regularly, momentum followed. The stage gave her visibility, confidence, and connection, opening doors to stronger networking and multiple shows each week. Those moments in front of a crowd sharpened her identity as an artist and helped translate her intimate songwriting into something that could resonate in real time.
“Jimmy Choo” arrives as another step forward—polished but still personal, confident without losing its warmth. It fits naturally alongside key records from her growing catalog, including “Nasty,” “Convenient,” “Casual,” and “My Way,” songs that trace her evolution while staying true to her voice.
