RectanglesMusic
MoviesTVBooksMusicPodcastsGames

Loading details…

DiscoverChatSavedSettings

Artist

Dessa

12+ albums
Hip-Hopunderground hip-hopDoomtreefemale vocalistMinnesota

listen to works

S

Spotify

Listen on Spotify

→
♪

Apple Music

Listen on Apple Music

→
Y

YouTube Music

Listen on YouTube Music

→

about

Born Margaret Wander, Dessa’s first release with Doomtree, False Hopes, introduced a unique sensibility to underground hip-hop: literary, bitter-sweet, and wry. She alternated between a clever, droll persona as an emcee and her earnest, unaffected delivery as a singer with a low, clear alto voice. Her a cappella arrangements delicate and expressive, full of sad, old world harmonies. False Hopes attracted a varied set of ferociously dedicated fans in the Midwest and beyond. The press compared her to Lauryn Hill and Ladybug Mecca, and then as “equal parts Ani DiFranco and Mos Def” (Rift Magazine). Most recently, Dessa published a book under the Doomtree banner. Spiral Bound, her collection of essays and poetry, was dubbed a “dazzling literary debut” by the City Pages and “witty and desperately honest” by Alive Magazine. A Badly Broken Code, her solo full-length record was released in January 2010 to an eagerly waiting number of listeners and music-writers alike. It earned 4 stars from Urb Magazine, a mention in Spin, and rave reviews from publications across the country. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

top songs

1

Congratulations

69,665
2

Dixon's Girl

25,360
3

The Chaconne

18,282
4

Children's Work

17,637
5

The Crow

16,912
6

Call Off Your Ghost

15,420
7

The Bullpen

15,324
8

Alibi

15,045
9

Matches to Paper Dolls

14,956
10

Poor Atlas

14,836

albums

A Badly Broken Code

A Badly Broken Code

Parts of Speech

Parts of Speech

Castor, The Twin

Castor, The Twin

CHIME

CHIME

The Hamilton Mixtape

The Hamilton Mixtape

False Hopes

False Hopes

Parts of Speech, Re-Edited

Parts of Speech, Re-Edited

Bury The Lede

Bury The Lede

Quinine

Quinine

IDES

IDES

Balance

Balance

Sound the Bells: Recorded Live at Orchestra Hall

Sound the Bells: Recorded Live at Orchestra Hall

similar artists

DoomtreeSimsP.O.S.Cecil OtterAstronautalisAtmosphereSage FrancisBrother Ali
View on Last.fm →