Dessireé’s Experimental Project ‘Tell Me Y’ Is A Bold Reclamation Of Identity

South London neo-soul artist Dessireé initially caught our attention back in 2020 with her spirit-warming single ‘Peppermint Tea’. This year she arrives a self-realised artist, creating elaborate concepts around the subject matter of her songs.

Her latest, most potent release is her debut project titled ‘Tell Me Y’ which is a visceral exploration of the energies she finds herself battling within. She poses the question to herself as well to a society that constantly dictates the autonomy of Black women; she states: “Tell me Y I can’t be sexy and aggressive, Tell me Y I can’t be punk and ghetto, Tell me Y I can’t be me?”

‘Tell Me Y’ is a looking glass of ideas expressed through the different personas Dessireé explores in each song, against an alternative neo-soul backdrop largely produced by previous collaborator Emil. The project opens with the track ‘Insanity’, portrayed by the character Miss Dessy. Driven by its pulsing bassline and punchy percussions the track comments on the insanity of directing your time and effort towards life paths that aren’t particularly fulfilling to your soul. This was written before Dessireé took her own first steps towards pursuing music, capturing a specific time in her journey.

‘Change Your Ways’ introduces us to the character Ama and is heavily inspired by the golden era of jazz in the 1920s. Here Dessireé stretches her vocal ability as the track deviates into different melodic sections and is also a nod to her composition skills. The project smoothly segues into the next track ‘Sway’ which is a playful yet sensual ode to a lover. Portrayed by Sabriel, Afrobeats super fans will recognise some phrases from Ghanaian artist Kwabena Kwabena’s track ‘Tuamudaa’ as well as borrowed melodies from Beyonce’s ‘Baby Boy’. Sonically, the track fuses elements of Afrobeats with Dessireé’s sultry vocals before we are introduced to the next persona who is Housewife Dessy in the track ‘Unrequited’.

Other characters in the project include Princess Peachy in the track ‘Peach’ and NaNa who appears in ‘Cycles’ where she processes the idea of being stuck in a repetitive cycle over a smooth R&B production. The project comes to a close with the track ‘Redeemed’ where Dessireé shows up as herself. An upbeat offering, this is the moment she realises she is truly free to be who or what she chooses to be without imposing any self-inflicted limitations and silences what the outside world may say.

She explains: “This Track is a conversation between me and my old self. I also imagined myself speaking to a fellow black sister who felt stuck and marginalised and just wanted to be free and be herself. I am finally redeemed and in alignment with myself. I am whole. I am all the characters and energies I want to be without a care in the world. I am at peace.”

‘Tell Me Y’ is an incredibly constructed debut from the South London native and marks the beginning of a new and elevated era of her artistry. Sink in to ‘Tell Me Y’ by Dessireé below.