Conversations in My Mind

“One More Night” is a poignant and emotionally charged pop-rock ballad about the complexities of longing and unresolved feelings following a breakup. It has soft, haunting verses and powerful choruses that capture the universal experience of yearning for one more moment with a lost love, to reimagine how it ended and fill the hollow sadness with echoes of the tender times together. The lyrics are raw and honest will resonate with anyone who's ever wished for just "one more night" to make things right.

One More Night

about that point in a relationship when you need to know if it’s going somewhere, and sometimes you just have to be honest when it's not -- "Honest?" asks the question. A rough version of "Honest?" also earned a spot as a semi-finalist in the 2023 International Songwriting Competition.

Honest?

Honest

"Love But Not Really" by Tessa Dalton is an emotionally charged song that questions a relationship that’s going through the motions but is void of real love. In the initial verse, Dalton captures the moment of realization when a partner’s presence no longer brings comfort but a suffocating silence. The lyrics poignantly describe a relationship characterized by superficial touches, empty words, and a bond that holds on too loosely to sustain the relationship. The bridge recounts specific moments that highlight the growing distance and the eventual acceptance of the relationship's superficiality. The chorus expresses the core revelation of the song -- "It was love but not really." The elegance of the piano outro leaves listeners in reflection, contemplating the essence of love and true connection.

Love but Not Really

Love, But Not Really

I hope you like my my second single, I Keep Changing.  It's an alt-pop/rock song for anyone who’s ever felt unsatisfied and at war with themselves over who they are becoming. I wrote this on piano, but true to the song, it changed into something edgier, featuring distorted guitars and intense drums to go along with a pop vibe. Thanks for listening!

I Keep Changing

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“You See Me,” is a hopeful piano ballad about realizing that the man you’re with is the wrong one. I wrote this when I was casually dating a lot a great guys but none of them really got me and they didn’t seem to want to get me either. After one particularly long date, I immediately texted and called my friend to tell him all about my crazy night. That’s when I realized I had been dating the wrong guy.

You See Me

I tried to capture the feeling of summer approaching and having a fun, casual thing unexpectedly turn into something more. The lyrics toggle between denial and self-realization; what seemed like the end turned into the beginning.

Overkill

Hit the Lights

Whiplash

Nothing Left of Me

You might not expect this type of music from a Nashville fiddle player, but as a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, Tessa Dalton's originals are inspired by artists like Gracie Abrams, Lennon Stella, and Maude Latour, with echoes of Foo Fighters, Coldplay, and Paramore. Raised in rural Idaho, she grew up getting her hands dirty on her family farm and corn maze. She's won old-time fiddle championships in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah, and is currently studying Commercial Music at Belmont University. You can find her playing gigs around Nashville, in the studio recording with artists across genres, and writing and recording her own songs. Her current project is to record and release a new single every month. Stay tuned!