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Oakland-born, LA-raised Tessa Rae just released her new music for her latest single “Body.” The track is a bouncy indie-pop jam, boasting achingly floaty vocals laced beautifully over a dreamlike beat, and the video perfectly complements her sound with its retro-inspired aesthetic. “The creation of ‘Body’ was pretty spontaneous,” said Rae. “My producer had just set up a home studio, so we had a new fresh place to work. He was jamming, I started singing. It was one of those rare moments where a song kind of writes itself.”

According to Rae, the introspective track was inspired by her own love life. She explained that she had been dating around a bit and was frustrated about how hard it was to find a genuine connection with someone. “To me, that’s what the song is about,” she said. “Two people might look good together on paper, but if there’s nothing to talk about at breakfast, what’s the point?”

The correlating music video, co-directed and edited by the singer,  is a series of stunning, technicolor scenes starring Rae and an unlikely costar, a skeleton. Viewers watch as Rae and her lifeless date spend time together in various locations and activities, including smelling flowers and sunbathing together in a lush park, and soaking in a bathtub. “The fact that a warm body at least helps to feel alive is kind of tongue in cheek, Rae explained. "That’s why I chose a Skelton as my costar to evoke a sense of lifelessness in the relationship. It ended up being kind of funny, kind of dark, which I love. Taking control of my own visuals has been really rewarding.”

Tessa Rae has no plans to slow down after the single and music video release for “Body.” The singer shared that she has another single and music video coming out next month that will show off yet another facet of her creative capabilities and an EP release for early next year. With her unique, warm voice and intimate sound, Tessa Rae belongs to no single genre, defying the idea of mainstream “pop” music by finding a home in an indie alternative realm she had never before imagined for herself.