Tess Henley | Easy To Love
Listen to Song Sample of “Intro to Pompis Song” by clicking Play Button Below or the ‘Download’ Bar!!
Battling the UK’s rush of retro-soul chanteuses like Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis and Adele, Tess Henley displays her emotional voice and piano prowess with a sultry vibe that refines the tapestry of R&B and neo-soul into her own smooth silk. Tess writes addictive songs that soothe the soul of young and old alike.
Tess is soft-spoken, not one to openly share her innermost thoughts and feelings…yet she found music as a way to pour out these emotions.With the CD Easy to Love, she lets the listener in, writing about her youthful look at relationships won (Fool With You, Easy to Love), relationships lost (Hitting Me Hard Now) and relationships somewhere in between (Complicated). The heartache after a first love in Disguise isa story many of us can relate to, while Pompi’s Song was a way to express grief after losing a loved one who inspired her with humility and grace. The touching tribute to her late grandfather crescendos with gospel singers’ soulful backups.
When performing live, Tess warmly reaches out to connect with her audience and impresses with a stage presence beyond her years. The listener would never believe she is considered “shy” by the way this songbird coos. She confidently, soulfully peels away her “quiet-side”and puts her own smooth spin on love and angst.
The 21 year-old songwriter is part of a very musical family. She has been trained on piano at the Pacific Northwest School of Music since age 3 and she writes all her own songs, as well as all vocal arrangements. Tess’ mother is a singer/entertainer, her father an avid music collector and her brother Carson is also a singer-songwriter. Her sister, Maggie, co-wrote some of their music and all three have individually won their town’s version of American Idol. Tess’ musical instincts were perhaps formed in the womb, as her mother was still performing ten days prior to delivering Tess. Early influences included Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, which she mixes gracefully with newer artist stylings such as India.Arie, Musiq Soulchild and Alicia Keys for her own soulful sound.