East Coast Tour now on sale: bnds.us/pym9av

Watching from afar as my hometown fends off masked armed agents—who demonstrate very little trigger discipline and racially profile residents—with *whistles*. Watching neighbors build food distribution networks. Students walk out of class in protest. Braaave. 

See you soon, Minneapolis.

I*love* that that phrase spells socks. Delights me and always will.

Good a time as any for y'all to become familiar with Minneapolis artist @dessadarling.bsky.social. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wau...

Song of the Day over at The Current. (Thanks, MN) www.thecurrent.org/episode/2025...

all right, we have finally lit the @dessadarling.bsky.social candle, may it herald thoughtful, progressive, erudite, and incisive cultural developments as we enter the new year.

Three songs live at The Current: m.youtube.com/watch?v=BO1V...

Oh, I gotta say Thalia Hall is pretty spectacular. But Chicago does outdoor stuff really well too—have played Riot Fest, Lollapalooza, and the Pritzker Pavilion show you mentioned was a favorite.

The family and mental health podcast I produce, In This Family, wraps up our first season with a very moving and insightful conversation with Dessa @dessadarling.bsky.social, the acclaimed rapper, musician, poet, and author. www.nexusfamilyhealing.org/podcast/dessa

See you tonight, Madison. Doors at 7pm at Atwood Music Hall.

I am not exaggerating when I say that @dessadarling.bsky.social embodies everything I want to be as a writer and an artist. Watching her work evolve over the years, while still retaining the playful-yet-serious language and intellectual curiosity that first drew me to her, has been such a treat.

Aaand turns out we need a merch seller (with at least a leeedle experience) in Chicago tonight. Playing Thalia Hall, doors at 7. Anybody interested?

The newest @dessadarling.bsky.social hits rrreal hard on that disability/chronic pain tip, heh. We're at 12 years since my spine got taken apart and put back together. Like, genuinely, I can't pick the line that hits me hardest. Witness:

This month is looking real Midwesty. bnds.us/pym9av

New hoodies would like to cover your upper half. store.doomtree.net/product/dess...

See you soon, Chicago. www.ticketweb.com/event/dessa-...

Photos from Tony Nelson at the big show at Orchestra Hall. Arranged by Andy Thompson, conducted by Sarah Hicks. Shout to Joynoëlle for the clever zip dress. Vox squad: Jelly, Aby, Aviva, Matthew, Cameron. Band: the Minnesota Orchestra.

Shots from this weekend’s show with @minnesotaorchestra.org by @bumpopera.bsky.social Arranged by Andy Thompson, conducted by Sarah Hicks. Vocal dream squad: Aby Wolf, Aviva Jaye, Jelly, Matthew Santos, Cameron Kinghorn. Live sound by Jay Perlman. Ian Alllison on bass, JVP on drums, Becky on mgmt

Thank you thank you

There has been so much great #music lately. The incredible @dessadarling.bsky.social just released a new two-track EP "Tough Call, Camelot." Dessa's music is always a gut-punch in the best possible way. Insightful, wise, humorous, and self aware. Dessawander.com #dessa #doomtree #independentmusic

Seeing @dessadarling.bsky.social perform with the MN Orchestra is so so good

See you this weekend. www.minnesotaorchestra.org/tickets/cale...

Into the wild with you. lnk.to/ToughCallCam...

*passes tissue*

CHICAGOOOO. I’m coming over. www.ticketweb.com/event/dessa-...

Big thanks to all who’ve preordered (massively helpful to indie artists and labels). store.doomtree.net/product/dess...

Last night at the jeremy messersmith big Halloween show. I did “Spiderwebs” by the inimitable Gwen Stefani (who I mitabled).

I gotta say, @dessadarling.bsky.social does a pretty good Gwen Stefani impression

SO Many Things Are Terrible, But This Thing Rocks 5. Look, is it surprising that @dessadarling.bsky.social's new single "Camelot" will knock your socks clean off? Well, no, because that's what she does. It's her niche.

New Dessa track. Once again, the lyrics hit home... @dessadarling.bsky.social

Next act Has a spray tan And a flash bang And the first amendment in a burn bag Can't risk it wish I could But tell you what lemme knock on wood And if the guard rails hold up like they should We should all be double plus good @dessadarling.bsky.social hits as usual.

new Dessa song just dropped, powerful @dessadarling.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifXH...

7 Central/8 Eastern. Come and watch the new lyric vid, chat, maybe drink a 4th of a glass of wine. 10-min mini party tonight. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifXH...

New banger from @dessadarling.bsky.social (CW: our current reality)

Release Day. My new single “Camelot” is now available from all the internet’s musical places. It’s the B-side of a 7-inch record slated to drop on Nov 4th, but available for preorder….right now. *Triumphantly fires cap gun towards sky, immediately apologizes to upstairs neighbor* store.doomtree.net

Iowa. I’m headed your way. www.axs.com/events/11631...

So happy to hear @dessadarling.bsky.social at the @Minnesota game at allianz field. Best for the fan appreciation night #MNUFC

Thanks, Minneapolis. (And to Paul Phillips for the capture.). More dates soooon. bnds.us/pym9av

See youz soon, Chicago. www.ticketweb.com/event/dessa-...

WISCONSIN. If you’ve got a friend in the neighborhood, tag em in? www.etix.com/ticket/p/463...

@dessadarling.bsky.social , to a packed and locked in Fine Line in Minneapolis. August 17th; photos for @first-avenue.com.

Backstage with Aviva Jaye and Lady Midnight at last night’s sold out Fine Line show. Next up: Colorado. (If you’ve got friends in Fort Collins or Denver, holler at em? Dessawander.com/events.)

Truly think screaming "mother fucking vigilance" once every year or so at a @dessadarling.bsky.social is maintaining my mental health.

Minneapolis, you are sold out this weekend. Denverrrr: tickets.meowwolf.com/events/denve... Chicagooo: www.ticketweb.com/event/dessa-...

Thanks, Sioux Falls. Next up… Minneapolis (2 tickets left!): www.axs.com/events/10349... Fort Collins: freee. Denver: tickets.meowwolf.com/events/denve...

The U.S. has denied Visas to 29:11, the South African group I’m slated to tour with in Aug. My band and I will perform in Sioux Falls (8/9), Earlham (8/10), and Mpls (8/17). Chicago will be postponed to 12/11; Madison to 12:13. (Refunds avail from venue websites.) Sorry for the garbage news. Sucks.

We are just catching up on emails, so forgive the late excitement as this was mentioned in Dess's newsletter last week. Dessa is coming to Meow Wolf! Holy wow, what a pairing made in artistic heaven!

I have stress baked. Vanilla cakes were drowned in citrus-brown sugar syrup. Clementine peels were boiled alive in heavy cream. Buttercream ganache was whipped within an inch of its life. And I feel a lil better.

Gotta kick over a few trees to make an omelette. Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Sioux Falls, Madison, Fort Collins, Earlham—see you next month. Dessawander.com/events