Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Tess Parks
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(Credits: Far Out / Ben Wearing)
While making her third album, Tess Parks found out that music was more important to her than ever before. When the music for her new single ‘Koala’ arrived, it provided a beacon of hope in dark times. That sense of earnest solace is detectable in the dark yet hopeful refrain. It’s a song that sounds like gazing out over water with the sun going down. It heralds her profound and life-affirming new record, Pomegranate.
The record is producer and written in close collaboration with Parks’ musical idol, Ruari Meehan. Explaining the origins of ‘Koala’, Parks commented: “In November 2020, Ruari was in London and I was in Toronto and he sent me the music for ‘Koalas’.” This beginning gives the work a sense of creative liberation as the pair found immense joy in working with each other—a factor that was of huge importance to the Canadian.
“At this point, we hadn’t seen each other in over a year,” Parks explains. “It would be another year before we saw each other again. I was suffering from severe PTSD at this point in my life, and to be honest, I couldn’t bring myself to listen to the song properly until early February. When I finally did – it was one of those moments when you hear a song, and you know it’s going to be one of your favourite, most cherished songs for your whole life. It’s the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard.”
That profundity is beautifully refined as Parks retains her raspy wistfulness throughout the gorgeous track. As she continues, “Ruari sending me this song instigated the making of this album—a daily back-and-forth correspondence where he would send me music, and I would sing some words over it, and then he would sing other ideas back to me.”
Parks concludes: “It was a true lifeline at what felt like the end of the world. I don’t know who I would be without these songs, this song particularly, and waking up every day looking forward to what he was going to send me next.” When Pomegranate arrives on October 25th via Fuzz Club, that sentiment will be apparent to all.
In the meantime, we decided to look on the lighter side of things with Parks and quizzed her on everything from thoughts on The Beatles to the best records of 2024 so far.
Quick-fire Questions with Tess Parks:
1. What song would you want played at your funeral?
“‘Koalas!!’ [by Tess Parks].”
2. Is there one genre of music style you haven’t tackled yet but would like to?
“I would love to sing on Broadway someday… I would love to also sing in French and Italian… I would love to do a solid pop song too.”
3. Have you ever cried at a concert?
“Honestly, every single concert I ever go to, I think I shed a tear… but most recently, a Neil Young show in San Diego earlier this year.”
4. Who is your favourite comedian of all time?
“My dad and my sisters. But…. famous comedians? I loved Bob Saget, and I love John Mulaney, Jenny Slate is hilarious… And most recently I watched Hannah Berner and thought she was great.”
5. What was the first song you remember loving?
“‘Supersonic’ by Oasis.”
6. You’ve been asked to create a soundtrack for the forthcoming movie adaptation of a book. Which book would you like it to be?
“Ohhhh, this is an amazing question. Maybe The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Or The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran..or I read Down the Drain by Julia Fox, recently.”
7. When are you at your most creative?
“When my nervous system is regulated. When I am in nature. When I am in my childhood home in Toronto. I get a lot of ideas when I am out walking or in motion – on a plane or in a car or on a train.”
8. If you weren’t a musician, what would you be?
“A yoga instructor or my sister always tells me I’d be a great art teacher.”
9. If you could only pick one, who would you say your ultimate music icon is?
“Ruari Meehan.”
10. Have you ever had a weird celebrity encounter?
“I met Oprah and her best friend Gail once with my friend Michelle in Toronto during the Toronto International Film Festival. I called my mom and handed the phone to Oprah, but my mom didn’t answer!”
11. What’s your most controversial cultural opinion?
“I’m really at a point in my life where I don’t want to judge anything and remain open-minded to everything! I think anything that makes someone happy is cool, and I will do my best to understand it and see the good in it too!”
12. What has been your favourite album of 2024?
“The Smile – Wall of Eyes, Amen Dunes – Death Jokes, Black Market Karma – Wobble.”
13. One meal you had in a foreign location that you still crave again?
“Cacio e pepe in Rome and dark chocolate gelato in Florence.”
14. What venue would you love to play?
“Massey Hall in Toronto and Royal Albert Hall, someday! Madison Square Gardens, Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, The Fillmore…”
15. Are The Beatles overrated?
“Absolutely not! So many amazing artists would not be who they are without them.”
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