There is something deeply personal about music that makes you feel understood, particularly when it captures emotions you haven't quite found the words for. For Cape Town-based singer-songwriter Tessi Nandi, that connection sits at the heart of her artistry. Through introspective songwriting and melodies that move between nostalgic soul, contemporary R&B, alternative folk and understated pop, she explores the many layers of the human experience, from love and longing to loss, identity and the uncertainty of growing into yourself.
With a sound rooted in vulnerability and quiet strength, Tessi creates music that invites listeners into her world without telling them exactly what to feel. Instead, she leaves room for interpretation, allowing people to find their own stories in the lyrics and experiences that inspire her. It is this emotional honesty that makes her music feel intimate, yet universally relatable. Her approach to songwriting is just as instinctive, often beginning with a feeling she is trying to understand, a passing thought, a journal entry or a conversation that stays with her long after it ends.
Her latest release, meaning in the madness, speaks to this perspective, exploring the beauty that can exist in life's uncertainty and the comfort of knowing that none of us are navigating it entirely alone. Having taken her music beyond South Africa, including performances at The Great Escape in Brighton, Tessi is also beginning to experience the possibilities of what a career in music can look like beyond the familiar. But as her audience grows and new opportunities emerge, creative freedom remains central to the artist she hopes to become.
We caught up with Tessi Nandi to discuss finding her musical identity, the emotions behind her songwriting, the importance of live performance, creative collaborations and her hopes for the future of South African music.
GLAMOUR: For someone discovering your music for the first time, how would you describe your sound and the world you are creating through it?
Tessi Nandi: I would describe my sound as a blend of nostalgic soul, contemporary R&B, alternative folk and understated pop. There’s a certain melancholy that runs through my music, but I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as sadness. It’s more an exploration of the human experience: love, longing, nostalgia and the strange beauty of being alive. I want to create a world that listeners can step into and perhaps recognise parts of themselves in.
GLAMOUR: You often speak about wanting listeners to feel seen through your music. How important is that emotional connection to you as an artist?
Tessi Nandi: I hope people feel seen and understood more than anything. There’s something incredibly comforting about realising that an emotion or experience you thought was entirely your own is something someone else has felt too. I would love for my music to create that kind of connection, where people walk away feeling a little less alone.
GLAMOUR: Love, loss, change and identity are recurring themes in your songwriting. What draws you to exploring these more complicated parts of the human experience?
Tessi Nandi: I’m definitely drawn to the complexities of human emotions. A lot of my songwriting centres on love, loss, change, nostalgia and identity. I’m fascinated by the things we struggle to understand and talk about. Songwriting is how I make sense of these experiences. Sometimes I write because I have something to say, and other times I write because I’m trying to figure out what I’m feeling in the first place. I think the main thing I feel called to express through my music is that it’s okay to be sensitive and confused about who you are and what you want. There is beauty in the chaos of these feelings, and I hope listeners find comfort in my music.
GLAMOUR: Your songwriting sounds like an extension of your inner world. What does the process of turning a feeling or personal experience into a song typically look like for you?
Tessi Nandi: It can start in several ways, but usually there’s a very strong feeling I’m trying to capture. Sometimes it’s a particular experience or thought that stays with me, a journal entry that just happens to be poetic, or conversations with friends where we share our experiences. Other times, I find myself experiencing an emotion I don’t quite understand, so I start writing without necessarily knowing where it’s going. That’s why I love songwriting. It’s healing; it allows me to explore feelings I don’t understand, and through that, I often end up discovering what it is I’ve been trying to say all along.
GLAMOUR: As you continue to grow your career, how do you define success for yourself, particularly in an industry that often places so much emphasis on numbers and visibility?
Tessi Nandi: My definition of success would be being able to sustain a career doing something I love while still having the freedom to explore myself creatively, without feeling confined to a particular sound or identity. I’d love for my music to reach people in different parts of the world and to perform on stages I once only imagined myself playing. I think success would be knowing that I’m continuously growing as an artist while still staying true to myself, without losing the reason I started creating music in the first place.
GLAMOUR: There's a different kind of connection that happens when music moves from a recording into a live space. What do you love most about performing for an audience?
Tessi Nandi: I’ve always been drawn to performing. The stage has always been a space where I feel comfortable expressing myself. What I love most about live performances is connecting with an audience and being able to communicate something without having to explain it through words. It’s also quite special to witness something that started as a very personal experience turn into a shared one.
GLAMOUR: Performing at The Great Escape in Brighton was a significant milestone, particularly as it was your first time travelling internationally on your own. How did that experience shift your perspective on what might be possible for your music?
Tessi Nandi: The performances that stood out most to me were at The Great Escape in Brighton. It was my first time travelling internationally on my own, so the experience was significant beyond just the music. It was exciting to share my music with a completely different audience on another continent. It pushed me outside my comfort zone and gave me a glimpse into the possibilities that pursuing music could hold. Those performances will always stay with me because they represent a personal milestone and a reminder of how far music can take you.
GLAMOUR: Looking closer to home, which South African stages or music festivals are on your wish list, and what excites you about being part of the local live music scene?
Tessi Nandi: There are definitely a few local festivals I’d love to be part of, like Rocking the Daisies and Milk + Cookies. I think South Africa has a very exciting and diverse music scene, and I would love to contribute to that while reaching new audiences.
GLAMOUR: Your newer music, particularly meaning in the madness, speaks to finding beauty in uncertainty. What do you hope listeners recognise or discover about themselves through the song?
Tessi Nandi: I think one of the most rewarding things about sharing my music is hearing how people interpret it and the different ways they relate to it. I find it interesting to see how someone can connect with a song in a way I hadn’t necessarily intended, or find their own meaning in something I wrote. With my newer music, particularly Meaning in the Madness, I hope people connect with the idea that there’s beauty to be found even in the uncertainty and chaos of life. I think a lot of us are just trying to make sense of things as we go along, and there’s something comforting in knowing we’re not alone in that.
GLAMOUR: You've collaborated with Yoshe and Giuliette Price on Living Without You. What did having other creative voices in the room bring to your music, and has it changed how you approach collaboration?
Tessi Nandi: I think collaboration is a really important part of growing as an artist. I’ve only done one collaboration, which was Living Without You with Yoshe and Giuliette Price. I enjoyed being able to bring different creative perspectives into one space and seeing how they influence one another. Sometimes someone else’s interpretation of a song can take it in a direction you wouldn’t necessarily have considered yourself, and I find that really exciting. For me, the best collaborations happen when there’s mutual understanding and creative freedom, where everyone can bring something of themselves to the process and create something beautiful.
GLAMOUR: Are there any artists you have your eye on for future collaborations, or are you more interested in seeing where an unexpected creative connection might take you?
Tessi Nandi: I can’t say I have a definitive list of artists I’d like to collaborate with just yet. However, I’m quite open-minded when it comes to collaboration, and I think some of the most interesting creative experiences can come from working with people whose perspectives and approaches differ from your own. I’m more interested in the creative connection and what we could bring out of each other. I’d love to work with people who are curious, experimental and passionate about what they do.
GLAMOUR: South Africa has an incredibly diverse musical landscape. Where would you like to see the industry go, and how do you hope to contribute to its evolution?
Tessi Nandi: I’d love to contribute to the continued diversity and evolution of South African music. I think we have such an incredible pool of talent, and there’s so much room for artists to experiment, explore different sounds and tell stories that might not always be heard. I’d like to be part of a music scene that encourages individuality and gives artists the freedom to develop their own identities without feeling the need to fit into a particular mould.
GLAMOUR: When you think about the legacy you want to leave behind, what would you hope people find in your music years from now?
Tessi Nandi: South Africa has such an incredible pool of talent. I’d love to be part of a music scene that encourages individuality and gives artists the freedom to develop their own identities without feeling the need to fit into a particular mould. I hope to create music that people can return to at different stages of their lives and find something new in. If I am able to leave behind a body of work that resonates with people and contributes something honest and meaningful to the industry, I’d be happy with that.
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