Vessna Scheff on New Single “Butter” and More!
Singer, song-writer, and watercolorist, Vessna Scheff releases her new single, “BUTTER.” This single has hypnotizing vocal harmonies, an ’80s club backbeat, and ’90s flair. Thus, listening to “BUTTER” will kindle feelings of love, confidence, and bliss.
The Garnette Report’s Charmaine Swasey had the chance to ask Vessna Scheff about “BUTTER,” lyrical writing, her music and art influences, and much more!
Charmaine Swasey: What is your creative process like?
Vessna Scheff: For “BUTTER,” I began with creating a beat in Ableton using samples from Splice. I clicked through things until something sounded interesting, then built the sound from there.
After creating a very basic beat in Ableton, I walked around with the beat recorded on my phone experimenting with vocal melodies. Something about moving, on a walk or driving, seems to be helpful to coming up with vocal ideas. I took these ideas back to my studio and started messing with my vocal effects processor on a vocoder effect.
That’s how the hook came for BUTTER. I then brought this to Lee Clarke, who is a good friend, collaborator and amazing producer. Sometimes I’ll start the beat and the idea for the song on my own and bring it to Lee. Or sometimes we’ll create the beat together in the studio and I’ll riff vocal parts until something clicks. Recording as part of the songwriting process is huge though.
Listening back and being able to “take the song on walk” are very helpful for generating ideas for me.
CS: What is your favorite song from Tevin Campbell and why?
VS: “Can We Talk” is my favorite song by Tevin Campbell but to be honest, I am not super familiar with his whole catalog. I LOVE “Can We Talk” though. It just hits. From the first few chords that drop you right into the beat, it’s a groove. The sentiments are so sweet.
The idea is you get caught up in your feelings when you see someone that you stumble over your words and can’t think of what to say. The build of this is so smooth carried by the vocals and punctuated by the beat break.
I love leaning into the feeling of aspiration, for showing up as your best self, which is similar in sentiment to “BUTTER.” So much of my life has been spent daydreaming about who I might be and how I might do things.
It may be the artist in me reflecting on my experiences and songwriting about imagined scenarios. It is nice to realize now that I can just be that person, I don’t need approval or permission to show up in the way that I want to. But I relate to the desire to be smooth in the face of nervousness and to find the words to say.
CS: Besides Tevin Campbell, who else inspired you to make R&B music?
VS: I have been inspired by many artists. I grew up listening to Ladysmith Black Mambazo: an acapella group from South Africa. And Eva Cassidy (who my mom loved), Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, Charlotte Church, Destiny’s Child, Janet Jackson (thanks to a CD my sister gave me), Billie Holiday, The Rat Pack, and mix CD’s my Uncle made for my Mom. Lots of incredible music.
My music tends to fall into categories of R&B, Pop, Folk, Soul, & Jazz. I think that’s because I have such a wide range of influences and began making music on the ukulele. And now I make beats and collaborate with my producer Lee Clarke.
CS: Does painting have an influence on your music?
VS: I think in visuals and sounds simultaneously when working on new music and visual art. With sounds often come colors, atmosphere, temperature, movement…One of the first notes I make on my phone during the song writing process is a description of the scene. Which could be thought of as a music video.
It’s the feeling I want the listener to be placed in when they hear the first few moments of the song. I love when songs drop you right into a scene and energy. Being able to see and embody the feeling of the music helps with developing the beat and writing the lyrics.
CS: Is your new single part of a new album?
VS: Yes! It is the first released track leading up to an album in 2024. The album takes place in a night at the roller skate rink beginning with the start of the night, the anticipation of what’s to come, and ending with what comes after leaving the rink. It’s an exciting journey that I can’t wait for people to come with me on once the album is released! There will be a few more singles before then though.
CS: If so, will you design/paint your next album?
VS: I am not sure I will design or paint the cover for the album. But I know a few folks who do amazing work in graphic design who I’d love to connect with.
I enjoy my artwork being a reflection of the process of making, and accompanying the sounds as physical memorabilia alongside the releases.
For example, I created a collection of 12 ceramic “vinyl” records as part of the artwork to accompany this new music which are featured in an installation up now at Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket, RI.
Since streaming is so prevalent, I see my artwork as being another way to preserve the experience of the music. This is similar to how CD’s and cassettes tapes have functioned. The artwork transports you to moments within the music and is created simultaneously. Another series I am working on is a collection of watercolor “polaroid” paintings that show the merging of plants and electronics in Lee Clarke’s studio where these songs are being recorded.
It’s a beautiful and fluid combination of analog, digital, and organic elements in his studio which convey how grounding and electrifying the creative process is with our collaboration.
CS: How did you settle on the title, “Butter” for your new single?
VS: With making lots of artworks and songs, I have a process for naming the things I make. I usually spend no more than 30 seconds coming up with titles haha. It may sound quick, but I prefer the term intuitive.
At that point, I have usually spent a lot of time with the song already which also makes it easier. One could really spend so long deciding on a title, but I’d rather spend that time making the music/artwork and let the title just flow out.
The sound of saying “BUTTER” has a similar mouthfeel to the harmonies of the song. In my mind, it sounds like you are coating a floor with wax for smooth rolling, or spreading butter over a piece of toast, pouring froth into an espresso, or dreaming about the moment when you will glide up as your smoothest self. At the same time, “BUTTER” can be illusive, it can make things slip right through your fingers.
It’s a delicate moment where something glides without falling, and that’s the moment in which you are flying.
CS: Was it easy to plan the lyrics for your single?
VS: Lyrics can be harder to develop than the feel of the song for me. The sound has to hit first because that’s what people hear before they process the lyrics, and it helps if I am excited about the energy of the song before I develop lyrics.
The first lyrics on “BUTTER” were for the chorus, then I built the verses around that to tell the story. The verses I think were written in the car on my way to and from the studio in Philly to work with Lee. I do a lot of songwriting in the car. I’ll play the track over and over, and force myself to sing any kind of melody over it. The weirder and more creative, the better. (This also might be why I like singing in the car where no one else can hear me haha). It helps me come up with unexpected ways of phrasing or singing things.
Creating an interesting melody is the most inspiring for my lyric writing. Once the sound hits, usually the lyrics flow pretty quickly. It may take weeks to months to come up with a melody part, but once I have that, it seems as though the lyrics were just waiting along with it. I have written verses that I love in the last 5 mins before arriving to the studio to record. Voice memos are essential to my in transit writing process haha.
CS: How about the rhythm?
VS: The rhythm was inspired by ’80s and ’90s beats with the prompt of “music you could roller skate to”.
This new single and album brought a shift in my relationship to music. I want to write music that is fun, made me want to move, liberating and helped me move through the challenging emotions of caregiving for a loved one during the pandemic.
It was hard. I wanted my music making process to be the thing I needed, which was to feel playful, encouraged to move and groove, to be reminded that there are many emotions I can hold at once–not just difficult ones.
The rhythm and the writing process was to transport myself to that space and feeling so that I could move through the challenges, inspired by the freedom felt on the roller skating rink.
Lee and I built out the rhythm together in the studio. Our process is very collaborative. It feels like a shared flow state where I am singing vocal parts. He is picking up instruments and laying down lines, all while recording everything we are doing, and expertly dropping it into the mix so we can respond to what’s happening in the moment.
CS: Where was your first performance and how did you feel about it?
VS: Ooh haha, hmmm, my first performance…I’ll go with my first performance outside of choirs and singing my own music.
Some of my first performances were at the Bazaar Cafe and the Hotel Utah in San Francisco. I heard recordings from those first performances. I was FLYING through the song haha. Clearly nervous, but I would be more upset if I didn’t perform at all. And I was only 18 years old when I was doing that.
I also was writing crazy vocal lines exploring my voice and came up with really cool ways of using my voice.
I always wanted to find the most interesting and unexpected note that would turn a head or make you listen deeper. It was really fun. I am so glad I did it, and sang through the nerves so that I could get more comfortable performing and develop my sound and style.
CS: Have you ever had post-performance anxiety?
VS: I have heard of the term “vulnerability hangover” which I think might be similar to post-performance anxiety. After a performance, I often remind myself that I am putting myself out there and that’s a huge accomplishment in itself. Not everyone gets on a stage or in front of a microphone. To do that and share your feelings and energy is a really special thing.
I so appreciate when artists do that because it’s not always easy to show up in that way. There are so many reasons artists could use to talk themselves out of it, but we do it regardless.
I am so grateful for artists pushing through the nerves to share what they do which moves SO many people.
To keep myself grounded after performances, I remind myself of this. I also work to trust the feedback that people give me. If I didn’t think it was a great performance but someone in all seriousness tells me it moved them and was incredible for them, then I hold that as fact alongside how I feel.
It is just as valid as my experience and should be honored right along with it.
CS: What is the best advice you’ve had?
VS: “Keep doing what you are doing.” It sounds simple but it means so much in the small moments of doubt. To me it means, “I appreciate you, I see you, I hear you, I love you, I am rooting for you, and I want this for you.” Haha. At least that’s how it sounds in those moments to me.
It is encouraging that you are already doing the thing. There can be many reasons to stop making art despite public love for art.
It is challenging and goes against the grain of society in many ways. “Keep doing what you’re doing” is a thank you for doing what you’ve done thus far despite how hard it is, and encouragement to keep doing it.
CS: So what’s next for you?
VS: My show “Click! Whir. Unravel..” opens October 12th, 2023 at Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket, R. It is a full room–ceiling to floor–installation which shares artworks made alongside the music, which welcomes you inside the sound.
It’s going to be amazing. I can’t wait!
After that, be on the lookout for music videos, fun visualizers, opportunities to collect the original artworks related to each single, and more songs that are lined up to drop! Lee Clarke and I are bringing a whole world of sound–get ready.
I share everything and more including personal stories, photos, videos, and moments from my creative process through my mailing list which I’ve had since I was 18! It’s become a type of public journal where I share thoughts and developments in my creative process. It has grown with me and continues to be one of my favorite ways to engage with people. Join via my website at www.vessnascheff.com.
Listen to Vessna Scheff’s new single, “BUTTER” on YouTube and other streaming services.
(Featured Image by @pabonproductions_llc via Instagram.)