Tessa Violet Describes The Real-Life Crush That Inspired Her 'Bold, Confident' New Song

"It is a very me™️ thing to want everybody to think I'm funny," Tessa Violet writes, trademark symbol included. She's referring to one of the several witty, relatable, and, well, funny lines in her latest single, "I Like (the idea of) You," premiering on Thursday (May 2).


"There's nothing I wouldn't do to hear you call me funny ... I keep repeating, repeating the way you mention my name," she cooly sings over a driving bass line. Having a crush is fodder for some of the ideal pop songs in history, and it's a feeling that Violet is all-too-familiar with. Her pair of 2018 singles, "Crush" and "Bad Ideas," showcased her wry sense of humor and penchant for sincere, perplexing songwriting that's borne entirely out of personalized experience.


"I was seeing this guy at the time who I knew wasn't that into me. And although I might visualize that, it was still so much fun to think and obsess about him," she told MTV News through the email about the genesis of "I Like (the idea of) You."


She continued, "Replaying the way he mentioned my name on the phone, imagining what I would wear or mention the next time I saw him, thinking of things I may write about him. I remember that I might logically visualize it wasn't going anywhere, so I thought maybe I should feel embarrassed about how much time I was spending on him. Nevertheless it didn't make me feel embarrassed, it made me feel sexy and powerful. So what if they're not that into me? I like the idea of it and I'm going to like that."


That confidence and suggestiveness shines on the former vlogger and model's breezy new bop, which she describes because the flip side of the lovestruck "Bad Ideas." She explained, "It's the same story nevertheless just felt through different lens. Once I was writing 'Bad Ideas' I felt very self-defeated, [and] in 'I Like (the idea of) You' I felt like I had this naughty secret. Both [are] bold and confident."


The original demo of "I Like (the idea of) You" was just Violet and her piano, however with each other with producer Seth Earnest, the 29-year-old dressed it up into a guitar-driven, retro-tinged jam that she describes as "timeless." She's been playing the song live for the better segment of each year, and she's "so excited" to finally release the studio version and to keep playing it at upcoming shows, including Lollapalooza in August.


"I hope this is a song that people desire to put on repeat and dance around the residence to," she mentioned. "I'm ready for the world to have it!"