Someone: Using AR To Experience Music In A New Way


Amsterdam-based Tessa Rose Jackson (aka ‘Someone’) is an artist who does not fit into one category alone. At the Sonic Visions Music Conference & Showcase Festival in Belval, she will present her latest work ORBIT that shakes up the boundaries between art, music, and technology.
by: Torge Schwandt
photo: Bibian Bingen
featured: Tessa Rose Jackson aka ‘Someone’

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Who is ‘Someone’?

‘Someone’ is my passion project that I pursue in addition to my other creative work as a graphic designer and composer for motion picture productions.

My passion is to tell stories by combining an image with a sound in a way that they completely melt together. This is what I do through ‘Someone’: I create pop music as well as abstract art related to it. For example, when my band and I perform our songs live, they are in most cases accompanied by my own animations.

What is your latest work ORBIT all about?

ORBIT is my way of releasing a new set of songs with an untraditional approach by using interactive technology in addition to my visual artwork.

It consists of a music EP with five songs, an Augmented Reality (AR) app, and a live show. Instead of CD or vinyl, I released the EP in the shape of five artworks that come to life by using the app that was developed just for that purpose.

Overall, ORBIT aims to be a surprising, playful AR experience to discover my new music. I wanted to add another layer of digital technology not to distract people but to actually allow them to fully immerse themselves in the music and artwork that I created.

“We don’t really take the time to listen to music thoroughly anymore.”

How did you come up with the idea?

As an artist, it is my mission to remove barriers by combining different fields. In my case, that is music and visual artwork, which are usually separated from each other. But also the digital technology and music scene still do not interact much with each other, especially when it comes to the process of actual creation.

In this regard, I came up with ORBIT as I realized that we have started to somehow lose our deeper connection to music due to technology. It is easier than ever to discover new music thanks to streaming platforms like Spotify. But at the same time, this has led to a “fast food” way of consuming music. We don’t really take the time to listen to music thoroughly anymore.

This is what I wanted to change again, trying to turn it around with the conscious use of technology. I want people to use their smartphones to enhance their discovery process of my music – have them interact with it, make them reflect on what is happening, and inspire them to do something like simply talking about their experience to others around them. It is my goal to get people to think and communicate with each other again. This then ideally leads to positive action as it is what drives me and the world needs more of – positivity.

How did you turn this concept into reality and how long did it take?

I was already working on some art prints for ORBIT when I discussed my thoughts around the project in more detail with my manager. He told me about some great developers in the UK who focus on fusing creative ideas and digital technology for augmented and virtual reality experiences. Their studio goes by the name “RamJam”.

We worked on the project together for ten months. It was an amazing experience, sometimes a bit terrifying though as it was the first time for me creating some digital tech artwork like this.

It is my goal to get people to think and communicate with each other again.

What are your plans for your time in Luxembourg and beyond?

Joining this year’s Sonic Visions Music Conference & Showcase Festival will actually be the first time for me to visit Luxembourg, so I’m very excited. I got invited to present ORBIT and be part of a panel to discuss the link between creativity and technology.

I’m looking forward to making great new connections and get inspired by the people that will be there. As mentioned before, tech and art creators still do not interact enough, and also the respective scenes in Benelux do not really engage with each other across borders. My goal is that we grow a little closer during the two days of meeting here.

I hope to be back next year when my band and I will be touring through France, it would be great to play in Luxembourg too. I am also working on a new project to take my work with ORBIT even a step further.

ORBIT © Nick Helderman
ORBIT © Nick Helderman
ORBIT © Nick Helderman
ORBIT © Nick Helderman

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