Dessa · Evanston · Mar 4, 2027

Spanning genres and disciplines, Dessas style is defined by wit, tenderness, rigor, and candor. As a musician, shes co-composed for large choirs; crowdsurfed at rock clubs; recorded a live album with the Grammy-winning Minnesota Orchestra; and contributed a track to the #1 album The Hamilton Mixtape. As a speaker, Dessa regularly presents on art, science, and entrepreneurship at colleges and universities across the US. Her TED Talk, which recounts her science experiment on how to fall out of love, has notched more than 4 million views. As an author, shes written for The New York Times and National Geographic Traveler; been broadcast by the BBC; and published several literary collections including the memoir-in-essays My Own Devices (Penguin Random House). Shes currently serving as Artist in Residence at Georgetown Universitys Music Sustainability Initiative.