Exclusive: Watch Tessa Violet’s Video for Her Hopelessly Romantic Anthem “I Like (the idea of) You”

Tessa Violet is about to be your new indie-pop go-to— that is, if she isn’t already.

The Nashville songstress erupted into recognition with a barrage of followers and playlist adds back in 2018 with the release of her infectiously buoyant single, “Crush.” Today (May 10), exclusively at Paste, Violet shares the music video for her most recent hopelessly romantic anthem, “I Like (the idea of) You” (dir. Jade Ehlers).

Combining the glam of 1960s mod with Olivia Newton John-era dancercise, Violet and her canary-yellow bob deliver your song of the summer, a shimmering, bubblegum-pop ode to bad decisions and careless, lighthearted flings, inspired by the enduring sensuality of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots are Made for Walkin’.”

“There’s something about ILTIOY that feels simultaneously timeless and sexy, and I wanted to visually match that with a feeling of inhibition and a sense of owning your femininity,” Violet explains. “I remember sitting in my managers’ office and pitching the ‘Boots’-inspired idea. ‘We love it,’ they said cautiously, ‘but can you dance?’”

The answer? Apparently, yes.

“I can learn anything with enough time,” Violet continues. “I think the reason I ended up dancing so much in the video was actually due to a miscommunication between me and my director, Jade Ehlers. He’d asked if I wanted every movement choreographed or if I wanted freedom to improvise and do what felt natural in the moment. I was adamant that I wanted everything choreographed in order to avoid freezing up on camera … I felt way out of my element, but I’m always up for a trial by fire, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.”