Tenise Marie Peels Back the Layers in ‘Off The Record’

With her latest single “Off The Record,” Tenise Marie opens up a deeply personal chapter, one that traces emotional vulnerability, cultural reconnection, and the quiet unraveling of perfectionism. As the title track to her upcoming album, Off The Record doesn’t just set the tone, it is the tone. Honest, reflective, and soul-stirring.

Inspired by her travels to the Assyrian homeland in Iraq, the track draws on both internal and external landscapes. It’s about peeling back the layers we wear to seem whole, and finally sitting with the parts of ourselves that feel messy, soft, or unresolved. With folky warmth and a voice that balances delicate strength with raw emotion, Tenise lets us into her world — no edits, no filters.

Sonically, “Off The Record” merges acoustic folk-pop textures with hints of R&B and Middle Eastern instrumentation, incorporating elements like piano, guitar, and the oud. The result is a sound that feels both familiar and expansive, rooted in classic songwriting traditions but carried by a global, genre-fluid perspective.

Tenise doesn’t just write songs — she documents the soul’s evolution. Her music has always reflected a deep curiosity and hunger for meaning, and this new release continues that tradition with quiet grace. Whether reflecting on love, heartbreak, or the complex journey of self-acceptance, “Off The Record” feels like an artist gently but firmly stepping into her truth.

“It’s a reflection of my spiritual journey and emotional tendencies — the ways I used to sugarcoat pain or hold it all in. This song is about releasing that.”

“Off The Record” is such an intimate and layered track. What was the moment or experience that first sparked the idea for this song?

This song was inspired by my 2023 trip to the Assyrian homeland in Iraq, made possible by support from the Canada Council for the Arts. I wrote it after returning to Canada, as part of my Research & Creation songwriting project. I had already written an initial batch of three songs about my time in Assyria, before wanting to go “Off The Record.

Without being aware of it, my songwriting had been externally focused on the people and the places I had grown so deeply connected to in such a short time. After more reflection, I was able to recognize that I had sugar-coated some things and glossed over some of the more personal details.

When I finally endeavoured to describe my own internal experience, I peeled back the layers to express some of the rawest emotions I was less comfortable talking about. The trip to Assyria was an overwhelmingly positive experience; I could not have anticipated just how comfortable and connected I would feel in a place I had never visited.

It never is just rainbows and waterfalls, though. With “Off The Record”, I wanted to honour the range of emotions I had experienced in an unfiltered confessional. As someone who has mixed heritage and grew up without a close connection to my Assyrian heritage and cultural identity, I did experience some feelings of shame, discomfort, and inadequacy for being mixed and non-fluent in Assyrian.

“I was lost for words” is a reference to the language barrier I experienced, as well as my difficulty articulating my thoughts and feelings in the English language. I had decided to approach this travel opportunity with an open mind and no expectations.

“I was crying in the church” is a personal anecdote from a very intimate spiritual moment I experienced early in my trip. Learning about and connecting with my Assyrian heritage has been a very emotional journey of processing intergenerational trauma. Some of my emotions finally caught up to me the night before we were scheduled to visit Simele, where thousands of Assyrians were murdered in the 1933 Simele Massacre.

While trying to mentally prepare myself to see Simele, I became overwhelmed by the weight of my family’s trauma as genocide survivors. I escaped to the church for a quiet moment, and in my prayers, I found comfort and, unexpectedly, felt deeply connected to my maternal grandmother, Esther, whom I never had the opportunity to meet. She is my connection to my Assyrian blood; I felt her presence so strongly in that moment, and continued to feel her blessings throughout the rest of my trip.

The song also alludes to the possibility of romance, ruminating on stolen glances and words exchanged. It describes the excitement of connecting with someone new, evoking themes of longing and desire.

You’ve spoken about shedding perfectionism — how has that shaped the way you approach songwriting now compared to earlier in your career?

Interestingly, I don’t think perfectionism ever permeated my songwriting. I have always wanted my lyrics to be an honest expression of my own experience, regardless of how they may be perceived by other people.

I think my perfectionism has been most present in the recording process. Naturally, when we have the opportunity to immortalize our art, we want to ensure we are making choices that support our work. My focus is always on the song and on how I can best preserve the meaning and the intention through arrangement and production choices.

My approach to songwriting might be different than some people. I’m not concerned with the genre or the song structure when I’m writing, and I don’t really make a lot of revisions in about 90% of my work. To me, perfection shouldn’t be a goal of songwriting. I don’t even think there is such a thing as an objectively great song. There is so much nuance and so much nostalgia involved in what makes us feel connected to music. I think any song can be a great song as long as someone derives meaning from it.

Shedding perfectionism is a process, but I really tried to find the right balance with recording this time around; for better or for worse, I wanted this album to be an accurate representation of where I’m at.

The musical textures in this track are rich and unique. How did your journey to Iraq and your Assyrian heritage influence the sonic direction of this release?

This track does have influences from a few different genres. Initially, the keys, vocals, bass, and drums set the stage for reverence, integrating elements of Soul and Gospel music appropriately matched with the church reference.

For me, the introduction of the nylon string guitar is reminiscent of Iraq, because during my time there, I found nylon strings to be more prevalent than steel strings. In the climax of the song, the drumming is influenced by a popular Assyrian dance called “Sheikhani”, as another gesture to the homeland. The pairing of synthetic and acoustic instruments is something that is heavily used in contemporary Assyrian music, and I have always been drawn to this kind of sonic juxtaposition.

There’s a gentle honesty in your lyrics that feels both personal and universal. How do you navigate writing from a place of truth without over-exposing yourself emotionally?

Honestly, I try not to worry about it too much, because no matter what I write, people will interpret it based on their own experiences. This song, in particular, has a lot of double meanings hidden in the lyrics.

For example, when I wrote “It was hard to breathe / My scars are deep”, I was actually literally referring to the pubs in Ankawa and Nohadra where people still smoke cigarettes inside, and the burns I had from the astroturf on the soccer field in Diyana.

I think in general, I have accepted my fate as a songwriter, knowing that I may be accused of “over-sharing” on my journey to discover truth and meaning through my art.

As this song leads into your full Off The Record album, what larger themes or stories can listeners expect from the full project?

I chose “Off The Record” as the title for the album because it feels like it encompasses the entire collection of songs. The album reflects different parts of me; it's a record of all of the ways I have changed and grown in the last three years. It leans into the concept of duality.

Several of the songs were inspired by my trip to Assyria and touch on themes of home, belonging, and identity. Other songs were inspired by other parts of my life, which are seemingly less profound, but still part of my journey nonetheless. There’s a breakup song I included as much-needed cathartic closure. There's a Country Pop tune as a nod to my rural roots, and there’s even a straight-up Pop track called “Glitter,” coming as the album’s second single on June 13th.

You can expect a little more romance, a couple more spiritual references, and a lot more unfiltered honesty. I write what’s in my heart, and my art often reflects what is happening in my life. I wanted to make a record that reminds us of the fragility and value of human life, while encouraging people to continue to seek joy, meaning, and gratitude for our existence.