How Minneapolis, Minnesota-Born Rapper Dessa Turned an iPhone Recording in Cape Town Into 'Tough Call'

Dessa, the rapper, singer, and writer born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, built her latest single around a guitar line she recorded on her iPhone in Cape Town, South Africa. That song, "Tough Call," is the A-side of Tough Call, Camelot, a 7-inch on her longtime label, Doomtree Records.

The story behind "Tough Call"

Doomtree's release post says the track features a guitar line from Sakhe Maputo, captured on Dessa's phone in Cape Town, with bass from Ian Allison. The Current premiered the A-side. Qobuz dates the companion "Camelot" to Oct. 10, 2025, and the full Tough Call, Camelot release to Nov. 4, 2025.

That December, she stopped by The Current's studio to play "a pair of new songs" plus one from her 2023 album, Bury the Lede. That LP arrived Sept. 29, 2023, on Doomtree Records, which the Star Tribune called the Minneapolis label she has worked with for years.

A hometown artist with a bicoastal life

Born Margret Wander, Dessa graduated from Minneapolis' Southwest High School and earned a philosophy degree at the University of Minnesota, per Wikipedia. The Star Tribune reached her at a New York City apartment in 2023 and reported that she "still spends many weeks per year back in her hometown."

Her rise ran through Doomtree, the Minneapolis hip-hop collective. She appeared on all of its albums from 2005 to 2019 and served as its CEO before handing the role to Lazerbeak, according to Wikipedia.

Orchestra Hall, books and the Hamilton Mixtape

Her résumé runs well past rap clubs. She recorded the 2019 live album Sound the Bells with the Minnesota Orchestra and traveled with the orchestra on its 2018 South Africa tour, per Wikipedia. The orchestra brought her back for "Dessa Returns" at Orchestra Hall on Nov. 7 and 8, 2025, and its site lists both nights as sold out. Back in 2023, she told the Star Tribune her orchestra shows would be "a new presentation," not "a reprisal of past shows."

She also covered "Congratulations" for The Hamilton Mixtape in 2016. Her books include the essay collection My Own Devices (Dutton, 2018), and she hosts Deeply Human, a podcast co-produced by the BBC World Service, American Public Media and iHeartMedia. Explore Minnesota notes her TED Talk about a science experiment on how to fall out of love has more than 5 million views.

Back at Icehouse

Songkick lists a Nov. 10, 2026 Icehouse bill pairing Dessa with Jeremy Messersmith, plus a return to the Minneapolis club on Tuesday, March 2, 2027. Neither date appeared on her official site as of Nov. 9, so confirm with the venue before buying tickets.

Where to listen and follow

• Official site: dessawander.com
• Label: Doomtree
• Instagram: @dessa

Sources

Doomtree — "Dessa Releases 'Tough Call, Camelot' EP"
Qobuz — "Dessa"
The Current — "Dessa performs a three-song set in The Current studio"
Star Tribune — "Dessa's 'unnatural' Minnesota Orchestra pairing resumes this week with new album news"
Minnesota Orchestra — "Dessa Returns"
Explore Minnesota — "Dessa"
Wikipedia — "Dessa"
Songkick — "Icehouse, Minneapolis"