Taking advantage of the town's proximity to the ocean, she began surfing at the age of 12. She competed in the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) High School Division and earned fifth place in the state title while still in middle school.
At 15, she was given a cassette of Ani DiFranco's 1993 Puddle Dive by her half-brother's friend. She played the album constantly and it still has great sentimental value to her. It serves as a reminder of when her musical ambitions started to blossom.
Inspired by DiFranco's music and due in part to her nature of being a self-described "nosy kid" she entered her parents' room and began playing around with her father's old acoustic guitar. Although her parents were initially angry with her for "taking" her father's guitar, they eventually became supportive of her interest in music.
She began playing in front of friends at their homes and they encouraged her to begin writing her own material. One night, while performing for some friends, an employee of the production company The Moonshine Conspiracy, run by surf filmmaker Taylor Steele and professional surfer Chris Malloy, heard her and asked Tristan to appear in the film the company was working on at the time entitled Shelter. Tristan's song, Anything At All was chosen to be on the soundtrack.
Prettyman began playing in clubs and bars throughout San Diego County before being invited to join fellow San Diegoan, and future boyfriend, Jason Mraz on his national tour.
Prettyman spent the winter of 2004 in New York collaborating with producer Josh Deutsch who had worked with Mraz and Lenny Kravitz.
Prettyman is half-sister to Cody McClintock, an independent film producer.
She is signed to Virgin Records, and put out her first major label album Twentythree on August 2, 2005. Tristan credits her half-brother with much influence on her thinking and the title of her debut album pays partial homage to the "23 enigma". A perceptual concept which refers to the abnormally high occurrence of the number 23 in daily life as described in the book Cosmic Trigger by Robert Anton Wilson, as derived from friend and fellow author William S. Burroughs.
Twentythree peaked at 24 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart.
In 2008 Tristan released her sophomore album, entitled Hello.
Breathe
Tristan Prettyman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This type of situation goes on and on
What to do, how to see
When every little thing seems to get in my way
well I can't breathe
And I wish that you couldn't take your eyes off me
But it's never easy as it seems, is it?
Breathe, breathe, breathe
say you adore me
What good could you be for me
And after I'm gone, wondering where you went wrong
Cause you're only taking inches when I'm giving you miles
Did you figure that maybe I wasn't worth your while?
well I can't breathe
And I wish that you couldn't take your eyes off me
But it's never easy as it seems, is it?
Please, softly before I scream
Breathe, breathe, breathe
cause where you got me is where you want me
Where you had me but you left me
And let this go on for so long
Got me where you want me
Where you had me but you left me
And let this go on for so long
and I can't breathe
And I wish that you couldn't take your eyes off me
But it's never easy as it seems, is it?
Please, softly before I scream
Breathe, breathe, breathe
The lyrics of Tristan Prettyman's song "Breathe" describe the frustration and exhaustion that can come from a tumultuous relationship. The singer expresses a desire for confirmation and affirmation from their partner, but feels as though they are only receiving scraps in return. They feel trapped and suffocated in the situation, unable to breathe or escape. They ask their partner to speak softly before they scream, an indication of how strong their emotions are and how close they are to breaking down. The repetition of the word "breathe" throughout the chorus serves as a reminder for the singer to keep calm and push through the difficult moments.
The line "where you got me is where you want me" suggests a sense of powerlessness on the part of the singer, as if they have been manipulated or controlled by their partner. The connection between the inability to breathe and the sense of being trapped is clear, as both describe a feeling of being overwhelmingly boxed in with nowhere to turn. The final line of the song, "let this go on for so long," implies a sense of resignation on the part of the singer, as if they have given up hope of finding a way out of the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a confirmation for your imagination
This is a song that speaks to the feelings of being mistreated in a romantic relationship
This type of situation goes on and on
The feeling of being stuck in a cycle of toxic behavior
What to do, how to see
A plea for advice on how to get out of this situation
When every little thing seems to get in my way
Feeling like everything is working against you in this situation
Well I can't breathe
Feeling suffocated and overwhelmed by the situation
And I wish that you couldn't take your eyes off me
Feeling like the other person is enjoying the power they have over you
But it's never easy as it seems, is it?
Acknowledging that there are no easy solutions to this problem
Please, softly before I scream
A plea for the other person to stop the mistreatment before things get worse
Breathe, breathe, breathe
An affirmation to take a step back and calm down
Say you adore me
Questioning whether the other person truly cares about them
What good could you be for me
Wondering if the other person is worth keeping around
And after I'm gone, wondering where you went wrong
A realization that the other person will only notice their mistakes once they're gone
Cause you're only taking inches when I'm giving you miles
Feeling like the other person is taking advantage of their love and generosity
Did you figure that maybe I wasn't worth your while?
Questioning the other person's motives and whether they were ever truly interested in them
Cause where you got me is where you want me
Feeling trapped and powerless in the situation
Where you had me but you left me
Feeling abandoned and mistreated by the other person
And let this go on for so long
Feeling like this has been going on for too long without resolution
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Tristan Prettyman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind