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.
Who we are
Tristan Prettyman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you promised me a thousand kisses
I will never, love another, like you
So give me all your secrets
Your fear and doubts, honey you don't need them
I will never, find another, like you
And the airs getting thin
Where the wings meet the wind
I believe in something more
All the days that came before
Led us right to where we are
Right to where we are
It's all written in the stars
We've already come so far
And we can't change who we are
Ah ah who we are
Oh who we are
Oh who we are
I don't have all the answers
But right now is all the matters
I could never, love another, like I loved you
And we don't have to understand
Fate always has the upper hand
And fate choose me and you
Tristan Prettyman's song "Who We Are" is a beautiful ode to love in its purest form. The opening lines, "I would grant all your wishes if you promised me a thousand kisses" sets the tone for a deep, unconditional love. The singer professes that they will never love another like they love their partner, and implores them to reveal their deepest secrets, fears and doubts.
As the song progresses, the couple is depicted as standing at the precipice of change – the "airs getting thin where the wings meet the wind". Despite this, they are secure in their love and know that they are exactly where they're supposed to be. They're confident that all that has passed in their lives till now has led them to their current situation, and that the future is already scripted in the stars.
The song's message culminates in the chorus with the declaration that they can't change who they are; that they have already come this far and that fate has brought them together. The final line of the chorus is repeated thrice, with a quiet acceptance of the love they share.
Overall, "Who We Are" is a powerful testimony to the profundity of love and the unbreakable connection between two people who fate has brought together.
Line by Line Meaning
I would grant all your wishes
I am willing to do anything for you
If you promised me a thousand kisses
I just need your affection to make me happy
I will never, love another, like you
No one else can replace you in my heart
So give me all your secrets
I want to know you inside out
Your fear and doubts, honey you don't need them
I am here to support you and help you overcome them
I will never, find another, like you
You are one of a kind, and I feel lucky to have you
And the airs getting thin
We are slowly running out of time
Where the wings meet the wind
At a transitional moment, when anything is possible
We see it, we can feel it and we know this
We sense that we are at a turning point, and we have to make a choice
I believe in something more
I have faith that there is a greater purpose to our lives
All the days that came before
Our past experiences have shaped us into who we are today
Led us right to where we are
Our journey has brought us to this moment
Right to where we are
We are meant to be here, right now
It's all written in the stars
Our destiny is predetermined
We've already come so far
We have overcome many obstacles to get here
And we can't change who we are
We have to accept ourselves for who we are
Ah ah who we are
Our true selves are revealed in moments like this
Oh who we are
Our identity is shaped by our experiences and choices
Oh who we are
We are unique and special individuals
I don't have all the answers
I am still searching for meaning in life
But right now is all the matters
All we have is this moment, and we have to make the most of it
I could never, love another, like I loved you
My love for you is one of a kind, and no one can replace it
And we don't have to understand
We don't have to have all the answers to enjoy life
Fate always has the upper hand
Our destiny is out of our control
And fate choose me and you
We were meant to be together, and nothing can change that
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TIMOTHY MYERS, TRISTAN PRETTYMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind