VTM

Biography

VTM, short for "Vanessa The Musician," is an electronic music composer from Virginia who began her musical journey at the remarkably young age of seven. By the time she was eleven, she had already adopted her artist name and was actively composing and producing music.

Known for her prolific output, VTM had composed an astounding 695 songs by July 2004 and was working on her 32nd album. Her music spans electronic, trance, and experimental genres, with influences from artists like Dune.

"I'm always thinking of new ideas, and composing. I really enjoy what I do, and I hope to not only work as just an artist, but I hope to work as a producer for other musicians as well, and even open my own label someday." - VTM, February 2004 Interview

By The Numbers

Musical Influences & Favorites

Archive Recovery Progress

Of VTM's 695 original compositions, we have recovered 63 tracks with audio, documented 75+ song titles, and preserved 7 songs with complete lyrics. The search continues for the remaining tracks.

February 2026

John Alan Fessel has continued to share more of Vanessa's music from his personal archives. He sent along a demo of "I Wish" and an untitled track labeled "Track 15," taken straight from a CD of her music he burned almost 20 years ago. John described Track 15's upbeat and fun nature, noting how "the synths blend as they transition into each other."

January 2026

After years of searching for others who might have preserved Vanessa's music, we connected with Amanda Miller, a close friend who had kept some of her tracks all this time. "I loved her music," Amanda shared. "When I need a good pick-me-up, I still play it on repeat." "Time Goes By" has been added to the archive.

We also connected with John Alan Fessel, a lyricist and close friend who collaborated with Vanessa on several songs. John has contributed seven recovered tracks: "I'll Dream Tonight," "Just Because," "Turn to Me," "Fairylike," "No Talent," "Unwriter's Block," and "Ballad of An Angry Snowman," along with lyrics for two of them. He shared that she had great fun making "Ballad of An Angry Snowman," playing around with electric guitar loops in FL Studio. He described "Fairylike" as having a striking "juxtaposition of the mood, tempo and softness against some of the sharp sounds," and "Turn to Me" as "one of her very best creations."

Music Collection

Click the play button to listen to available tracks. This archive contains 63 audio files from VTM's catalog circa 2003-2007, including named songs and demos.

Play All Tracks

63 tracks available

Full-Length Tracks (3+ minutes)

• Run Away (Hardcore RMX)

  4:56
• Deep Inside

  4:25 2005
• Time Goes By

  In My World

  4:15 2005
• No One Knows

  4:13
• Revelation

  4:09 2005
• Days of the Past

  4:08 2005
• To the Edge

  3:58 2004
• When the Rain Falls (Alt)

  3:49
• In My Life

  3:37 2004
• You Will Be

  Electronically Challenged

  3:30 2007

  Lyrics
  You will be, the one that I'm looking for.. You will see, in time.. You will hear, my voice, calling out for you.. You will be, the one.. You will come, to me... And you will see.. That I need you most... You will see, that I.. Will always love you.. More than anyone else.. Written for the American Idol songwriting competition, April 2007
• 15project

  3:24 2004
• The One

  3:17 2004
• Hands of Time

  Vision

  3:13 2007

  Lyrics
  Watch the hands of time, They're turning so fast. Feel the days pass by, As if they'll never last. Looking back through time, I wonder where it had all gone. Feeling like I used to? A thing of the past, so let's move on. Spin the hands of time, Until you reach the end. Seeing days pass by, Thinking I can't go on. Looking back through time, I wonder what I could have done. Feeling the way I'm used to, Will never come back, so let's move on. Written for the American Idol songwriting competition, April 2007
• When the Rain Falls

  3:12
• Hanabi

  3:06 2005

Medium Tracks (1-3 minutes)

• Ravecore

  2:44
• So Far Away

  2:43 2004
• The Way

  2:37 2004
• Can't Get Better

  2:31 2004
• Brighter Day (Intro)

  2:27
• Just Because (Demo)

  Vision

  2:25 2006

  Lyrics
  Take me back, to where I belong.. I miss, my past.. It's been so long... Come to me.. And bring my memories.. It's been far to long.. I need it now.. I need to be home.. To be home.. Cause I'm fallin apart.. Cause I don't know where I am.. Cause I don't belong.. Where I'm at.. Just because.. Lyrics by VTM
• project724

  2:18 2004
• Feel the Heat

  2:10 2004
• A Higher State

  1:57 2004
• Fall of Pride (Smooth RMX)

  Dreamworld

  1:57 2007
• How It Feels

  1:56 2004
• Wonder Why

  1:55
• The Way (Demo 2)

  1:54 2004
• Underwater World

  1:43
• Fade Away (Demo 2)

  1:42 2004
• March of the Gabbers

  1:40
• Turn to Me

  1:38 2007
• Can't Get Better (Demo)

  1:32
• Positive Side (Demo 2)

  1:32 2004
• The One (Demo)

  1:31 2004
• Ballad of An Angry Snowman

  1:30
• Summer Nights (Demo)

  1:30 2004
• I Wish (Demo)

  1:26
• I'll Dream Tonight (Demo)

  1:23 2007

  Lyrics
  As I rest my head tonight. I'll think about the morning light. I'll open my eyes, and you'll be there. I'll dream tonight, I'll dream tonight, mmm, I'll dream tonight. Lyrics by VTM
• 5atmospheric

  1:11
• Positive Side (Demo)

  1:07 2004
• Track 15

  1:06
• Project 694

  1:02

Short Tracks & Demos (under 1 minute)

• Know How It Feels

  0:59
• happytune12

  0:55
• Fade Away (Blossom Remix)

  0:52 2004
• Fade Away (Blossom Remix Demo)

  0:51 2004
• SunseTecho (Nellie on Violin)

  0:51
• The Way (Demo)

  0:51 2004
• Have Faith

  0:45 2004
• Fairylike

  0:44 2007
• On My Way Home (Demo)

  0:43 2005
• No Talent

  0:42 2007
• The Way (Slow Mo Remix)

  0:40 2004
• Wonder Why (Demo)

  0:37
• Christiantune

  0:36
• Unwriter's Block

  0:36 2007
• To the Moon (Demo)

  0:33 2004

  Lyrics
  Racing through this night, tryin to find my peaceful state of mind Running hard too escape you, but each time I look too get away You shift with the sand and appear again. Now you've got me losing, and its hard too stand it Youve got me moving Like the tide to the moon. Your love is replaceable, still you cling like your indispensable I shake you off and dust my shoes,but each time I look too get away. You shift with the sand and appear again Now you've got me losing,and its hard to stand it You've got me moving Like the tide to the moon. Trying to break the line, It's the bait that always gets me out of time Still i fight it and swim ashore, but its you pulls me to safety. You shift with the sand and appear again Now you've got me losing,and its hard too stand it You've got me moving Like the tide to the moon. Racing along the coast line,looking for a boat too save me I'll keep runnin, you'll keep chasin Maybe we're both moving Like the tide to the moon ..lets end this Lyrics by John Alan Fessel & Vanessa Marcussen
• Higher State

  0:33 2004
• videogamepiece (Demo)

  0:12
• videogamepiece

  0:08

Alternate Versions

• The Way (Demo) (Alt)

  0:51
• The Way (Slow Mo Remix) (Alt)

  0:40

Songs Still Being Searched For

These song titles are known from internet posts, interviews, or website archives, but audio files have not yet been found.

From "Genesis" Album (2004):

• These Are the Times
• Take My Life
• Walk With Me
• Lullaby (Dream)
• Take It Slow
• My Dear Friend
• This Message
• And I - VTM's stated favorite of her own songs
• I'm Flying

Missing Songs (with lyrics preserved):

• Bring You Down

  Audio not found - From Genesis Album 2003

  Lyrics
  Don't let it bring you down. Don't let it kill your dreams. Even though it's tough, That's only how it seems. Don't let it steal your joy. Don't let it make you cry. Even though it's hard, Just let it pass you by. Don't let it bring you down... Don't let it bring you down... (Don't let it bring you down) Don't let it bring you down. Don't let it make you sad. Even though it hurts, It's only half as bad. Just keep on trying hard. Just keep on holding tight. Your break will finally come, and you will be alright. You will win this fight... You will win this fight... (You will win this fight) Written December 29, 2003 - Happy hardcore lyrics about health struggles
• Familiar Feelings

  Audio not found 2005

  Lyrics
  I feel inside something that I've felt before.. It won't subside, I need to find out more.. About, the way this feeling affects me.. This feeling I have, so familiar to me.. I know we're scared and it's so hard.. But stay with me, we've come so far.. We still have each other, so hold me tight.. Don't let me go, keep me in your sight.. Trust in me, I wouldn't lie to you.. I'm not a threat, I could never hurt you.. We're so in love, but we're far apart.. This feeling I have, is a broken heart.. (Chorus) These familiar feelings, inside of me.. Keep holding me in captivity.. I need to find a way to be set free.. But for now, I have these feelings, inside of me.. We're separated, from our meaning in life.. And all we're left to do, is fight.. And I hate the feeling of a broken heart.. And how I fear we're falling apart.. So, stay with me, keep trying hard.. As soon as possible, we'll collect our reward... And these familiar feelings in my soul.. Will be a memory, from long ago.. Written June 2, 2005
• I Need You

  Audio not found 2005

  Lyrics
  (Verse 1) I feel like I was wrong.. I'm sorry I was so headstrong.. I want to make right.. I need you by my side.. I need to carry on.. I know that I was wrong.. But please don't, leave me now.. I need you more than ever.. (Verse 2) And now that I'm standing here.. I'm filled full of fear.. And I, I know I should be strong.. But these feelings, are tearing me apart.. I know I made you hurt.. And I couldn't feel any worse.. So please forgive me for what I've done.. I know you are the one.. (Chorus) I need you by my side I need you in my life I need you in my heart I need you more than ever I need you by my side I need you in my life I need you in my heart I need you forever Written September 6, 2005

Complete Catalog of Missing Songs (A-Z):

VTM created over 695 songs by July 2004. Below are all known titles without recovered audio, organized alphabetically.

Discography

VTM had completed 31 albums by July 2004 and was working on her 32nd. Only a few album titles are known from interviews and website archives.

+ 26 additional albums (titles unknown)

Interviews

About This Archive

This page exists for one simple reason: to give Vanessa's music a home, and to give the people who loved her a place to hear her music again.

I met Vanessa in the early 2000s, when we were both teenagers hunting for new electronic music on an Eiffel 65 forum. She was kind, bright, endlessly creative, and she shared her works-in-progress with me throughout our friendship. Some tracks here are fully produced songs she meant to share. Others are demos and experiments from our daily conversations—works-in-progress she never intended for an audience. All of them carry her unmistakable spark.

After all these years, it finally felt right to bring everything together in one place—both as a tribute to Vanessa, and as a way to ensure her voice and her art aren't lost to time, broken links, or old platforms. What started as one person's collection has quietly grown into something larger, as others who knew and loved Vanessa have come forward with tracks of their own to contribute.

If you knew Vanessa and have music or memories you'd like to share, please reach out. Her creativity touched so many people, and this archive will always welcome anything that helps keep her spirit alive. If you have any additional tracks not documented here, please reach out on Discord.

Nessa was a true friend and a remarkable talent. This space is for her—and for everyone who still carries her in their heart.