Hello Tee, how are you?
Hi, I am very well thank you. Really enjoying the releasing process.
Congratulations on the release of your EP “A DOZEN ROSES // A Love Story”. How does it feel?
Thank you, it feels really good. I have been sitting on music for a while, so it feels nice to finally get it out into the world. To be honest the response has been more than I could’ve asked for, so I’m super happy.
You are a musician, poet, rapper and so much more from Liverpool, how did it all begin for you?
I have always been surrounded by music, growing up in and around church. A lot of my family sing or play instruments, so it only seems natural that music is what I do. I started doing poetry with my cousin. We would perform up and down the country, then as I went to uni, and got more into the production and musicality, then I worked out my lane, how to have the emotion of poetry but enhance it with musical elements.
What did you listen to growing up?
I feel like a lot of what I listened to growing up was either Gospel, Slow Jams or Rap. I spent a lot of time downloading mixtapes, watching live shows, listening to whatever my parents had on in the car.
The EP is comprised of five tracks, what is the story behind it?
I just wanted to create a story that can encompass many themes. It’s a love story between a man and a rose. I wanted to think about how he got there, how does someone end up falling in love with a rose, does he know what real love looks like? Why doesn’t he know what love looks like? What is it like to love as a rose? Do people turn you away because you have thorns ?
There was just all these concepts I had running through my head and trying to make it something that people can relate to. Fatherhood, Emotional Baggage, Love, Acceptance etc.
What was the easiest and most challenging track to write on there?
The easiest track to write was Real by this point in the writing process I had the whole concept for the EP so it was just about fitting it in.
I think the one that was the most challenging was 808. That was because it was hard to find the right words to portray the emotion that I had in me.
COVID has affected the creative industry as a whole, what has kept you motivated?
The gift of time. Being able to slow down and understand where I wanted to sit within music and how I wanted to bring my music out really helped. Before covid I felt like I was in a rat race with things that didn’t exist, so being to slow down and take an overview look on my music really gave me another lease of life.
Which artists getting you excited at the moment?
Labrinth, Ghetts, Hamzaa, H.E.R. I think I hear how genuine these artists are and that is something that I enjoy listening to.
You are from Liverpool, what’s your favourite Beatle song?
I would be lying If I said that I was a huge Beatles fan. I do like Come Together.
What are your three favourite things about Liverpool?
My favourite has to be the people, everyone is super kind. Second is city, it’s really beautiful. Third is the community, everyone wants to see everyone win.
Your lyrics are poetic, who are your favourite lyricists?
Wretch 32, Andre 3000, Kanye, Chance the Rapper. There are loads more, but I really love the way that guys these craft their verses.
What is next for you?
More, more of everything. Now that this is out, i’m going back into writing mode, to bring out loads more music in the near future!
