Teyquil is a multifaceted talent that thrives in a myriad of arts. Being a singer, songwriter, producer, writer, actor, and all-around performer, the Philadelphia native, is influenced by indie pop, electro, and synth elements that make Teyquil's music give you a feel for nostalgia with a modern twist.
Serving us a unique representation of eclectic hues that play into the rhythmic funk we long for, Teyquil has us wrapping our heads around the exclusive single, "Need You." With a time signature that slips off any confirmation to glue a masterpiece together, we wind up following the stimulating soundscape closely as we latch onto the sparse components offered.
Hearing inspiration from the genres to come before him, the numerous instruments that elusively trickle into "Need You" have us revisiting the script in place for today's modern-day music industry. Swaying between genres, we don't quite pick up on any in particular, which intrigues us that much more. Through a resonance that is filled with ambient sounds, feathered strings, thick bass, and sad boy chords, the emotional gold mine is struck to its core as we greet each sentiment with wide eyes and an open heart.
Being inspired by artists like David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Marc Bolan, and The Cure, to name a few, the musical stylings of Teyquil speak wonders on how he takes familiarity and spins it into sonic therapy. "Need You" plays upon a string of feelings we yearn to embrace and manages to conjure up the brilliance of a hit record.
Congratulations on the release of "Need You." What inspired the groovy and captivating sound you chose to embrace with this new single?
First off, thanks so much for having me. I'm so stoked to be here. The inspiration behind the track was to try and reach for something unique. My attempt in doing so was to create different sounds and elements that I felt coincided with the vibe I was going for. At first, I was hesitant because I thought the vibe became too abstract to follow so I invited a few friends and family to listen in. Though it was initially my decision in the end, and I valued everyone's input, I felt the track was special because of its abstract approach and changes that occur within the music that's why I put it out. Though it was a bold choice to make and I'm aware that these kinds of risks are usually done by veteran artists, I wanted to step out on faith and do it anyway. I mean, why not? Art is about taking risks and walking the wire right? A man by the name of Philippe Petit walked a wire literally in the 1970s. My point in bringing this up is that he went out on faith and trusted in his craft that it would get him through to the other side. Long story short, it did and so I take from that same concept as I trust in my own abilities to do something great and here it is.
Through the heartfelt lyrics expressed, what emotion and message does this song aim to send to your audience?
The emotion part is quite interesting actually. After my break up with this girl I was dating, I went through a depression state which led me to lose my passion for music, and for a few months, things became dire and somber for me. Music was the last thing I wanted to interact with or create. Eventually, as months passed on I regrouped and thought about the one thing that fuels my fire/feeds me to continue on. I retraced my steps and went back to the basics and by doing that, I realized that music is the thing that gives me life. I discovered this by listening to some records of mine while cleaning my apartment. It was the song, lyrics, tempo, scales, melody, chords, beats, etc.... that was balancing my temperature with my depression. It was the emotion that evoked, pushed, and pulled me to tears which impacted my desire and why I make music in the first place. "Need You" was the song I needed to complete and so I did and from that, emotions were expressed and lyrics came to be. It filled spaces in the track that needed a voice. The message of the song gives the very essence of what it is to hold on to what you have at any cost that is not harmful or deliberate. It's open, vulnerable, empathetic, and true. Putting it all on the line to me is what love is all about. At Least this is what I hope to convey to the audience that's listening. Could you please share a glimpse as to how your mindset from the time of writing has evolved to this very moment? What has been your biggest takeaway from this track?
You know, when you experience things in life and feel lots of emotions due to certain circumstances, you start to understand more and see things much clearer. Heartbreak, love, loss, confusion, fear, doubt, sadness, joy, uncertainty, and so on. All these encounters with different emotions help to bring one's writing to a whole new level because he or she has lived a little. I think by means that I've been through so much, my writing evolved into a much broader scale because I understood what I was writing and why. My biggest takeaway from this track is being able to be creative and push the envelope and have it received in a positive light. As stated earlier, I was uncertain of my own abilities and didn't think the abstract would work but here we are holding an interview and I couldn't be more proud of the outcome. What non-musical sound influences the music that you create?
I think speech is a powerful tool, it captivates space and demands attention. Language is seductive but it's also heartfelt and gut-wrenching too. So putting speech of some sort with music creates a whole new feel, a whole new trajectory to the project and for me, I felt that at the end of the song "Need You" I wanted to bring it home with words that came from a place of speech and let the music support my deepest feelings and within that, came something very raw, yet beautiful and real at the samet time. As far as my forms of music-making, I'm drawn to ambient, naturally organic, outside activity, and animal-like kind of sounds to say the least. Using these forms of tools to create music has always opened doors for me to evolve more and more each day and make me a better producer, songwriter, singer, performer, and audio engineer. I'm breaking barriers slowly but changing the narrative quickly with the skills I am gratefully humbled to have. It's a life-changing experience and I'm loving every waking moment of it daily.