Music News - Rising Rap Talent Tei. Unveils Fierce New Single + Video 'Sabre'
30 November 2023 - 0 Comments
Tāmaki Makarau alt-R&B hip hop maven Tei. reveals hot new track Sabre, a strong beat-driven catchy ass tune sizzling with her effortlessly defiant signature sass.
STREAM SABRE HERE
Following on from her last single, the stylishly dark R&B jam Primal, Tei. delivers an equally bold single with Sabre, an assertive and raunchy number deftly navigating the boundaries between culture, tradition, the male gaze, self-love, and sexuality.
Featuring a thumping bass line offset by the discordant tinkling of rhythmic chimes and her smoothly fluid lyrical flow, the 27-year-old independent artist once again embraced the skills of long-time friend and producer Auto Angel (FKA Bbgurl),the two of them bringing together the singular beats and alternative audio-scapes they are noted for creating.
As a recipient of NZ On Air Pan Asian Funding to create the music video, it was important to Tei. that she reflected on her identity in order to authentically capture certain elements of her family stories and their shared experiences.
Harnessing the combined talents of regular collaborators Benji Taylor and Ariki Perana of Poynton Studios, the mood of the video leans heavily into Tei’s heritage, utilising imagery aligned with her Cantonese roots to relay the story.
Says Tei.: “It was really important to me to apply for the NZ On Air Pan Asian Funding with a song where I use my mother tongue, Cantonese, in the lyrics. As such, the aesthetics and visual story we wanted to tell in the music video were heavily impacted by the opportunity that was made for us to tell an authentically Cantonese story.”
Drawing on her personal experiences as the child of an immigrant from Hong Kong, and as a half-caste person of colour, Tei. aligned the stories of her family, how they arrived in Aotearoa, expectations from birth due to the nature of immigration and how everything combined to shape their lives – all of these factors guided the story she wanted to tell in Sabre.
Says Tei.:“This song is about refusing to conform to the stereotypes laid out in both traditional Cantonese culture, and what is expected of us from the male gaze as Asian women in the 21st Century. It’s about finding my sexuality and the power and inherent value it holds when the white male gaze has stereotyped Asian women into a box.”
With this as a basis for the visual story, the release of Sabre is accompanied by a stunning video that opens with a cinematic night shot of a self-assured, bodacious Tei. casually wielding a Chinese dao (sabre) in a darkened inner city alleyway, hinting that a feisty, intriguing narrative is set to unfold.
“With the help of Benji and Ariki, I was able to make my story a cinematic masterpiece fully inspired by my Cantonese ancestry. Without this amazing crew, and all the time spent - particularly by Benji - to understand and listen to the many hours of stories from my family’s past, this music video would not have been made”, states Tei.
A bold presence in the Auckland underground music scene, Tei. is a fearless talent who stands tall, confident, and strong in her direction. Unafraid to challenge herself, she pushes beyond the limits of the singer-songwriter, classically trained pianist, and multi-instrumentalist to teaching herself to record and co-produce her music – all artistic strains feeding into the distinct musical stylings of this gifted ascending star.
Photo Credit: Benji Taylor
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