Today, we say hello to Tete Essien, uber-talented singer/songwriter and our Artist of the Day.
Where are you based?
I’m from Bromley in Greater London. Spent almost all of my life here and I think I’ll spend a little bit longer for now.
What genre would you describe yourself as?
I like to think of it as being guitar pop with inflections of garage rock, soul and hip-hop. Kind of like different flavours in a Quality Street tub.
Who is your main inspiration?
Listening to Arctic Monkeys and fawning over Alex Turner’s lyrics made me want to be the songwriter I’m working to be. It’s the constant evolution whilst simultaneously retaining a high output level of their creativity that astounds me the most. Shoutout to Otis Redding too – he made me want to be a proper singer.
What is your songwriting process (which bits come first)?
It changes all the time. Sometimes it’s a drum loop, sometimes it’s a riff or a bassline. I’m just looking for the spark and when it finds me I really fly with it. Like building a house, it’s gotta have a strong foundation and structure, and that’s the initial idea. If I’m not excited by it, no one else is gonna hear it. From there, I try not to overcomplicate things and I just go where the process leads me.
What made you want to start in music?
I’d always liked the idea of being someone who made music but I didn’t really know how to start. Before long I started scribbling down words and then working on learning the guitar. I guess I’ve always been creative in some way so when it came to working on this music lark, I finally had an outlet I could return to time and time again. I loved the idea of making something that mattered to other people in the same way that the music I listened to was important to me; that’s kind of what hooked me.
What is on the horizon for you?
More music. That’s always been the main focus for me. Working on creating a portfolio of songs I can trust and that other people will be turned on by. Writing, recording and releasing is the cycle I want to become second nature to me, and I’ll achieve that by honing the craft of all the processes.
Who would you most like to collaborate with (alive or dead)?
I love Channel Tres, not just the songs themselves but the vibe of them as well. It’d be sick to work on something with him and then have him produce it as well, I can picture it well. Either with him or J and T from Jungle. They’re legends man.
What is your ultimate goal?
Nice house, nice family and the people I love being proud of me. Anything else is a bonus.
If you could cover any song, what would it be?
I’m obsessed with “Loaded” by Miles Kane and I know I could do a proper version of the track. That’ll be pending for sure.
Tea making: milk first or last?
Don’t mess about, it has to go last. If it doesn’t, it’s not tea!
Tell us your funniest joke!
Police arrested two kids yesterday - one was drinking battery acid, the other was eating fireworks. They charged one and let the other one off.
Comments