Teenear Talks "Big Miami Energy," Formative Years, Slip and Slide Records, Justin Bieber Contest, & Upcoming Project "Never Met a Me"!
Jun 24, 2024
Nyla Symone
What happens when an unstoppable force meets the vibrant world of the music industry? Teenear, with her fierce "Big Miami Energy," shares the pivotal moments that have shaped her dynamic career. From her early days in New York to the heartwarming welcome at Slip and Slide Records, she recounts the crucial steps that transitioned her from recording demos to creating her first single, thanks to the visionary guidance of producer Anthony Frank.
Journey alongside Teenear as she opens up about her formative years in musical theater and the unforgettable Justin Bieber contest that fueled her passion for music creation. She reminisces about the unwavering support from legendary artists Trick and Trina, and how these powerful connections, alongside her soulful church performances, molded her distinct voice in the R&B genre. Her story is one of relentless creative growth and self-discovery, from a theater kid to a respected solo artist.
Teenear also dives deep into the personal aspects of her music, reflecting on how it serves as a vessel for her emotions and relationships. As an Aries, she explores the balance between assertiveness and sensitivity, both in her art and in love. Get an insider look at her collaboration with Rick Ross on "Moment," and how an unexpected pause in 2020 led her to find her true artistic voice. She concludes by teasing her upcoming project "Never Met a Me," offering listeners a glimpse into what’s next for this extraordinary artist.
What happens when an unstoppable force meets the vibrant world of the music industry? Teenear, with her fierce "Big Miami Energy," shares the pivotal moments that have shaped her dynamic career. From her early days in New York to the heartwarming welcome at Slip and Slide Records, she recounts the crucial steps that transitioned her from recording demos to creating her first single, thanks to the visionary guidance of producer Anthony Frank.
Journey alongside Teenear as she opens up about her formative years in musical theater and the unforgettable Justin Bieber contest that fueled her passion for music creation. She reminisces about the unwavering support from legendary artists Trick and Trina, and how these powerful connections, alongside her soulful church performances, molded her distinct voice in the R&B genre. Her story is one of relentless creative growth and self-discovery, from a theater kid to a respected solo artist.
Teenear also dives deep into the personal aspects of her music, reflecting on how it serves as a vessel for her emotions and relationships. As an Aries, she explores the balance between assertiveness and sensitivity, both in her art and in love. Get an insider look at her collaboration with Rick Ross on "Moment," and how an unexpected pause in 2020 led her to find her true artistic voice. She concludes by teasing her upcoming project "Never Met a Me," offering listeners a glimpse into what’s next for this extraordinary artist.
Talk Soon! ✌🏾
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Speaker 1:
My personality trait is I could be a little aggressive. Nah, that fake innocent coming into aggressive. I could be a little aggressive. You sound super aggressive.
Speaker 2:
Sometimes I don't mean it as like. I don't try to be aggressive.
Speaker 1:
So do you end up dating aggressive men, or do you find yourself going the other route? I?
Speaker 2:
can't go the other route. I have to be. I won't say aggressive, no sensitive men, I want you to be sensitive, but I need you to be more like mm.
Speaker 1:
They gotta bark louder than you, just a little bit, but like you bark, but like in a nice calm tone.
Speaker 2:
Okay, like, tell me, tell me what to do. Tell me, tell me what to do. Hey guys, it's Tenere. I have a new project coming. Tell me, tell me what to do. Hey guys, it's Tanir. I have a new project coming out called Never Met a Me. Go check it out. What's up, nyla we need to talk.
Speaker 1:
What's going on, guys? Nyla Simone here with another episode of we Need to Talk, and today I got a very special guest in the building Big Miami Energy. She brought the heat. We got Tanir in here. How are you? I'm good. How are you? I'm good, glad to see you. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:
Thank you so much. Yes, try to keep it colorful.
Speaker 1:
A little bit. I'm here for it. The jury everything eats right now. Thank you, how?
Speaker 2:
are you enjoying New York? I'm loving it, like the energy's been good. I've been meeting so many people and I feel something that I've been wanting to do for a while, so it's been great.
Speaker 1:
I know Miami's pretty fast-paced. You feel like New York is faster or you feel at home here. You feel like it's comfortable.
Speaker 2:
No, it's a lot going on. We walk outside and I'm like what should I be paying attention to?
Speaker 1:
right now it's a lot.
Speaker 2:
It is a lot.
Speaker 1:
Some shit I be trying to ignore, but it's been cool.
Speaker 2:
Okay, good Interesting out here why do you say interesting?
Speaker 1:
It's just a lot.
Speaker 2:
I see things in Miami too, but here I'm like, wow, there's a hundred billboards going on, there's a thousand people walking around and we're all different and I'm like this is a nice place out here.
Speaker 1:
I actually love how we're all different, all different. I learn so much about people yes, different all day.
Speaker 2:
I learned so much about people yes, yeah, and, but I feel low-key. It's been like over stimulating for me, definitely overstimulating, but I'm enjoying it at the same time yeah, no, because that's because you get to go home and then just digest it. Yeah, yeah, exactly and I haven't been able to do that yet. We've been like moving so much and I'm like the second that I sit down and actually like take it all in. I'm like like this is going to be a nice trip to remember Hell yeah, what you got?
Speaker 1:
a listening party. Hella people showed up for that and I actually. I'm curious to learn more about you signing to Slip and Slide. I know you're a Miami native. Is that, like always, like a dream of yours?
Speaker 2:
It was really just about knowing everyone, knowing that circle. It really just felt like family from day one, because it really was like Trick and Trina were always somebody that I could hit up and like they'll give me advice. Really, yeah, like it was just a good environment to be in. So from the jump it was just the place for me to be and, like everyone around me was super supportive. But when I originally did start, I wasn't recording for myself necessarily.
Speaker 2:
It was like a lot of me recording demos and eventually that got old and I was in the studio with a specific producer named Anthony Frank and he just saw that I was like over it. He was like Tanir, let me play this beat and let's write something to it. And I remember that moment for me was like a little nerve wracking because I'd never written with other people before. I let people see that side of me. But that session ended up becoming a first single of mine and it was an unexpected moment for me.
Speaker 1:
That's actually fire. And now you've been open and vulnerable ever since. Are you loving the?
Speaker 2:
process. I am, I'm enjoying the process. It's been like a learning, growing journey for me, like just evolving and growing up, not only just like as an artist, but also as a woman, and it's been so much fun.
Speaker 1:
Oh man, that that is a bar especially as a woman and evolving out loud in front of people. Exactly, transitions, a lot of transitions. Yeah, so talk to me about so. Were you never planning on like going solo and focusing on your artistry? Do you think that push was like pivotal?
Speaker 2:
It really was Growing up. I always knew that I loved entertainment. I didn't know exactly what I was going to do yet, but I know all throughout elementary, junior high I did musical theater and I enjoyed that. But you know that moment going into like Theater kid.
Speaker 1:
I was a theater kid. You know what. That actually explains a lot. Only because I feel like that is the highest form of art. If you can do theater, there's nothing you can't do.
Speaker 2:
It's a lot going on in theater, yes but that was like a cool experience for me and that was something I enjoyed like most of my life. And, um, you know, going into high school it's like you got to get your life together, figure it out. So I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do, but nothing really clicked for me just yet and during that time Justin Bieber had just became a thing. All the girls in my school were like Justin Bieber. I was like who is this kid? Let me go home and find out. And I remember I went home. I was searching him for hours. What was the first record? You remember? One Less Lonely Girl was like my favorite record from Dustin Bieber. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:
I love him.
Speaker 2:
And I remember going home and during that research process he was doing a contest to write to one of his records, and that was the first time I ever wrote. In my entire life. I had never, ever tried to create any type of form of music by myself. I had never, ever tried to create any type of form of music by myself, and I think that was the moment for me that sparked an interest to like express myself through music. So I always remember that I ran downstairs and my mom was like look what I just did, and I fell in love with it from there. And that was when I knew like, yeah, I like this a lot.
Speaker 1:
I love that. Shout out to Justin Bieber. Shout out to Justin Bieber. I love that. Shout out to Justin Bieber. Shout out to Justin Bieber. I love the info. Okay, so that's when you started getting into your pen. How did you connect with Trick and Trina to the point that you could just call and get advice? Because those are goats. They are, yeah, that's cool as fuck. I know. Well, they're family. Are they really family?
Speaker 2:
Because I know everybody in the South is family.
Speaker 1:
That's not really family. Are they really family?
Speaker 2:
Because I know everybody in the South is family, that's not really family.
Speaker 2:
It's not really family. I mean, I don't really ever speak on this, but the label is family and I've been in it. I've been around them since I was a little girl, so they always knew me. They literally saw me grow up, aw, and yeah, they really have been supportive since day one and I appreciate that because, like, even coming in, they could have been like, oh, that's Lil Tenere, like whatever, yeah, but they've been supportive and they've seen me grow and, like, every time we see each other other, every time I see them perform, they're always showing me love and I appreciate that, because they could have taken it as like, oh, just ignore a little tenure yeah, yeah, that's so cool now.
Speaker 1:
Is there any like now that you said you've grown up around it? Is there any slip and slide videos? I can go back and see you dancing in the background um the trick.
Speaker 2:
Loves the kids video. I was one of the kids running around with the water guns Really.
Speaker 1:
Yes, no. Now I'm about to go home and pull it up and try to find you.
Speaker 2:
That's hilarious, my mom never lets me forget that day, because I don't know why, I don't know how old I was, but I was young. She gave me real diamond earrings to put in my ears and I lost one of them. Oh, she never lost one of them. Oh, she never lets me let that down. I was like every time we talk about it she's like, yeah, you lost my earrings that day.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah, why would you do that? I'm sorry, I'm with your mom, geez, I didn't know. I'm like just put it in my ear, but did you have them at least both in throughout the entire video, or did it fall?
Speaker 2:
I don't even I don't even remember the English. She remembers it in every detail.
Speaker 1:
That's hilarious okay, so all right. So you talked to me about your writing process and finding that relationship. Talk to me about kind of finding your voice like in the R&B realm, because were you always able to sing, or like was it something that you took classes for?
Speaker 2:
I know it's just, it's different um, it was like I said, I like musical theater, so I was always singing, but I started in church.
Speaker 2:
I was in the choir I was in the praise team and that was like, really, those are like my first times ever performing, was at church and just through there I just grew more vocally.
Speaker 2:
I did start vocal lessons Just once I decided to make this a career. I was like, yeah, you got to start, you know, training your voice. But when it comes to like my voice in the R&B world, I feel like when I started I was really young and there was a lot of people like I said, people like Trick, and then people at the label. They have a lot of advice to give me input. At that time you're going to listen to it and I was just going with emotions, letting people direct me and guide me. But as years went on, I feel like now I'm finally in a place where I know what I want to do, I know what I want to say, I know what I want to give off and portray and it's just been a growing journey. Now I completely I'm not going to say completely, we're all still learning ourselves but I just have a better understanding of who I am and like what I want to give off to the world.
Speaker 1:
That is so beautiful and I love that, especially as a woman, like you said earlier. Now I understand what you meant, because it's like you got to take the training wheels off at some point and then, once you get those wheels off, now it's like OK, which direction do I want to go?
Speaker 1:
How long do I want to stay on this bike? What bike do I want? You know what I mean Exactly. So that's actually what's up. I love that for you, thank you. And I guess, what would? What's the biggest difference creatively, now that you're riding your own bike?
Speaker 2:
The biggest difference creatively is well, I'm not starting with just like people sending me stuff anymore. I enjoy sitting down with myself and like going through my own experiences and figuring out how to express that, Because I'm always told, or I've been told multiple times, that I'm not affectionate in relationships. Are you an Aquarius? No, I'm an Aries. Interesting Aquarius are like that too, though.
Speaker 2:
Thank you, he never said he's like that they are. Aquarius are my worst, my worst, but I've always been told that I'm not affectionate, so for me, my music is my way of expressing like my love and like my care for whoever. It is that I am Okay. You know, in a relationship with at the time.
Speaker 1:
So, instead of arguing, you're just going to put it in a record. Yeah, I'm going to just put it in a song and be like hey, you want to listen to this.
Speaker 2:
That's hilarious and that's really like my way of expressing myself now I'm not mad at that at all.
Speaker 1:
I remember early on in my relationship with my boyfriend I used to be like all right, let me just write you a text and explain why I'm mad. He's like no, just say it. I'm like just let me write the text because I need to make sure I cover all the points you know what I mean it's, it's. I don't know why we're like that.
Speaker 2:
In the moment, it's just a lot that can come out, and I don't want it to come out wrong. Exactly, I'm an overthinker.
Speaker 1:
I'm with you.
Speaker 2:
Wait, Aries overthinker, oh yeah, for sure, we have our moments. We're very impulsive.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, you guys are fiery as fuck.
Speaker 2:
I am very impulsive, but nine times out of ten I'm very impulsive, but nine times out of ten. I'm overthinking it before and even if I'm like, I probably shouldn't do it.
Speaker 1:
I'm going to do it anyways. Not mad at that. Hey, I encourage it. I'm a Leo, so we're fireside oh my gosh, my mom's Leo, she's my bestie, yes, so never met a me.
Speaker 2:
Talk to me about what era of this for you. What is this era for you? This era for me is really just bringing people into my world. I want people to get to know me more. Like I said, I'm standing more in my truth and who I am and who I want to be. And that song originally came about with. I was doing a writing camp with Camper and I just felt a vibe when I heard this, the track of it. It was like this just feels like the essence of who I am and that's just what I wanted to write about. And that was the first time I ever repped Slip and Slide.
Speaker 2:
I ever repped Miami and I was like this is exactly who I am, this is me, this is me, and um, we decided to make that the title of the project as well fire okay, so this is your.
Speaker 1:
I have arrived moment.
Speaker 2:
I have arrived moment. I feel like I'm like resetting right now, because I was doing I've been in the industry for a minute and I was just putting out singles and, like I said, it was a growing process, a learning process for me. But now it's like I'm actually, I'm actually being myself and I'm enjoying it.
Speaker 1:
I love that. Glad you're here, thank you we're loving it. Now talk to me about this album, um, who's going to be featured on it? And also, how long did it take you to put this project together? Because, yeah, you're in this, this era, so I'm assuming everything is from this era, right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:
There's one feature on the project with Rick Ross. It's called Moment Mmm. Oh yeah, okay, and that record for me.
Speaker 2:
I remember when I did the song I was like, oh my God, his voice would sound so good on this record, just like his presence, his energy yeah and um, at that time I didn't ask anyone in the room or the label to actually make it happen, but I I had my board and I just wrote his name on the board. I was like that's gonna happen and I left it alone and I wasn't even thinking about it. Then, two months later, they actually put it on the song and having him be a part of the record because he was a part of the label also in the past it was just the most like a moment of just being so grateful having him co-sign me and him being on the record. When you do hear it, it's like he really did that. Yeah, and I appreciate it so much. And we actually just shot the video like a month ago. Where'd you guys shoot it? Miami, miami, fire.
Speaker 1:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
And it was just such great energy. And, if you like, you know Ross. He creates great moments and I'm just happy that he's a part of this moment with me. That's tough, yeah, I love that.
Speaker 1:
I'm sure it was nothing but laughs on set.
Speaker 2:
Oh, for sure he's such a funny man, but it was good vibes, always good energy with him.
Speaker 1:
I love that. Yeah, all right, so we got Ross on the project. How many records is it going to be on the album?
Speaker 2:
There's 12 records on the album. Okay, and yeah, this was. I started this project. Honestly, I had a break in 2020. And for me, it was like a moment where I really just it kind of broke me for a minute because I was like, why am I stopping? Because at the beginning of 2020, I was just putting out songs back to back and I had like a lot of momentum going on. And then it was like God, just like put a pause on everything. And in the moment it was like dang, like put a pause on everything. And in the moment it was like dang, like this isn't supposed to be going this way. But now I'm looking back and I'm like I needed that time because, like I said, I had to figure myself out.
Speaker 2:
I was going with emotions, letting people tell me what to do, or like following different trends and like it just wasn't who I, who I know I'm supposed to be, yeah and um. Yeah, I appreciate that now because we always have moments in life where it's like you're trying to figure out why this bad thing is happening. But now I'm in a place where, like when bad things come up, it's like there's a reason behind it and you have to try and find that silver lining or find peace in that. Now I find peace in those moments.
Speaker 1:
That's great. Yeah, I'm still trying to master that.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, it's a learning. You have to do it every day. I'm like it's okay. You have to remind yourself there's going to be a reason behind it and I'm sure it's going to be great.
Speaker 1:
I like that. That's actually beautiful, all right, it's gonna be great. I like that. Yeah, it's actually beautiful, all right. Well, all we did talk. We play this game called fill in the blank. Okay, b-l-a-n-k. Every time I say blank, you'll be like huh, blank, blank. Sorry if I have an accent, but um, so okay. Yes, the first one is the older I get, the less I give a fuck. No hesitation on that one. Yo who pissed you off this morning.
Speaker 1:
Nobody, I just gotta walk like that. Now. You know what Heard you, and actually I agree I'm starting to get there. I have a cancer moon though, so it kind of be holding me back a little bit. I can't help but give a fuck, fuck, okay, you would never believe me if I told you.
Speaker 2:
You'll never believe me if I told you I don't know, you can skip if you want as well.
Speaker 1:
I'm really trying to think. I don't know. All right, I can't believe.
Speaker 2:
I actually when I was younger. I can't believe I actually tried to do a backflip off of a cooler and broke my wrist, and from that moment, who would do that? I think about it all the time because that's probably one of the dumbest things I've ever done in my life, because I had a friend convince me that that was smart.
Speaker 1:
Did your friend do it first? No, of course not.
Speaker 2:
She was trying she was trying to teach me how to do it and she said get on the cooler, like you, you'll get it started in the air. But as soon as I did that, the cooler went that way and then my wrist just went that way lord have mercy oh my god how long did it take for your wrist to heal um?
Speaker 2:
I don't like months. I guess whenever I broke it, that was my first time ever breaking a bone and from that moment I broke, I broke a lot of when you told your mom how you broke it, what did she say?
Speaker 1:
she was sick of me.
Speaker 2:
My neighbor at the time. She's like she's fine. She's being dramatic. I'm like my wrist is broken. It's leaning over here.
Speaker 1:
No, that's crazy. Okay, so that's that Aerie shit actually.
Speaker 2:
Very spontaneous.
Speaker 1:
Jumping off a fucking cooler Like what. All right, I'm a little embarrassed by the fact that I know so little about I'm a little embarrassed by the fact that I know so little about.
Speaker 2:
I'm a little embarrassed, I would say I'm embarrassed to say it how bad. I think it's pretty bad.
Speaker 1:
I probably shouldn't say it, say it, say it. All right, if it's terrible, we'll edit it.
Speaker 2:
If it's not terrible it's staying in. I was just going to say I know very little about politics.
Speaker 1:
Oh no, we're all in that boat. Yeah, it's okay, I'm sick of them.
Speaker 2:
I'm like you know, I don't even care anymore.
Speaker 1:
That's out, we're on the same page.
Speaker 2:
I know it's wrong to say, but it's wrong to say it's true.
Speaker 1:
I feel like they overcomplicate shit on purpose. It's like, oh my, what's happening?
Speaker 2:
now.
Speaker 1:
It's like learning biology H2O. But no, that's a fair one. That's a fair one, but it's election season. Make sure you guys go vote.
Speaker 2:
Okay, I'm gonna go vote too. I will go see.
Speaker 1:
That was so bad yo, this is where we're at right now. America's a joke, the guy running for president stormed the white house, and I can't make a joke about politics being h2o at this. Over it all. I'm with you. Figure it out.
Speaker 2:
Sometimes I look back at my life and Laugh or scream Mmm. You never have those moments where you're just like something crosses your mind and you're like, ah, every time Do you my last.
Speaker 1:
Be like I mean my screams, now, that'd be like present day shit. I gotta be honest. No, yeah, I mean my screams now that'd be like present day shit. I gotta be honest. No, yeah, the screams. Be like oh fuck, I gotta see this nigga tomorrow. You know niggas. You don't wanna see co-workers? Yes, be like ugh, yeah, I felt those. I felt those alright. Um, from time to time it's good to.
Speaker 2:
I was gonna say sleep. That is not good, though I that should already be in there.
Speaker 1:
That's what I'm feeling right now Okay, sleep. It's just like you've been having these New York City nights. You've been here.
Speaker 2:
I've been working. You've been outside, I've been working.
Speaker 1:
Yes, I've seen you outside at least two nights so far this week. Right, good for you, though. Thank you, my personality trait is. What do you mean by that Like? How would you define your personality trait? One word?
Speaker 2:
I could be a little aggressive.
Speaker 1:
Nah that, that fake innocent thing coming into aggressive, I could be a little aggressive, a little aggressive. I think. So you sound super aggressive. Just a little bit, a little bit. Hey, that makes for fun, I think so that makes for fun.
Speaker 2:
Sometimes I don't mean it as like I don't try to be aggressive. Have you gotten complaints.
Speaker 1:
Oh yeah, A lot you complain about me.
Speaker 2:
You're aggressive too.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, she's a Leo, I'm a Leo and a Cancer, I'm the date she is Okay, I'm 25, so I'm that far off, and then I'm Cancer Moon, so I feel you, oh, yeah, you know what it's like. Yeah, okay, synergy, that's why, y'all, friends, that makes a lot of sense. Okay, aggressive, yeah, because that makes a lot of sense. Okay, aggressive, yeah, because, yeah, you, you need those type of people to balance you I think so, yeah, it helps me calm down.
Speaker 1:
So do you end up typically dating aggressive men, or do you find yourself going the other route?
Speaker 2:
I can't go the other route. I have to be I won't say no sensitive men. I, I need you. I want you to be sensitive, but I need you. I want you to be sensitive, but I need you to be more like mm.
Speaker 1:
They got to bark louder than you, just a little bit, but like you bark, but like in a nice calm tone.
Speaker 2:
Okay, like tell me, tell me what to do, tell me, tell me what to do.
Speaker 1:
Don't scream at me, it's the point, it's the point, it's the. I felt that though, yeah, yeah, because you it needs to be authoritative, assertive, but not like emotional, not emotional. Yeah, yeah, hell yeah, I'm trying to master that within myself too, so I totally understand like, um, okay, all right, interesting. Um. So, tanir, we know we got the project on the way, we got this new era. I'm excited to see you develop and blossom within that. Thank you, shout out to Graham.
Speaker 2:
Let people know where to follow you and where they can tap into your new album you could follow me on every social media platform at Tanir R, and my new project Never Met a Me is out on every streaming platform. Yeah.
