Coming from rich musical cultures, a French-Canadian father of Algerian Kabyle descent and a Jamaican-Chinese mother, L.Teez‘s music and insightful lyrics reflect a distinct identity and unique worldview.
This month, L.Teez released his excellent debut album, Studio Blue via Hydrophonik Records.
Studio Blue demonstrates L.Teez’s growth and depth as a composer on lead single “Waves,” pushing musical boundaries and exploring what it means to be a rapper. V13 affirms, “It’s an impressive, technical effort, oozing with evocative melodies, earnest and clever lines, and overall laced with laid-back vibes.” Produced by Junia-T, “Never Thought’ ft. Clerel” is a song that talks about “how blessed I am to be able to make music the way I’m making it now,” L.Teez shares. “Being able to have full support from a great team and being able to travel the world. At a point in time I never thought I would make it here.” He takes a walk down memory lane in the video, shot in Toronto, with flashbacks to his younger self.
L.Teez explains, “The name Studio Blue is an homage to the studio where I recorded my EP (The Index To My Inner Thoughts) while attending Musitechnic. The name is also an homage to the colour blue and how it represents music for me. From Blue Note, the world-renowned jazz label, to the legendary Miles Davis record Kind of Blue, deeply connecting with me and forever changing my outlook on music and life.”
The release party for the album will take place at Petit Campus in Montreal on November 3. View event details HERE.
In addition to career pursuits, L.Teez found inspiration in the form of a love ballad, with “They Say” touching on the subject of relationships in an Annie Hall fashion. “I Need You” ft. Lea Keeley serves as an appreciation letter to “whatever or whoever makes you want to live.” Most dearly, “5680 Rue Bach Part 2” is in dedication to the loss of his grandfather and best friend.
Montreal Rocks caught up with L.Teez to chat about the album, his musical upbringing, being a part of the Montreal jam scene and, of course, his grandfather.
Watch the interview below:
Born in 1995, L.Teez is a Montréal author and performer whose childhood was immersed in music. Formal training began at fine arts school FACE where he studied trombone and trumpet, subsequently devoting himself to singing and launching into rap when he was 14 years old. Strongly influenced by hip-hop during his adolescent years, his passion for music subsequently led him to develop an avid appreciation for the classical jazz masters from which he finds inspiration as well. His formative school years and early musical influences led him to composing, a pursuit he found for coping with the ups and downs of family and personal circumstances.
In 2012, with the emergence of “new school” hip-hop, he began his foray into songwriting. Authentic and deeply personal, his lyrics speak to his vision and experiences in the world around him. As his style took shape, L.Teez established himself in the underground music circuit, taking the spotlight at venues like Park and CFC Club. He soon discovered his love for the stage. His early breakout performances included the Divan Orange in 2013, then the MEG Festival. In 2016 he collaborated with Canadian producers Hug Signori and Jay Century (Fouki, Kallitechnis, Nate Husser) on his original titles. Later, he travelled to France to perform at the Tartine Festival in Chambéry, Bordeaux and Marmande, the Paris Music Festival, and the MIL Festival in Lisbon.
In the summer of 2017, he opened for Guts Live and Black Star at the esteemed Jazz Festival in Vienne, France. He also opened for Earth, Wind and Fire in the legendary room of L’Olympia in Paris. He launched his first project, the Half Full EP, under the Musjomusic label distributed by Believe Digital in September 2018, earning him several mentions in Quebec media. Followed by a mini tour in Tokyo at the Shibuya Showcase Festival, at the Zandari Festa in Seoul and Busan, South Korea. In the summer of 2019, he performed at Fesitval d’Été de Québec, Montréal’s Festival Mode & Design and the 40th Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. In the winter of 2020, he signed with Hydrophonik Records in support of The Index To My Inner Thoughts.
In 2022, L.Teez performed at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, the Garorock Experience, where he was selected as one of the four best discoveries of the 2022 edition by the French festival’s director, and the Festival de Musique Emergente as part of the Latitude 45 project. This fall, he’s returning to Europe on tour, beginning with the MaMa Festival & Convention in Paris, France tonight. His showcase is previewed in Rolling Stone France and Télérama.
Studio Blue Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. Short Winded
3. They Say feat. Jason Valentino
4. Buzzin
5. Never Thought feat. Clerel
6. Waves
7. 5680 Rue Bach (Part I)
8. 5680 Rue Bach (Part II) feat. Melissa Pacifico
9. I Need You feat. Lea Keeley
10. Out There Lude
11. Soul Purpose feat. Burton White
12. 7/4
13. TMW feat. ELMNT
14. No Left Turns/ Café St Michel (Outro)
Photo Credit: Etienne de Durocher
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