By José Gandue @spinning zone
Photos @danicarobinson
A Colombian-Canadian artist with diverse roots
If we are going to speak well of a newly released album, we must, I believe, first introduce the protagonist of such a work and put ourselves in context with her biography. Her name is Valerie Teicher Barbosa, better known as Tei Shi. She is a Colombian-Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer based in New York. She released her first singles and videos in 2013.
As a curious fact, he was born in Buenos Aires to Colombian parents, who soon moved to Bogotá. Years later, his family settled in Vancouver, near the Canadian Pacific coast. In short, his upbringing and education are shaped by diverse landscapes, languages, and cultures, and his music reflects this. But we won't get bogged down in his biography: what brings us here today is the gem of a record he just released, Make believe I make believe.
Pop as a terrain of risk and renewal
With this album in our ears, we celebrate a certainty of our time: Pop, in the hands of brave and daring artists, has become a stage for transformation. The creators—not the producers of prefabricated formulas—are breaking molds, shattering clichés of weakness and repetition, and proposing new ways of sounding and telling stories. Tei Shi It delivers ten songs that, in just over half an hour, construct an exciting soundscape, full of fresh textures that challenge the conservatism that has falsely represented female pop. This is strength, risk, a desire to dance without resorting to outdated models. It's about telling new stories with the tools of the 21st century.
Featured songs from Make believe I make believe
Make believe I make believe It includes anthems that one can repeat for hours. The best example is the second track, “Best Be Leaving”, ...a fantastic track that will surely be playing in the headphones of thousands of listeners around the world for a long time. Don't miss it either! “222”, recorded alongside another Colombian woman in exile, Loyal WolvesIntense percussion, voices that intertwine like ambient cushions, and a restrained ecstasy that rises with every turn. The album closes with “Nanaimo”, A tranquil ballad dedicated to the Canadian city where the author spent her adolescence. The result is beautiful, full of peace, and perfect for closing the listening session.
In the end: Tei Shi has grown and delivers a solid, convincing work, with which he will surely consolidate his position on the international scene. This album is worth listening to, because it reminds us that in music there is always room for better times.
