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Sassy Sisters Podcast with Cyd Eva and Tee Krispil
Canadian producer, Tee Krispil, is bringing a new concept of sound to our ears. Embodying a vibe that is both peaceful and provocative, Tee's work as a musician manifests as triphop trap beats, overlayered with rap and oozing Moroccan-tinged melodies. Having made a name for herself as a producer and songwriter, Tee recently joined the 5 member band NADUH. Bringing endless catching tunes and raps that resonate deeply in our bisexual bones, NADUH is the sassiest band we know!
I just want to be making a good impact in the world, doing what I love, and not working for the man. Those are my primary goals.
In this podcast episode, we hear Tee discuss the release of her latest solo EP 'Assiah' with our Sassy host Cyd Eva. The duo discusses how heritage and herbalism play a role in living consciously, introducing us to Tee's company 'Fleurs Tea'. Having launched in 2017, Tee has been exercising her entrepreneurial skills by providing a fresh approach to CBD through nurturing products. The ambition Tee Krispil shows is a creative world of mindful, witchy magic, sharing her vision through music and lifestyles.
Check out the full podcast episode to hear Tee tell our host Cyd Eva stories of heritage that inspired her music, and how all-female environments shape the work she creates today.
Growing up in Otowa and Toronto, Tee moved to so-called Vancouver 6 years ago. It was here that she started to invest more time into her interest in herbalism. Explaining how she first started experimenting with herbs due to a lack of energy growing up, Tee continued to sort out ways to hack her system through blends and ointments. Having started working at a dispensary as a writer, researching cannabis, Tee released there was a missing link between herbalism and the cannabis community. "There's always that argument that cannabis is a herb, but why don't you care about the other herbs? So I just mashed the worlds together in my own brain and eventually launched the project." Fleurs Tea sells teas, topicals, and essential oil blends, combining herbal medicine and hemp healing. These products help to recharge and rejuvenate the body and mind by targetting different needs of an overworked and undernourished society. At the core of Fleurs Tea is the principle of prioritising rest and ritual. This is something that shines through in Tee's own balanced philosophies on life.
There's always that argument that cannabis is a herb, but why don't you care about the other herbs? So I just mashed the worlds together in my own brain and eventually launched 'Fleurs Tea'
Managing a business alongside dedicating herself to music production is something that Tee intentionally holds space for. It was only in the past couple of years, highlighted by lengthy periods of lockdown, that Tee gave herself permission to go 100% into learning about music.
"I had a lull... in a depressive state trying to figure out what to do. I leaned into the silence, into not knowing." In that silence, Tee took a leap of faith and commited to her music. "I gave myself 6 months to make beats. If I still suck at making beats after 6 months I can quit, but at least try- [that] was my mentality. I went full throttle, I was taking bass, piano and production lessons, mixing lessons, mentorship from industry mentors." With so much determination to learn as much as she could, Tee fell in love with the process of supporting the vocalists rather than being the singer. Discussing the challenges of her journey, Tee explains how"It was a different kind of hard getting into production, it was more like ~Is there room for me? Am I musical enough, am I nerdy enough? ~ because it's really nerdy, but the process stole my heart".
NADUH is my first project which I feel so grateful for, that I got blessed with these vocalists right off the bat to bring my beats to life.
Tee's commitment to practise resulted in her producing NADUH's music as well as her solo EP 'Assiah'. Released under her artist name Taraneh, Tee explains how much her music evolved from initially creating beat tapes inspired by her Moroccan and Jewish roots. "[I'd use] samples of different spiritual music my dad would send me, and random things I would twist and chop and turn into trip-hop track beats." Recognising how only a select few will listen to beat tapes, Tee expanded her work to include ethereal lyrics that weave between melodies and rap. Tee explains how her latest single, Inside Insight; was inspired by the Kabablah (the ancient Jewish tradition of mystical interpretation of the Bible) and having tangled roots. "It's about not knowing a lot about certain sides of my upbringing and family history. A lot of it has been hush hush and it's been a digging process." With eerie middle eastern sounds floating between hypnotic beats, we feel spiritual, prayer-like tones in Tee's vocals, reflecting her connection with ancestral heritage and source.
Tee has nurtured a working environment rich with feminine energy by heading up a predominantly all-female team at 'Fleurs Tea' as well as with NADUH. When asked about her view on feminism, Tee says "I can't imagine not being a feminist - it just means we can be ourselves and not be hurt for it, we can exist and thrive... I don't think it's from a wounded place, it's from a place of how can we move forward. And I think that everyone has to be treated equally and people's power needs to be treated with reverence, not fear." It's from this crystal clear mindset that much of Tee's music appears to evolve. When discusses NADUH's track 'Currency' Tee shares how it was inspired by the iconic soulstress Aretha Franklin. In a world where so much divide is prominent and the attempt at divide is so strong, you really need to have respect as the foundation of everything if we want to move forward and do better as humans". As a five-member band, Tee Krispil, Jenny Lea, Rosita Alcantara, Giorgi Holiday, and Larisa Marie are active examples of how respect plays out in relationships. Working together as collaborative songwriters, they make music that represents their queer, femme, and tomboy identities, dancing between themes of sexual and creative empowerment.
I understand why patriarchy was scared of women for so long because the second they put their energy together it's unstoppable. With NADUH I've noticed how much easier it is to do when we're all energetically in it
With a mystical sensuality washing through her work, Tee explains how her relationship to identity and sexuality are continually evolving. Despite deciding that, as a band, NADUH doesn't want to be known for sex and sexuality, tracks such as CHAPSTICK speak directly to the topic of bisexual love and intimacy."I found it easier to connect with sexuality in the music with the group...I'm in a heteronormative relationship with a dude, but I'm bisexual so I feel sometimes I live my lesbian dreams out in my music... Sexually I can explore those things without breaking our relationship boundaries." This is a refreshing and grounded perspective which echoes the nourished and focused intentions of Tee's work - to stay authentic to her truth. Leading us out of the conversation, Tee leaves us with the encouraging words of maintaining a handle on your health and wellbeing whilst staying motivated. "You have to give time to yourself so you can honour the projects. Show up for yourself... because if the projects run your life, it's not healthy". We can't wait to hear how Tee Krispil's work continues to unfold into even deeper levels of ancestral wisdom and feminine intuition.
Be sure to check out the Fleurs Tea website
And keep up to date with Tee Krispil's music via IG @teekrispil and with @its.naduh
Thank you Cyd Eva for bringing your Sassy Sisters magic - over on IG @cydeva
TEE KRISPIL'S TRACKLIST
Taraneh - Insight Inside
NADUH - Currency
NADUH - Chapstick
NADUH - R U DUMM?
Tee Krispil - Colours of Us