The Writer Returned (Summer Grind Issue 2012)

Winter's here

And I ain't mad about it
I just wanna lay with you in the late nights getting warm
We find less and less time to get together
But that there's whatever
See tonight is for you and I yeah
We gotta take it back tonight

I started this article out with a line from one of my favorite songs. It’s a song called “Take Me”, a track from Teedra Moses’ debut album Complex Simplicity. I can imagine at this particular juncture some of you are wondering exactly who Teedra Moses actually is. Allow me to answer that for you.

Teedra Moses (born December 17, 1976) is an American R & B and soul singer-songwriter. She was born and raised in New Orleans, LA to gospel singing mother Shirley Moses. She later moved to California with her mother and three siblings after her parents’ separation.  When she began her professional singing career Moses borrowed a little of that gospel fervor and added it to her own vocal style.

Her track “I Think Of You (Shirley’s Song)” is a tribute to her late mother.

Before she began singing she worked as an assistant wardrobe stylist. A broken leg caused her to follow her passion and begin making music.

Following this epiphany, Moses teamed up with producer Paul Poli, signing with indie record label TVT Records to release her debut album Complex Simplicity in August 2004. This album included fourteen tracks all self-penned by Moses with dominant production by Poli. This led to a well-deserved executive production credit by both Moses and Poli. On American charts the album underperformed, debuting and peaking at one hundred and sixty-eight on the Billboard 200. However, the album was critically acclaimed and otherwise found success on the  Top R & B/Hip-Hop Albums, the  Top Independent Albums, and the Top Heatseekers, reaching number twenty, number eleven, and number ten, respectively.

In addition to producing she has written for artists such as Nivea (“Still In Love”), Christina Milian (“Dip It Low”), Mary J. Blige (“So Lady”), Macy Gray (“Finally Made Me Happy”, “Ghetto Love”, and “AEIOU”), Teairra Mari (“Get Up On Ya Gangsta”) and others. Moses is also responsible for penning for Trina’s hit “Here We Go” from her album Glamorest Life.

It has been six years since she’s released an album but she has continued touring and releasing mixtapes while she awaits a new label deal due to the 2008 bankruptcy of TVT Records.

On March 25, 2011 it was announced that Moses had signed to Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group via Warner Bros. Records as its first female artist. Her second studio album entitled The Lioness is scheduled to be released there sometime in 2012.

Quite an acquisition for Rick Ross. And as I’ve said before this looks to be a great year for music. 


Courtesy of Lucius Black for Royalty Magazine