Teedra Moses

Teedra Shenita Moses[1] (born December 17, 1976) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter.[2]

Teedra Moses
Teedra Moses performing live in New York City
Background information
Birth nameTeedra Shenita Moses
Also known asYoung Lioness
Born (1976-12-17) December 17, 1976
New Orleans, Louisiana, US
GenresR&B, soul
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Years active2003–present
Labels
Associated actsKaytranada, Jadakiss, Mary J. Blige, Nivea, Christina Milan, Trina, Macy Gray, Rick Ross, Raphael Saadiq, Will Smith, Kelis, R. Kelly, No Doubt, Paul Poli
Websitewww.teedramoses.com

Early life

Moses was born and raised in New Orleans. She later moved to Los Angeles with her mother and three siblings after her parents separated.

Her childhood has been a direct influence on her musical style, her mother was a gospel singer and she was raised on gospel, jazz, zydeco and blues.

Moses recalls wanting to listen to the music that was then being played on the radio, but her mother made her listen to gospel.[3] The final song on her debut album, "I Think of You (Shirley's Song)", is dedicated to her late mother.

Career

Prior to becoming a recording artist, Moses worked as an assistant wardrobe stylist alongside her best friend Nonja McKenzie for artists such as Will Smith, Kelis, R. Kelly and No Doubt.[4] But after breaking her leg on a video set, Moses decided to follow her heart and make music.

Moses teamed up with producer Paul Poli and signed with the Indie Record Label, TVT Records to release her debut album Complex Simplicity in August 2004. Complex Simplicity included fourteen tracks penned by Moses, with dominant production handled by Poli; the two would share a deserved executive production credit. The album underperformed on the major U.S. chart, debuting and peaking at number one hundred and sixty-eight on the Billboard 200. However, the album was critically acclaimed, otherwise finding success on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, the Top Independent Albums, and the Top Heatseekers charts, reaching number twenty, number eleven, and number ten, respectively.

In addition to executive producing and penning all the lyrics on her own project, Moses has written songs for other artists including Nivea, Christina Milian, Mary J. Blige and others. She was featured on and co-wrote two songs from Raphael Saadiq's 2004 album Ray Ray, "Chic" and "I Want You Back". Her songs have been showcased in the Logo series Noah's Arc as well as in the HBO hit show Entourage, and in movies such as Never Die Alone, Beauty Shop, and Be Cool.

Though Moses has not released a studio album in several years, she can be found touring and doing live shows on a regular basis. From March to November 2010 Moses was a spokesmodel on the Lady Hennessy Tour. In addition, Moses continued to release underground, all-original mixtapes for her fans to enjoy while she awaited a new label deal that was necessitated by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed by the now defunct TVT Records in 2008.

2011–present

On March 25, 2011, it was announced that Moses had signed to rapper Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group via Warner Bros. Records as its first female artist.[5] In 2011, Moses released the Luxurious Undergrind mixtape.[6]

In February 2014, Moses released the single "All I Ever Wanted," which samples Dynasty's 1980 song "Adventures in the Land of Music".[7] The song was released as the lead single from her EP Cognac & Conversation, which is co-executive produced by Rick Ross and Raphael Saadiq.[8]

In December 2014, it was reported that Moses signed to Shanachie Records after the ill-fated alliance with Maybach Music Group. Moses revealed singer Avery Sunshine was the reason why she signed with the label, due to the success that Sunshine is having while being on Shanachie's roster.[9] On August 8, 2015, finally her sophomore effort, Cognac & Conversation was released.[10][11]

Songwriting style

When writing songs Moses prefers to do so alone in her own space. Commenting on this Moses said; "I hate to admit it because it sounds so weird, but I don't like other energies around me. I need to be alone, in my own space, with just me and my music so I can be honest with whatever I feel from the music; otherwise I'm just giving something from the surface."[3] Moses also tries to always be honest with her lyrical content noting it as important to her, expanding on this Moses commented saying "If I'm honest with people, then people will feel that. And that's been my experience so far, just being frank about my feelings about life, and my experiences in life and love. I think me being honest like that is why I've gained sincere fans. From here to America, sincere people who really dig me, that can quote lyrics."[3]

Songwriting credits

Discography

Albums

Singles
Year Single Chart positions Album
U.S. U.S. R&B Twitter Emerging Artists
2004 "Be Your Girl" (solo/ 2018 Remix by KAYTRANADA) 87 29 — Complex Simplicity
"You'll Never Find (A Better Woman)" (featuring Jadakiss) — 86 —
2005 "You Better Tell Her" — — —
2010 "R U 4 Real" — — — Royal Patience
"Another LuvR" (featuring Wale) — — —
2013 "Can't Be Luv" — — — California Vibes – EP
"Secrets of Life" — — — Non-album singles
2014 "All I Ever Wanted" (featuring Rick Ross) — — 2 Cognac & Conversations
2015 "Get It Right" — — 43
"That One" (featuring Anthony Hamilton) — — 44
2019 "Cabernet Sauvignon" — — — Complex Simplicity: 15th Anniversary Edition
2020 "Feels Good" (featuring Dave B)

Mixtapes
  • The Young Hustla Compilation (2004)
  • Young Hustla Compilation Vol II: Live from the Jungle (2007)
  • Lionhearted – Young Hustla Vol III (2009)
  • Royal Patience ... A Love Journey (2010)
  • Luxurious Undergrind (2011)
  • ClairVoyant (2015)

Collaborations

Tours
  • 2004: Seagram's Gin Live
  • 2004: Live in London
  • 2005: Raphael Saadiq As Ray Ray
  • 2007: Heineken Red Star Soul
  • 2008: Turn It Up
  • 2010: Lady Hennessy

References
  1. ""Complex Simplicity" Album Details". umiscpub.com. Universal Music Publishing Group. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  2. Ramirez, Erika (April 20, 2011). "Exclusive: Teedra Moses Signs to Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  3. "Teedra Moses". Thesituation.co.uk. Archived from the original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
  4. "Teedra Moses Interview: "Back To Where I Started"". SoulCulture. March 3, 2010. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  5. Harper, Rosario (March 25, 2011). "Rick Ross Signs The First Lady Of Maybach Music". sohh.com. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
  6. "Teedra Moses – Luxurious Undergrind". Dope Box. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
  7. Green, Treye. "Teedra Moses Talks 'Cognac And Conversations' EP, The Perks Of Being An Independent Artist And Her Love For Bob Marley". interview. ibtimes.com. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  8. "Listen: Teedra Moses Lifts A Classic Sample For 'All I Ever Wanted'". Vibe. February 2, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
  9. "Exclusive: Teedra Moses Signs to Shanachie Records After Inspiration from Avery*Sunshine, New Album to Release Early 2015". youknowigotsoul.com. You Know I Got Soul. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  10. "Cognac & Conversation by Teedra Moses on Amazon Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  11. "‎That One (feat. Anthony Hamilton) by Teedra Moses on Apple Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
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