TEEKS Enters His Villain Era

Award-winning Māori artist Te Karehana Gardiner-Toi, aka TEEKS, returned earlier this year with 'My Boy', his first taste of new music in two years.

A powerful, sensual, RnB-inspired meditation on queerness and sexual identity, the track ushers in the next era of TEEKS, who has announced a run of Australian shows taking place in November.

Ahead of his Adelaide date, TEEKS chatted with The Note about his thoughts on success, his new single 'My Boy' and some of his favourite artists.

Tell us a little about your upbringing and your connection to music as a child. Was there a family member who influenced your music career or certain artists who inspired your journey?

Being Māori means that from a very young age my world revolved around music. In our culture, song and dance are the pillars of storytelling, self-expression and the preservation of knowledge. My Dad wrote songs in Te Reo Māori and would always be playing the guitar.

For the uninitiated, how would you describe your sound?

Yearning. Sensual. Both pure and impure. Think sex and drugs vs meditation and prayer. If I had to label it a genre, I would say a combination of alternative RnB and soul music.

You broke through in New Zealand with your debut 2017 EP The Grapefruit Skies. It’s almost 10 years since its release. What is your relationship with the EP like now, and how do you view the music you were making back then?

I am forever grateful for the opportunities and the start that that EP afforded me. I was very young and innocent, and had not yet experienced the full spectrum of life, including the growth pains. Today I consider myself a much stronger writer, but we all have to start somewhere.

It's been five years since the release of your debut album Something To Feel. The record was critically acclaimed and won a stack of awards. Do you feel pressure to follow up with an album that's just as successful?

Success is subjective. The album did relatively well, but I guess it depends on whose standard and which metric you are using. What I do know is that for the past year or two I have been making some of the best music I have ever made and have loved every minute of it. To me, that is success in itself. 

Your debut was very much a record about encouraging people to express themselves emotionally. Is this a theme you are continuing with your new music, or are there other things you are keen to address?

This next project, you could say, is my villain arc. It is a meditation on desire. The purity and the impurity of love and lust. Exploring sexuality and identity. My last album was restrained and somewhat conservative. This next project is a more honest and vulnerable offering. Authenticity, I think, is what I'm championing here.

READ MORE: Holly Throsby Finds Magic in the Mundane

You returned in June with your first single in two years, 'My Boy'. What have you been up to during those couple of years?

Finding the right people and shaping the right environment to create in.

Speaking of 'My Boy', it's a killer tune. There's a real sensual, R&B vibe, and the song explores themes of queerness and masculinity. What inspired the track, and is it a sign of things to come or just an extension of your sound?

I got tired of having to correct people on my sexuality, especially during writing sessions, and eventually I just felt the urge to be more direct and explicit with my storytelling. It definitely heralds a new era, but I see this as an evolution and a natural progression of my artistry.

You have some pretty famous fans, including RZA and Russell Crowe. It must be surreal when people like that appreciate your music, especially as they are both completely different when it comes to their musical endeavours.

I think Russel Crowe shared my song on Twitter once and tagged RZA, who reposted it. I'm not sure if that qualifies them as fans, but I'll take it.

Are there any artists you are currently digging and think people should hear?

Rowena Fysx. Bongeziwe Mabandla. Naomi Sharon. TUL8TE. Odeal. Loving all their work atm.

You've announced a headline Australian tour that includes shows at iconic venues including Sydney Opera House and Adelaide's own Her Majesty's Theatre. Are you excited to perform on these historic stages?

Extremely excited. It's such a privilege to be able to sing in these incredible venues. And every time I play shows in Australia, the reception is always great. So much love and warmth from the audience. I can't wait.

What can fans expect from your new live show? Will they get the chance to hear more new music?

New show. New music. This tour will be the project debut.

What does the rest of 2026 hold for TEEKS?

The rest of the year is going to revolve around a new album, so watch this space!

Catch TEEKS performing at Her Majesty's Theatre on Thursday 19 November. Tickets are on sale now at adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au.