TeeDee is rapidly on course to become a breakout artist and he is a one to watch for 2022Thinking ahead of the curve, his innovative sound as a DJ and Producer consists of a hybrid between bassline, house and rap influences. His sound is not bound to a specific genre and his out of the box productions has amassed wide attention, including a recent signing with Sony Music UK.
Having made an impact with his debut single ‘Love Me’, the track is intoxicated with hypnotic beats and samples the timeless anthem Brownstone ‘If You Love Me’. TeeDee reworks the track in his own distinctive style and he has organically orchestrated a magnificent start to his career with over 1 million streams. There is a unique backstory to ‘Love Me’, TeeDee initially curated a video on Instagram and then on TikTok giving an insight behind the production of the track. The video on TikTok was titled ‘Making a beat for Tom Zanetti’ and the creative video went viral on TikTok and over 1.4 million people have watched the video and it has been shared by artists such as Jaykae and Nathan Dawe.
With exciting prospects, TeeDee is unquestionably a talented DJ and Producer. His music is set to become a fan favourite in the club and festival circuit. Speaking with TeeDee at the beginning of what is yet to be a remarkable and exciting year, we had a chat with the Sheffield native. In the interview, we cover topics ranging from his viral TikTok video, latest single ‘Love Me’, Yorkshire roots and goals for 2022.
Congratulations on signing with Sony Music UK! You’ve released your debut single in the form of the dance anthem ‘Love Me’, tell us more about the latest release, what inspired you to create the single?
Thank you so much life has been crazy for the past few months but to be honest. That time I won’t even focused on making a single for myself all I wanted to do is start making videos for my YouTube channel and one of the first videos that I did was how to make a house beat and in specific about how to make a Tom Zanetti type Beat and I were inspired by a lot of Tom Zanetti’s music also a lot of 90s house as well so I combined both of the new style of house and old style. I wasn’t planning on making love me a single until the video clip went viral on Tik-Tok. I wanted to create something that was really simplistic, classy and hard-hitting with a catchy chorus.
Sitting on over 1 million streams you’ve also shared the accompanying music video, how was the filming process?
Haha it was quite surreal, to be honest. It was one of the moments where I had to sit back and realise what was actually happening. I’m used to black tracksuits every day so all the outfits they were putting me in Made me feel a bit uncomfortable at first but then when I saw myself and I started to enjoy it, In fact, I was loving it haha. The filming process was incredible as well just knowing I had all that team working around me was sick too.
I’ve watched your TikTok video breaking down the production of ‘Love Me’ and it has been viewed by 1.1 million people and also shared by Jaykae and Nathan Dawe. In the TikTok video, you said that you made the track originally intended for Tom Zanetti. How did it feel to see the video go viral and what feedback did you get from it? Did you hear from Tom Zanetti?
Yeah, I’m really grateful for those guys showing love. I’ve looked up to them for years so amazing to see that they enjoy my music enough to post it. Originally I posted the video on Instagram and got all my peoples to tag Tom in it. He commented on it straight away showing love. We exchanged a few messages about hitting the studio before I posted it on Tik Tok. Then it just blew up on another level when I posted it on there and I had never seen anything like it before. The amount of message and engagement I was receiving was everything I’d ever dreamed of. I had to release the song as my own track cus this was an opportunity of a lifetime that I couldn’t miss out on. I’d love to get him on a remix though he’s a top guy go so much respect for him.
Honing into your creative process you often post TikToks allowing fans to hear a breakdown of your remixes. Do you have a routine or a certain process that you go through when creating music and remixes?
Yeah, I do actually. I mostly always start off with the vocal first. I like to do this because it inspires me in which way to take the rest of the song, whether I make it more grimey and gritty or more classy and commercial. After I’ve got the vocal where I want it, I straight away begin with the bass melody. Then after dancing around the studio for 10 mins because I’m overly excited I’ll then start with drums and basic structure haha.
Your music is eclectic and you draw on numerous sounds from bassline to rap, what are some of your early music influences growing up and do you think that influences your current sound?
Yeah that’s true. Definitely a lot of old school garage and bassline that was played in the niche nightclub in the early 2000s, my dad used to have the mix CDs and white labels on repeat. As well as lots of old hip-hop albums such as, the chronic and 2001 by Dre, the documentary by the game, dogg food by DPG and loads of Eminem and 50 Cent. I think it’s just those beats that hit so hard that I like to create in my beats now.
When did you realise that you had a passion for DJing and producing and wanted to pursue it as a career?
There is some really old photos of me attempting to DJ when I was about 10 (I won’t show them cus they are the most embarrassing things ever and I’d probably cry if they were released lol), and I always wanted to do something with music I just wasn’t sure what. I picked up the guitar at about 9 but I was just practising in my room for hours. Then I begged my mum to buy me a launch pad for Christmas, I was about 11 and as soon as it came, I knew I wanted to do this forever.
Yorkshire is home to some great homegrown talent, how did growing up in Sheffield shape your sound?
It was definitely the 08 onwards era of bassline. I remember it was being played at every corner of my estate and Sheffield. On the back of the bus, on the park, blasting out of people’s houses and especially the parties in the summer. It was undeniably going to shape my sound. And when I started producing the only thing I wanted to make was bassline haha so that’s what I started on. I still carry the sound with me today.
If you had to shine a light on up and coming talent from Sheffield, who should we look out for?
There’s a lot of up and coming talent I couldn’t name them all Cus there is some serious guys and girls. I could name a few such as Rickyleupnext, Zedi, Maasai, TeeWhy and producers like KD, Mano and Tommakesbeats they are all my guys we all came up together I can’t wait till it’s there time to shine.
You’ve created the innovative YouTube channel The Beatz Hub with TomMakesBeats back in 2016, which garnered the attention of rappers such as Fredo and Loski. How was that experience and who else did you collaborate with at that time?
This was the most important and amazing time of my career. These were all rappers I looked up to. I worked with Keds, Ard Adz, G Bugz and few more to name as well. Massive learning point for me as well to understand how people in the industry worked.
Since then you’ve continued to go from strength to strength and built up a strong fan base and following. How has the last 24 months been as a creative, did the coronavirus pandemic impact you creatively?
Well, I’ve gone from making rap beats every day to now making house every day so it’s changed massively, but it was a quick shift to be honest. To be fair nothing really changed that much for me during the lockdown I just used that time to build my self personally which was vital for where I am now. Then I ended up getting covid which if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t be where I am now. That’s because I was forced to do nothing for 10 days where I really reflected on my career and knew I had to do something different and outgoing. Which led me to make the Love Me video.
You’ve been in the studio with Jess Glynne, can you give us any clues about what is in the pipeline?
I’m not gonna say much on this other than the record I have with her is one of the best productions I have ever curated.
Do you have any artists that you’d like to collaborate with in the future and who would you collaborate with?
Yeah, I proper wanna work with Aitch I think we would break the internet and the industry. Come back to this when we do I’m manifesting it now. And others such as Mist. I’d love to work with some American artists too.
If you had a dream venue or event to perform at, where would you pick?
It would probably be on the main stage at Glastonbury that’d be surreal.
What are some of your goals for 2022?
Definitely going for a UK top 20. I wanna be the most influential producer this year and do things that others are worried to do. I’m going to keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Also wanna go and do some performing abroad. I also want to help my brothers in the music scene that I came up with and give them the resources to help them and give them a career.
