Welcome to round two of TEYA’s new era. On Friday the 15th, she released ‘Bourgeoisie’; a bold statement and a promising preview of her sophomore EP.
TEYA writes with a purpose. Her songs never consist of empty phrases and vague topics. Instead, her oftentimes cynical, sharp-tongued songwriting draws attention to important issues. In the case of ‘Bourgeoisie’, the issue in question lies once more with the music industry. Calling out its immoralities is TEYA’s specialty, as she’s often advocating for songwriters in particular.
‘Bourgeoisie’ is indeed about the struggles singer-songwriters face in the fast-paced music industry, where they’re busy promoting their music instead of doing what they do best: singing and songwriting. In the first verse, TEYA calls herself a ‘Corporate Composer’, pointedly summing up the issue at hand.
With her two most recent songs, it’s become clear that TEYA is leaning more into a rap and hip-hop direction, venturing into different styles and blending genres. The rap verse is brimming with anger, the emotion in her voice and enunciation multiplying the impact of the lyrics. Supported by a rugged beat, the cynical verses pose a stark contrast to the pleading in the chorus.
The track culminates in a bridge filled with synths, and when the final chorus hits, the eerie backing vocals increase the capitalist-doomsday mood of the song a thousandfold.
For ‘Bourgeoisie’, TEYA has once again joined forces with her producer Tom Oehler, with whom she has proven to be a dream team. The production enhances all the best qualities of the song without overshadowing them.
One defining trait of TEYA’s artistry is its coherence. Her debut EP wasn’t just a random selection of songs; it followed a clear theme, both visually and sonically. The same can be said of her newest releases. ‘Talk That Talk’ and ‘Bourgeoisie’ match in style and theme, and ‘Bourgeoisie’ feels like a seamless continuation of ‘Talk That Talk’.
Written by: Melanie Falkensteiner
Edited by: Shanna Henselmans
