Tei Shi is back with an alluring new lyric video for her song “GRIP,” which was released over the weekend. Her first truly independent release, the song reflects the trauma she had through during a period of conflict with her former record company.
Although the inspiration for “GRIP” came from an argument, the song ultimately serves to highlight Tei Shi’s unyielding and stubborn nature as she claims her authority. Directed by former collaborator Jonatán López, the video is a powerful visual representation of the figurative and actual chokehold she experienced while navigating the predatory aspects of the music business.
“This video came together at the very end of a long day of shooting, with only 4 minutes of film left. It was a last-minute idea inspired by a photography book Jonatán had gravitated towards throughout the day, and with only 20 minutes left at the studio, we decided to shoot it,” Tei Shi says. “We did it in one take. The video reads very much like a photograph, which is something I love because it allows for a lot of emotion to come through in such a still and simple frame. It’s almost like a painting to me. I feel like it puts the song in a more classic space and brings things out of it in a way that isn’t there with just the audio.”
She adds, “The intimacy allowed me to get out some of the emotion I’d been holding back when it comes to this song… it’s very loaded for me. I love that it came together the way it did, it was a really magical few minutes.”
Along with the release of the video, the video has also announced two small-scale live performances in New York and Los Angeles later this year. Over two years have passed since her last major concert appearance, thus her comeback is highly anticipated by fans alike. The first performance is scheduled for November 19 at Baby’s All Right in NY, while the second is scheduled for December 1 at Zebulon in Los Angeles.
Watch Tei Shi’s “GRIP” below.
In other music news, R&B singer Ari Lennox unveils her highly-anticipated sophomore album aptly titled age/sex/location.
