TEEKS

Teeks is the stage name of Te Karehana Gardiner-Toi, a Maori musician whose slow, soulful R&B serves as a showcase for his award-winning voice. Born in New Zealand in 1993, he spent his childhood years in both Hokianga and Tauranga, bouncing between the homes of his divorced parents. His upbringing was a musical one, filled not only with the sounds of artists like Bob Marley and Elvis Presley, but also with his own artistic endeavors. Dubbed "the male Adele" by Vogue Magazine for his smooth, buttery vocals, he began working with the New York-based producer Jeremy Most and made his studio debut with an acclaimed EP, The Grapefruit Skies, in 2017. The record was a success in Teeks' homeland, climbing to Number 10 on The Official New Zealand Music Chart and earning the young musician three nominations at the 2017 New Zealand Music Awards. He won the award for Best Māori Artist and spent the following two years working on new music, with the EPs I and II both appearing in 2020. Those two releases paved the way for Teeks' full-length debut, Something To Feel, which was preceded by the single "First Time" and released globally in early 2021.