Teedra Moses

Biography

Teedra Shenita Moses (born December 17, 1976) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter.

Early life

Moses was born and raised in New Orleans. She later moved to Los Angeles with her mother and three siblings after her parents separated.
Her childhood has been a direct influence on her musical style, her mother was a gospel singer and she was raised on gospel, jazz, zydeco and blues.
Moses recalls wanting to listen to the music that was then being played on the radio, but her mother made her listen to gospel.
The final song on her debut album, "I Think of You (Shirley's Song)", is dedicated to her late mother.

Career

Prior to becoming a recording artist, Moses worked as an assistant wardrobe stylist alongside her best friend Nonja McKenzie for artists such as Will Smith, Kelis, R. Kelly and No Doubt. But after breaking her leg on a video set, Moses decided to follow her heart and make music.

Moses teamed up with producer Paul Poli and signed with the Indie Record Label, TVT Records to release her debut album Complex Simplicity×Complex Simplicity10 August 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Be Your Girl4:092You'll Never Find (A Better Woman)4:133Caution4:384Backstroke3:385No More Tears4:116Rescue Me4:067Take Me4:448You Better Tell Her6:159Outta My Head3:3910Complex Simplicity4:1611For a Lifetime4:1512Caught Up4:1513Last Day3:4114I Think of You (Shirley's Song)6:06 in August 2004. Complex Simplicity included fourteen tracks penned by Moses, with dominant production handled by Poli; the two would share a deserved executive production credit. The album underperformed on the major U.S. chart, debuting and peaking at number one hundred and sixty-eight on the Billboard 200. However, the album was critically acclaimed, otherwise finding success on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, the Top Independent Albums, and the Top Heatseekers charts, reaching number twenty, number eleven, and number ten, respectively. It is now considered a cult classic.
In addition to executive producing and penning all the lyrics on her own project, Moses has written songs for other artists including Nivea, Christina Milian, Mary J. Blige and others. She was featured on and co-wrote two songs from Raphael Saadiq's 2004 album Ray Ray, "Chic" and "I Want You Back". Her songs have been showcased in the Logo series Noah's Arc as well as in the HBO hit show Entourage, and in movies such as Never Die Alone, Beauty Shop, and Be Cool.
Though Moses had not released a studio album in several years, she could be found touring and doing live shows on a regular basis. From March to November 2010 Moses was a spokesmodel on the Lady Hennessy Tour. In addition, Moses continued to release underground, all-original mixtapes for her fans to enjoy while she awaited a new label deal that was necessitated by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed by the now defunct TVT Records in 2008.

2011–present

On March 25, 2011, it was announced that Moses had signed to rapper Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group via Warner Bros. Records as its first female artist. In 2011, Moses released the Luxurious Undergrind mixtape.
In February 2014, Moses released the single "All I Ever Wanted×All I Ever Wanted18 September 2015 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1All I Ever Wanted3:42," which samples Dynasty's 1980 song "Adventures in the Land of Music". The song was released as the lead single from her EP Cognac & Conversation×Cognac & Conversation7 August 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1R U Scared3:222All I Ever Wanted3:423International Playboi4:514Biscayne Blvd (interlude)0:295Get It Right3:256Cognac & Conversation3:397Only U4:428Sketches of Heartbreak (interlude)0:429Beautiful Chaos3:3210Skin Diver3:4711That One4:1712Sound Off (interlude)1:5513Yesterday Ain't Tomorrow4:0914Wish U Were Here (interlude)1:2615No Regrets3:28, which is co-executive produced by Rick Ross and Raphael Saadiq.
In December 2014, it was reported that Moses signed to Shanachie Records after the ill-fated alliance with Maybach Music Group. Moses revealed singer Avery Sunshine was the reason why she signed with the label, due to the success that Sunshine is having while being on Shanachie's roster. On August 8, 2015, finally second album Cognac & Conversation was released.

Songwriting style

When writing songs, Moses prefers to do so alone in her own space. Commenting on this Moses said; "I hate to admit it because it sounds so weird, but I don't like other energies around me. I need to be alone, in my own space, with just me and my music so I can be honest with whatever I feel from the music; otherwise I'm just giving something from the surface." Moses also tries to always be honest with her lyrical content noting it as important to her, expanding on this Moses commented saying "If I'm honest with people, then people will feel that. And that's been my experience so far, just being frank about my feelings about life, and my experiences in life and love. I think me being honest like that is why I've gained sincere fans. From here to America, sincere people who really dig me, that can quote lyrics."

Songwriting credits

2001: "Still in Love" — from Nivea's album Nivea
2004: "Dip It Low" — from Christina Milian's album It's About Time
2004: Complex Simplicity – debut album entirely written by Teedra Moses
2004: "Chic" and "I Want You Back" – from Raphael Saadiq's album Raphael Saadiq As Ray Ray
2005: "Get Up on Ya Gangsta" — from Teairra Marí's album Roc-A-Fella Presents: Teairra Marí
2006: "Here We Go" — from Trina's album Glamorest Life
2006: "So Lady" — from the Japanese and international edition of Mary J. Blige's album The Breakthrough
2007: "Finally Made Me Happy", "Ghetto Love", and "AEIOU" — from Macy Gray's album Big
2008: "So Deep So Fast" — leaked track from Christina Milian's album It's About Time
2010: "Still Hurts" — from Macy Gray's album The Sellout
2014: "The Last Song" — from Terrace Martin' album 3ChordFold Pulse

Albums

Complex Simplicity (2004)
Cognac & Conversation (2015)

Mixtapes

The Young Hustla Compilation (2004)
Young Hustla, Vol II: Live from the Jungle Mixtape (2007)
Lionhearted – Young Hustla, Vol. III (2009)
Royal Patience Compilation... A Love Journey (2010)
Luxurious Undergrind (2011)
Clair Voyant: The Mixtape (2015)

Collaborations

2003: "Hot 1" and "I'm That Gangsta" — from Ras Kass' album Presents Re-Up The Compilation
2003: "Realize" — from Bravehearts' album Bravehearted
2004: "Chic" and "I Want You Back" — from Raphael Saadiq's album Ray Ray
2005: "Get High" — from Ambitious' album The Intricate Plot
2005: "Put That Thang Down" — from Ying Yang Twins' album U.S.A. (United States of Atlanta)
2005: "Here We Go" — from Trina's album Glamorest Life (the album features the version with Kelly Rowland)
2006: "Nothings Gonna Change" and "County Jail" — Scipio
2008: "Get Yours" — Raheem DeVaughn
2009: "Internet Connection" — from Nu Jerzey Karpet's album Mr. Red Karpet
2010: "World On Wheels" — X.O. aka Scipio
2010: "Turns Me On" — from Big Boi's album Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
2010: "Magic Touch" — Triflon
2011: "Face The Music" — from Trackademicks' album State of the Arts
2011: "Self Made", "Rise" & "Running Rebels" — from Maybach Music Group's album Self Made Vol. 1
2011: "Me & My Nuh" — from 9th Wonder's album The Wonder Years
2011: "It's On You" — from the mixtape Wing Stop & Cîroc hosted by DJ Scream & DJ Sam Sneak
2011: "I Wish I Could Fly" — from Fiend's mixtape Smokin' Champagne
2012: "Go Get It" — from Torch's mixtape UFO Vol. 2
2012: "We Fly" — from Terrace Martin's album 3ChordFold
2012: "Amsterdam" — from Rick Ross' album God Forgives, I Don't
2012: "Message From The Soul Sisters" — from the compilation Soul Finger The Life, Love & Passion Sessions Volume 1
2013: "Breathe" — from Donnie Cash's album Antithesis of Average
2013: "Coupes & Roses" with Stalley — from Maybach Music Group's compilation album Self Made Vol. 3
2014: "Nobody" — from Rick Ross' album Mastermind
2014: "The Last Song" — from Terrace Martin' album 3ChordFold Pulse
2015: "Heartbreak" — from Semi Hendrix' (Ras Kass and Jack Splash) album Breakfast at Banksy's
2016: "Entitled" — from Torae's album Entitled
2016: "Evil Genius" – from Ab-Soul's album Do What Thou Wilt.
2019: "Culture×Culture12 December 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Culture4:09" – from Kaytranada's album BUBBA