Afrobeats sensation Teni sits down with Billboard News’ Rania Aniftos to discuss the inspiration behind her new album Tears of the Sun, what it means to be a Nigerian woman in the music industry, the growth of Afrobeats and more!
Teni and Rania Aniftos:Money can’t buy you love, money don’t fill this emptiness, but I want all the money in the world.
Teni:You did well. Good job, good job.
My name is Teni, sugar mommy of the whole world, and this is Billboard News.
Rania Aniftos:Hi everybody, it’s Rania Aniftos with Billboard News, and I’m here with Afrobeats superstar Teni.
Teni:Ta-da.
Rania Aniftos:Afrobeats has been really rising in the U.S and has been really accepted by American culture over the past few years. Why do you think that is?
Teni:We are everywhere, and the sound is spiritual. Afrobeats or Afropop or Afro-everything, you can do anything with Afro.
Rania Aniftos:Yeah.
Teni:The beauty in Afrobeats is the joy, but also the pain. The music suffers. Triumphant. It’s …
Rania Aniftos:Everything.
Teni:It’s everything.
Because everybody goes through pain. Everybody cries sometimes.
Rania Aniftos:And I mean, so pain is something that you touch on a lot, especially with your album Tears of the Sun, you said that it’s a double entendre. Tell us a bit about that and the inspiration behind balancing the pain with the joy with the highs and the lows.
Teni:For anyone who’s ever tasted success, they’ve also tasted pain. Pain is a very big recipe for success. So I don’t run away from it — I embrace it, I turn it into something positive.
Rania Aniftos:What song are you most excited for people to hear on the album?
Teni:One of the songs is definitely a song I wrote from my heart. It’s like, money don’t buy you happiness. Should I sing it?
Rania Aniftos:Yes, please do.
Teni:They say money don’t buy you happiness. Money can’t buy you love. Money don’t fill this emptiness. But I want all the money in the world.
Rania Aniftos:Yes.
Teni:Can you sing that?
Rania Aniftos:Now I go?
Teni:Yes, you go.
Rania Aniftos:I can’t sing.
Teni:Don’t worry! You can do it, you can do it. I will hold your hand. I will hold your hand.
Teni and Rania Aniftos:Money don’t fill this emptiness, but I want all the money in the world.
Teni:Just keep interviewing people, OK?
Rania Aniftos:I will.
Teni:Don’t sing.
Rania Aniftos:Trust me.
Since your debut album, you’ve grown quite a bit — both spiritually, emotionally, musically. Who are you introducing to the world with your upcoming album Tears of the Sun?
Teni:I’m introducing a girl that just don’t care. That’s who I’m introducing. You know, growing up in Nigeria where I grew up, we grew up with so much culture, tradition, you know, you must respect your elders, you must do this, you must do that. And you know, some of it is right, some of it is wrong. You know, some times have changed. And, you know, I’ve learned as a woman coming from where I’m coming from, to be able to express myself, to be able to say how I feel, to nobody telling me you’re a woman and this is where you belong, or this is what you can do, this is how you should dress. I do what I want, how I want it because the calling is on me. If I can’t be myself, how am I going to deliver the message?
Rania Aniftos:Wow.
Teni:How am I going to be happy? You know, so, I, on this album just said, could I use the F word?
Rania Aniftos:Yeah.
Teni:And I said, “F–k this.” I’m gonna do me even if it’s one person that gets what I’m saying that’s a win for me.
It’s all love, all love, brother, yeah, it’s all love.
Rania Aniftos:You were so wonderful. I had the best time speaking with you today. Thank you so much.
Teni:Thank you. I like to do it. Hi. I’ll just do a presenter. Hi, my name is Teni.
Rania Aniftos:Oh, you’re about to do that.
Teni:Sitting on the couch with Billboard. We are wrapping it up. Expect the album Tears of the Sun coming soon. Thank you very much. How did I do as a journalist? As a presenter?
Rania Aniftos:Very good.
Watch the full interview above!
