Had to Come Here to Go There: Tei Shi Reaches New Heights
- Josh Kitchen
- Sep 23
- 6 min read
By: Josh Kitchen / September 23, 2025
Tei Shi [pronounced TAY-shee] has been at it for a while. Born in Buenos Aires and raised between Colombia and Canada, she started self-releasing her music in 2013, and over the next decade has grown into a critical and creative tour de force. In 2024, she released her third full-length album, Valerie, and she’s already back with a follow-up. Make believe I make believe was self-released just three weeks ago, recorded quickly on Vancouver Island with her longtime collaborators Noah Beresin and Tommy English.
Fans of her signature pop-forward oeuvre will find plenty to admire, alongside new genres and soundscapes that will draw in fresh listeners. It’s a record that feels both familiar and completely new. Tei Shi also brings along a friend on the infectious “222,” featuring fellow Colombian trailblazer Loyal Lobos. Other highlights include the ethereal “Best Be Leaving” and the ultra-intimate “Nanaimo,” which closes the record and takes its name from the small city on her native Vancouver Island. Make believe I make believe is one of the freshest, most exciting releases of the year, solidifying Tei Shi as one of the most compelling voices in pop today.
I caught up with Tei Shi just after the album dropped to talk about the inspirations behind Make believe I make believe, the freedom she’s found in self-releasing, what’s been on her reading list, and how she’s bringing it all to life on tour starting September 26 in Los Angeles.
Make believe I make believe has been out for about three weeks now. Talk to me about how it feels having this out.
It feels really good, and rewarding in a different way. This is my second fully independently released album, but it really kind of feels like my first in a lot of ways because from conception to release, it was all done independently. I’m just really happy that I was able to make an album in such a short, concentrated period of time and release it all within a year. That feels really exciting. It still feels really fresh, and the music is still very much in me. So yeah, I’m really happy to have it out, and excited to take the music on the road.
I'm glad you described it that way, because I hear so much confidence and independence in your voice here. You can tell this project is all you. Right now, a lot of artists are sort of reclaiming their agency over recording and how projects gets released. Do you agree that’s what you captured on the record?
Yeah, absolutely. I was in such a different state of mind going into making this album than I ever was with my last project, just because I knew there was going to be nobody else telling me, “maybe this way, maybe not that, maybe try more of this.” I knew it was going to be completely my vision. It makes sense that a lot of the artists who are doing exciting stuff are going independent, because we can nowadays. It almost feels counterintuitive not to. We have all these tools at our disposal. Obviously, it depends on the kind of artist you are and what you need, but for me it just made so much sense.
I started my music and persona in the independent, DIY indie scene back in the blog era, and that’s really at the core of me. A lot of artists who started then are now coming full circle after trying the traditional route—labels, advances, the promise of money to make an album—and realizing the value of creative freedom.
I always think that it makes the art even better when you can do that. And it’s not to say you don’t like collaborating—“222” with Loyal Lobos is a killer track. Talk to me about that one.
I love that song so much. I love her music. We kind of operate in similar spaces—she’s Colombian as well, she’s lived in the U.S. for a long time, so she straddles both worlds: feeling at home in English and American culture but also very much in her Colombian identity. I see myself reflected in that, too. That song was so much fun to make. You can hear us giggling and laughing, saying crazy things in the background. I love collaboration for that reason. Every collaborator brings something different out of you, and you bring something out of them. This song just feels very feminine, not taking itself too seriously but also very powerful. I love how it came about, and that it’s the only feature on the album.
What makes this album so exciting is that there’s something for all kinds of music lovers—there’s a song like “222,” there’s reggaeton, and a sort of dreamy indie vocal track that closes the album - “Nanaimo.” This has to be one of your prettiest songs you've released. It feels intimate, almost DIY, like watching you record in a quiet room. Talk to me about that.
I love that a song like “Nanaimo” is on the same album as “222,” because that’s me. My voice is the unifying thing, but the environment is always different. I love contrast on an album. There’s always a point where it goes from one extreme to another, and I like that element of surprise. On this album, I liked that it opens and closes with very acoustic, folk-inspired songs. That’s something newer for me. Both of those songs, especially “Nanaimo,” are me trying to make my little folk song about a place that’s really special to me. That’s not something I’ve done before. Those two really intimate songs—just my voice and guitar—bookend the album, and it feels right.
“Nanaimo” is the perfect wrapping up of everything I was trying to say. It was where we made the album. We spent a week fully immersed in creating, and then stepped out. That song came directly from that experience.
You don't start your tour until October, but you're playing a date at the Lodge Room in LA with Harmony opening. Talk to me about the tour—what are you excited for, and what can we expect?
I’m really excited. Putting together this show is really fun. The music still feels so present and fresh—it’ll be less than a year since I started making the album when the tour begins.
This is going to be the most visual show I’ve done. I’m putting a lot of effort into lighting, stage design, the whole flow of the show. I want it to feel like stepping into a portal and then stepping out. I’m performing the entire album, plus songs from my past discography. The set is a mix of old and new, and it’ll be visually beautiful. I’m bringing the vocals, so expect a magical evening.
People need that kind of outlet right now—to connect, be present, and be with community.
Yeah. That’s becoming more and more valuable. I hope live music—especially independent live music—has a resurgence because of how disconnected we are from authentic expression. That’s what excites me about this tour in a way past tours didn’t. I know it’s needed: spaces for people to meet, share, and escape. That’s what I want to provide. I feel hopeful for live music and where it’s headed, especially after the rock bottom of the pandemic.
What are you reading right now?
I’ve been reading Ocean Vuong’s The Emperor of Gladness, which I think has been on everybody’s list. I’m about halfway through but had to take a break around the album release.
I’ve also been consuming more journalism. It feels like people don't really read articles anymore; they skim headlines or Instagram comments. I have friends who are journalists, and I know how hard that industry is, so I’ve been making an effort to read full articles and share them.
I love that. More people should pick a magazine they like and start a subscription.
I actually subscribed to the Financial Times Weekend Edition, which is arts and culture focused. It comes every Saturday, and it’s great tangible reading material—everything from food to eco-tourism to fashion.
What would you tell yourself from 10 years ago?
Don’t stay in shitty relationships too long. Get out. Get a good lawyer. And put more of your energy into writing and creating than into trying to convince other people of your worth.
I spent so much emotional and physical energy navigating drama and situations, taking things to heart. I wish I had compartmentalized that more and saved my energy for creating.
It takes a lot of learning and experience to get to that realization. And this new album feels like it was made by someone who got there..
Yeah, I agree. That’s why I feel proud—it took a long time to get to that place. But that realization allowed me to make these songs and this album.
Follow Tei Shi here
Catch Tei Shi at the Lodge Room this Friday, September 26!
Listen to Make believe I make believe below and pre-order the vinyl here
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