Fellow Grammy-winner Angelique Kidjo has been named by the Guardian as one of the Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World. The singer blends elements of R&B, funk and jazz as well as European and Latin American influences.
Teeks, who has never previously been to Womad, says he's thrilled to lead Aotearoa's contingent at the world music festival.
"From what I've heard, it's different to a lot of other festivals," he says. "The music that's played there is very eclectic; it comes from a lot of different ethnic and cultural influences in terms of the line-up, so I'm really excited."
He also looks forward to connecting with international heavyweights from across the globe.
"That's one of my favourite parts about doing this work," he says. "You meet all these different types of people from around the world, and you never know who you're going to meet, and you never know the relationships you end up making; you meet people with the same passions and the same aspirations as you."
After a massive 2017, Teeks has been quietly working on his debut full-length album. It's the first time he's worked on music full-time – a life change that has not been without challenges.
"I had to try and adjust to that because it's a whole different thing," he says. "I'm learning about myself, and because I don't have a set routine, that type of thing is in itself a big thing to get your head around.
"In terms of the music I'm making, it's brought out some stuff that I guess I wouldn't have done if I was working," he says. "Now I'm fully immersed in it, and now I spend every day trying to put something to paper.
"This season of creativity, I'm going through a lot of self-discovery and growth. I'm hoping people will be into it," he says. "At the moment it can get quite isolating and has its ups and downs. But that's creativity. It's unpredictable and you just go with it."
LOWDOWN:
Who: Teeks
What: Womad Festival
When: March 15-17, 2019
Where: Brooklands Park, New Plymouth
