Colombian-Canadian singer-songwriter and producer Tei Shi releases new single “GRIP,” it’s Tei’s first independent release and touches on the harrowing experience she underwent while in the middle of a strained relationship with her labels at the time.
“GRIP” was born out of a contentious moment, but it showcases Tei Shi’s relentless and defiant spirit as she steps into her power. The striking visual directed by frequent collaborator Jonatán López depicts the literal chokehold Tei Shi was under as she was dealing with the exploitative facets of the music industry.
Tei had this to say about the video:
This video came together at the very end of a long day of shooting, with only 4 minutes of film left. It was a last-minute idea inspired by a photography book Jonatán (the director) had gravitated towards throughout the day, and with only 20 minutes left at the studio, we decided to shoot it. We did it in one take. The video reads very much like a photograph, which is something I love because it allows for a lot of emotion to come through in such a still and simple frame. It’s almost like a painting to me. I feel like it puts the song in a more classic space and brings things out of it in a way that isn’t there with just the audio. The intimacy allowed me to get out some of the emotion I’d been holding back when it comes to this song…it’s very loaded for me. I love that it came together the way it did, it was a really magical few minutes.