Tuelo – Green Light
Today, South African-born, NYC/Dublin-based folk-rock musician Tuelo shares hopeful, calming track & official video “Green Light.” The latest release sees Tuelo reckon with a fast-paced, ever-changing world as she attempts to maintain her sense of self and find brightness in the future. Tuelo will celebrate the release at Debbie’s in NYC on June 20, open to the public.
The artist’s bold second studio album Regarding My Heart is due out September 27.
With her most refined, self-assured sound to date, Regarding My Heart is a sweeping sonic exploration of love, loss and loneliness that allows Tuelo to proudly re-introduce herself as she carves a space in folk-rock that is all her own.
Written in Belgium in 2018, the track poured out of the artist as she began to reckon with major life changes, relationships evolving or ending, and the pace at which life moves today, aiming to calm her mind in any way she could. Tuelo explains, “It’s like I needed to give myself the impetus to restart friendships, to reexamine relationships, to be at peace with a period of self inquiry and questioning the universe, and of calming the noise. It stems from the fact that I started walking straight into traffic in New York City, oblivious to things around me. I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders without anyone to lean on. More than that, I started worrying that I would be involved in an actual accident if I couldn’t get my mind right.”
Ultimately, the track gives Tuelo the necessary space to quiet the outside noise and reassure herself of her path, desires and the brighter future ahead, acting as a crucial beacon of light. “There is so much stimulation, confusion and make-believe emerging, it felt urgent to be reminded to focus. Concentrate on the ‘Green Light’ – on good advice, on guidance, on the “everything is ok” sign.”
The track also chronicles Tuelo’s journey away from religion and its impact on her meaningful new relationship with herself, as well as music’s vital role in this. The artist says, “I found that I was even more focused on being good, doing right, listening and serving what is good and serving my spirit. Song is always part of my practice.”
The track’s accompanying video, directed by Kevin Wenzel, is a mirror of a mysterious ancient artifact and Tuelo, the visitor. A visit to a museum reveals an African masquerade, an idea from brilliant and spiritual West African masquerades. Tuelo says, “In it I awaken an ancient artifact that takes up space in a museum and let it free. Green Light is exactly that – a vibration.”
Inspired by a visit to the British Museum, Wenzel recalls, “When we were recording the album we traveled to London to work with producer Robbie Nelson, and I remember talking with Tuelo after she visited the museum for the first time about seeing all of the looted artifacts from around the world there. When creating the concept for the video we wanted to pull from that experience, and from the feeling in the music of finding direction in chaos–finding clarity and connection. So much of that clarity comes from traditions, history, and art, yet in a modern setting so much of it is distorted, walled off, or completely hidden from sight. We wanted the song and dancing to be a way to break through.”
Tuelo’s forthcoming cinematic second full-length studio album, Regarding My Heart, brings together her humble beginnings with who she is today–filled with lush textures, dynamic sounds, layered strings, horns and guitars, soaring vocals and intimate lyricism. With its vivid storytelling and unbridled honesty, the project has provided Tuelo with the space to heal, listen to herself and center her voice. Tuelo says, “This album has been the way that I could explain a life I thought was over. It has been the way I could explain a love I thought could be the only one. I could be silent. After many years of fear as a migrant alone, I had a story to tell, and when it came to my heart I needed to remind myself that I am deserving of some kind of love.” Beginning with one central song and building from there, Tuelo crafted a resonant glimpse into her heart from different perspectives.
On her unique songwriting process that generates dozens of songs, Tuelo shares, “With ‘Regarding My Heart,’ I began to write over 70 songs that are called songs and shadows, which is a particular songwriting process I came up with of one core song followed by additional songs inspired by and answering back to this main song in different ways to include nuance in a journey.”
Tuelo says the album is, “by the lonely for the lonely. It’s about holding on to every ounce of peace, patience, pace, and the rhythm of the world.” Interspersed between the tracks are chant versions and towards the end, piano versions that offer alternate takes on the original versions while paying homage to Tuelo’s roots. Across three continents, the project’s expansive sound was brought to life with help from multi-GRAMMY® award-winning producer (Album of the Year, Best Rock Album) Robbie Nelson, guitar producer Kirk Schoenherr, longtime collaborator Kevin Wenzel and features backing vocals from Tuelo’s sisters.
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