Decked in full black attire and shoulder length hair, one would be unsuspecting of what freckle-faced Teashhur Dekan could whip up with her warm disposition and welcoming demeanour.
But the pensive mother of two is a singer-songwriter whose piano driven ambient-pop ballads could send tears streaming down the floodgates of our eyes. Her music can be described as ethereal and symphonically spiritual, leaving listeners floating in a space of unprecedented emotion – a raw humble human state one can only savour with kneeling knees and a broken heart.
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The Australian-born troubadour has had her fair share of life’s turbulent circumstances, having dealt with the demise of a loved one to cancer in 2011, spurring the detailed lyricist to pen melancholic songs of loss and love as a cathartic process of healing and reconciliation.
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Having recently independently released a three-track debut EP titled Dreams in November, Teashhur wrote most of the EP while living in Dubai. The classically trained pianist has also trained vocally in London and recorded the EP with upcoming Singapore-based UK producer Julian Simons.
The title track of the EP tells a narrative of the struggles of the night, a story of how a resilient woman grapples with the concept of death and the loss of a loved one. The song starts off with a simple chord progression accompanied with haunting vocals but soon morphs into an anthemic song of strength and hope in having found love again, added with the emotional touch of the sounds of the violin in the background.
The other tracks off the EP such as “Boats” is about the hurt of rejection while “Angel Eyes” is a tune specially penned for a dear friend who went through a difficult time with the underlying message that even in the midst of struggle and turmoil, escapism is not a choice with personal obligations and that, ultimately, normality cannot be escaped.
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While motherhood seems to pose as a deterrence for many intent to pursue their passion, Teashhur has not been limited by her motherly duties. Instead, her reservations have emboldened a greater discipline and depth in her music, often organizing practice sessions while her two sons are away at school. Her younger son, aged two would often chirp in whenever she sings, attempting to steal the limelight by proclaiming to sing “Wheels on the Bus”.
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Teashhur’s music serves as a reminder to us all, that even in the midst of life’s dire circumstances, one can be emotionally in touch with the state of our hearts yet remain hopeful and forthcoming of the future. Her resilience and candour can be heard throughout the record, showing no signs of remnants of her past – her youthful goth and punk-rock days.
She proclaims, “sometimes words aren’t enough to express what you feel”. It goes without saying that her music does.
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The Dreams EP is available on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and CD Baby. Alternatively, you can catch Teashhur live with a full band this Sunday, December 18 at Hard Rock Café Singapore from 7pm onwards as part of the Made in Singapore – A Night of Original Music showcase.
You can also expect more tear-jerking melancholic music from her sometime in March 2017.
