derek ted

we caught up with derek ted for an intimate interview

question: We are loving your new single “Someday Soon.” Can you tell us a little about the backstory of that song? When was it written and recorded?
answer: Thank you! It was written & recorded in October, 2020. I was going crazy in quarantine and had fallen in love with someone special that had recently moved back across the world to be with their family during the pandemic. It was Spring where she was, and I was feeling her Springtime magic. I recorded it shortly after I wrote it – live one mic to a broken Tascam 4 track cassette recorder with my friend Peter sitting in the room. He randomly showed up to the studio to say “hi” and I told him I had to do one thing really quick (haha.)

question: What was your first musical project? What does a day in the life of Derek Ted consist of?
answer: My first musical project was my old band “Owl Paws” with my best friends back in San Francisco. We made a hybrid mix of like emo-rock with folk music. We had a lot of fun and had some crazy experiences that informed so much for me as a young musician. A day in my life consists of: waking up and drinking a Yerba Mate. I head out to the garden and tend to the plants then either start my studio work for the day and sometimes get lunch with my roommate Kev. Weed when the caffeine slows down and then follow that out through the evening time. I’m truly addicted to the studio and it’s really hard to get me out of the house or doing anything else (haha.)

question: What is your personal favorite song you’ve written? If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
answer: I think one of my favorite songs I’ve written is a new one called “THC” and the title track of my new record ‘Times Have Changed’. It feels somber to listen to but the chord changes and melody just make me so happy. A song I really love from the past couple years and listen to a lot (and potentially only that song for the rest of my life) is “Riverside Heights” by Fionn Regan. It’s so soothing and beautiful i just love it. Or maybe “two reverse” by Adrianne Lenker.

question: Do you have a new full length album in the works? Which albums are your biggest musical influences?
answer: Yes! I have a new record done and am starting to slowly release some singles. I think its the most genuine collection of songs I’ve ever made. Some are very simple live recordings and others are huge epic arrangements in ways I’ve never done before. It was my quarantine psychedelic obsession to pass the time… and I’m super stoked to share. I think as of recently, I’ve been fully inspired by Big Thief and Adrianne Lenker. She has so much self awareness in her songwriting, it’s really beautiful. Nick Drake ‘Five Leaves Left,’ Phoebe Bridgers ‘Punisher,’ Porches “The House,’ and Fionn Regan ‘Cala.’

question: What has it been like collaborating with your partner Juliet Sunflower? Do you have an ultimate goal for Derek Ted?
answer: It’s really been special. Juliet is such a special person and talented songwriter/singer/musician, just sharing energy with her has taught me so much about myself and my own craft. We’ve got a little something cooking up and named our project “Blue Hours” and we will definitely be sharing that music soon. My ultimate goal is just to make the best and truest art to myself as I can, and just see where that takes me. I think every song or record I release is a new chapter, and done to my best ability at that time. I try my best to be at peace with that, but there’s always that next song or next thing that keeps the cycle alive.