In Talks With Teezandos

Teezandos has been a shining light for female artists in the drill scene. Proclaimed the ‘Princess’ of UK drill, Zandos has enjoyed recent success with her single, ‘UH’, as well as her appearance on the Tim and Barry series, ‘No Miming’. We sat down to discuss her position in the drill scene, realising her potential, and her admiration for Lil Uzi Vert. 

At the start of the year you were named as one of the rappers to watch for 2021 by Complex. Has this kind of recognition driven you to improve and perfect your musical process?

Nah, stuff like that doesn’t really determine what I do or anything like that. I’m still gonna do what I’m doing, I don’t need a platform to guide me if that makes sense, I don’t need a platform to push me, do you get it? I was always gonna do what I’m doing, calm.

You’ve dropped two tracks in the last two months. Do you feel like you’re at the top of your game right now?

No, I’m nowhere near the top of my game, I’m just getting started.

You have been called, ‘the Princess of UK drill’. Is that a label you enjoy having?

I’m the face of drill. I’m like the face of this era of female drill music, don’t kill me. Yeah man, when all that Princess stuff and that came out, I was thinking ‘you man are mad! You man are mad, like you’re just trying to keep the peace with me so I don’t bug out.’ Fuck all that. I’m the face of female drill. I say it with chest: I started it.

How difficult is it being a woman in a typically male dominated scene?

The only time I’m ever looked at as a female in drill is because I carry it, if that makes sense. No, it’s not difficult being a woman in general, because I’m not really seen as a female in drill until it’s like, just me carrying it. That’s when people notice how much I carry drill. That’s when I’m noticed as a female. Other than that I’m in the same boat as the guys.

When you look at artists like La Vida Loca and Shaybo, would you say that competition between female drill artists is healthy, or would you like to see more collaboration between those in the scene?

I feel like every female artist I’ve come across is strong enough by themselves to be honest. And I think that’s why majority of them or us don’t collaborate because we’re strong by ourselves. And then we don’t really need it. You’d think there was only one spot at the top for women in drill, but there’s more. The stigma around that has made it seem like only one female will be able to pull through at the end of the day. No, there’s multiple spots for females, multiple.

What music are you listening to at the moment?

Right now I’m listening to a lot of New York drill. I also listen to rock, Ray Charles, stuff like that which people might not think I’d be into.

Who would you say would be your dream collaboration?

Eazy-E if he was still alive but he’s not is he? Nah, but right now my dream collaboration would be with Lil Uzi Vert, he’s hard. He liked one of my songs on my Insta page and I was gassed innit, so there might be some hope in the future for me, still.

Finally, what’s next for Teezandos?

What’s next is wherever I’ve got coming, to be honest. See me, yeah? I’m like, I’m one of them. I don’t know what I’m doing or where I’m going. I just go, so people are gonna have to make do with what they get. I’m just doing me, man. It’s Zando way or no way, and if you don’t like it, you can kick rocks. That’s actually my motto. I’m just doing me and if people like it, they like it, and if they don’t, that’s that. 

Teezandos definitely doesn’t lack self confidence, and that could be her greatest asset going forward. Combining her obvious and pioneering musical talent with her self assured, unfazed attitude will stand her in good stead, whatever she decides her next move to be.