Greentea Peng - Green (Single)
Photo Credit: William Spooner
Revered, genre-blurring artist Greentea Peng returns with “GREEN”, the latest single from her forthcoming 14-track album, “TELL DEM IT’S SUNNY”, set for release on March 21st via AWAL.
“GREEN” is an ode to resilience, with lyrics about alchemising suffering into strength. With her signature honeyed vocals and soul-stirring production, layered with lush instrumentation and a deep-rooted bassline, the song radiates a sense of renewal, urging listeners to reclaim their energy and step into their truth. Produced by kindred spirit collaborator St.Francis Hotel, Peng’s themes of surrender, shedding of old skin and returning to centre are sewn together by cascading, wordless vocalisations; capturing those emotions too raw to be constrained by words.
“GREEN touches on the necessary shedding of one's skin in order to evolve. The perpetual cycle of death and rebirth one must embrace upon the voyage inward, in the turbulent pursuit of knowledge of self, loss is inevitable and thus surrender becomes the order of the day.” - Greentea Peng
First single “TARDIS (hardest)” was a perfect introduction to this new era - a fearless, low-swung manifesto, showcasing Peng’s unmistakable word-craft over production which is at once tower-block streetwise and mystical. Next was “ONE FOOT”, the chorus of which is a standout example of the stop-in-your-tracks vocals which punctuate Peng’s spoken-truths throughout the album. Most recently “STONES THROW” was an evocative exploration of vulnerability, resilience, and transformation, a poignant lament showcasing Peng’s unique ability to channel personal pain into transcendent art.
Whereas her debut album opus, 2021’s transportative MAN MADE, looked outward into the world - Greentea’s lens interpreting the collective and universal experiences of a charged period of time - “TELL DEM IT’S SUNNY” draws inward, from global place-finding, to the raw primality of being human. The politics of self anchors this 14 song exploration.
Given the personal growth of the past 3 years, it comes as no surprise that the creative process of “TELL DEM IT’S SUNNY” was more expressive and hands-on than ever before, with Peng playing bass on multiple tracks and delving more deeply into the production side of the craft. More broadly the album’s producer roll gives an insight into the levels of talent and diversity behind the veil of the record. Longtime collaborator, London-based hitmaker Earbuds features heavily, alongside versatile talent Samo - creative and kindred spirits. Following on from their work on Peng’s 2022 mixtape GREENZONE 108, multi-platinum producer Nat Powers and the legendary, enigmatic producer St.Francis Hotel also return to put their stamp on the album.