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‘Subtle Heat’: TEEKS Returns with ‘Seductive’ Single ‘Red Light’

“I wanted to come back with some subtle heat,” TEEKS shares

TEEKS

Frances Carter

Award-winning Māori artist TEEKS (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui) is back, unveiling his first new music in three years with the release of “Red Light”.

Released on Friday (November 22nd), the sultry song signals a bold new chapter for the singer-songwriter, exploring themes of identity, desire, and self-expression with his signature soulful touch.

“I wanted to come back with some subtle heat. Something intentionally seductive,” TEEKS says of the new release.

Te Karehana took to socials last week sharing the special announcement to devoted fans, writing, “Thank you for being patient. Thank you for your continued support. Thank you for giving me the time to figure out what I want to say. This is just the start of what’s to come but I couldn’t let this year finish without giving you something in return.”

TEEKS’ single follows the monumental success of his 2021 debut album, Something to Feel, which topped the charts, earned platinum status, and cemented TEEKS as one of Aotearoa’s most captivating voices.

Since then, he’s captivated audiences with sold-out shows across New Zealand and Australia and amassed over a billion views on short-form video platforms. Now, “Red Light” marks a fresh creative direction for TEEKS, who spent the past few years diving deep into the creative process.

“I entered this writing phase with my heart and mind wide open,” he explains. “With a playfulness and a curiosity to understand myself better, to pay attention to my body and my senses, but also just to have fun and to fall back in love with the process of creating.”

Co-written and produced with Rory Noble, “Red Light” blends TEEKS’ timeless sound with modern production, offering fans a glimpse of what’s to come in 2025. The release is accompanied by a visualiser filmed in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) by TEEKS’ long-time collaborator, Ray Edwards, further enhancing the song’s evocative tone (watch above).

Stream “Red Light” by TEEKS below.