Teagan Littlechief Shares “Need You To Go”
Teagan Littlechief, a proud Cree woman from Saskatchewan, is a powerhouse vocalist drawing inspiration from icons like Celine Dion and Selena. With multiple #1 hits on the Indigenous Canadian Charts, she’s performed at major festivals and made history at the 109th Canadian Grey Cup by singing the National Anthem in English, French, and Cree. Teagan is not only a talented artist but also a passionate advocate for raising awareness about domestic abuse and substance abuse through motivational speaking engagements. Her accolades include SCMA Indigenous Artist of The Year and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee for the Arts medal, solidifying her impact in music and community advocacy.
Teagan unveiled her latest single, “Need You To Go” in December 2023.
First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Teagan Littlechief, I’m from White Bear First Nations and I’ve been singing since I could walk and talk. I’ve been clean and sober for just over 6 years, got my diploma in addiction counseling in 2021, and work full time as an Addiction Counselor/Youth Support at our k-12 education complex. I am a single mother to my main Gabe (son) Two dogs whose names are Dill & Pickles, and one cat named Socks.
I started recording at an early age, The first songs that I recorded were my mom’s – one was called “Let’s Not Fall In Love” and the other “Wild Girl”. I’ve co-written with Terry Fernihough, and I’ve worked a lot with Sean Hogan in the last few years. I’m currently signed with Black Mountain Music & Media and my music route is ever changing for the better.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
My latest release called Need You To Go was written by myself and Jessie Weiman at Nolita Studios. I wanted to write or tell a story about how much my son means to me and how important his feelings are. The fight with sobriety and being able to take life 1 day at a time. When my son would have a comfortable conversation with me, he would always look into my eyes and be able to tell me something straight to my face. There was a day when we sat in the car and I looked in the back seat, my son would not look me in the eyes. I knew he was feeling down so I said, “Just tell me how you’re feeling. Maybe mom feels the same way.” When he replied it was just, so emotional. He had tears coming down his cheeks. Leaving a relationship is not easy because there are already feelings established. There are you know, so many memories already made. Trying to break that bond is tough, but it is manageable.
How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or creative routine that you follow?
I wish I could say I had a routine for how to write but I don’t. I do however have multiple voice notes saved in my phone of one-line lyrics or just humming so I have some type of rhythm going on because I don’t play an instrument (haha). Although when I was younger, I played the piano and I have been discussing with my team, getting a keyboard. I have also considered learning the harmonica.
Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?
I’m very fond of my recent single in particular “Need You To Go” because of the background of the song and the meaning. I do hope to do more with it like a video or photo ops. I hope my single reaches those who are struggling with addiction, relationships with partners, and children who are scared to say how they feel (it is ok to say how you feel). Need You To Go is for anyone needing to find that confidence and strength to say “I choose me and those important to me” over someone who doesn’t fit my (our) equation. I worked with ZKY Promotions on the marketing, Lauren Tutty for Canadian radio, and Black Mountain Music & Media for international tracking. My Canadian tracking is wrapping up, but I am really excited by the amount of adds it received. It is my highest streaming single, thanks to Sara and her team. “Need You To Go” is still being distributed and promoted to international radio and I was so excited to have KIX Country in Australia pick it up. We are just heading into our 5th week with international radio, and so far, I have over 870 adds.
My next project is still in the development stage, but I am really excited about it. Stay tuned to find out more!
Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?
The highlight that made a turning point in my career was having the honour to perform the Canadian National Anthem at the 109th Grey Cup. It had a huge impact because I was asked to not only perform it in English and French but Cree. I’m not fluent in French nor Cree, sometimes not even English but I had a few weeks to learn. Annunciation and studying took a lot of time to make sure I did the best I could.
Last but not least, it’s time to pay it forward, what upcoming band or artist would you recommend your fans check out?
There are so many artists that I could recommend but Darryl Anderson and Chris Henderson are in my top 10 favorites for sure.