Teyana Taylor on 'Escape Room' Album, Acting, and Culinary School Journey

Return to Music and "Escape Room" Album

• 💡 Teyana Taylor returned to music after a five-year hiatus, emphasizing that this comeback is on her own terms and driven by her renewed love for the craft.
• 🚀 Her new album, "Escape Room," is described as an "ombre album" designed to guide listeners through various stages from brokenness to healing.
• 🔑 The album's core theme revolves around the necessity of escaping mindsets or situations that no longer serve one's growth and well-being.

Album Themes and Collaborations

• 🧠 "Escape Room" features 22 tracks, including 13 records and monologues, which tell a story of transition and vulnerability.
• ✨ The song "Always" is a personal ballad, serving as a letter to herself and her fans about reclaiming lost pieces and finding lightness after dropping "dead weight."
• 🎤 The album includes collaborations with artists like Jill Scott on "PUM PUM JUMP," Tyla, and Lucky Daye, with Teyana praising their complementary voices.

Acting Career Highlights

• 🎬 Teyana discussed her evolving acting career, including co-starring with Leonardo DiCaprio in "One Battle After Another" and working with Kevin Hart in "72 Hours."
• 🌟 She reflected on her decision to pursue acting after retiring from music, viewing it as a successful gamble on herself to become a big actress and director.
• 💃 Her viral "Straw" strut is simply her natural walk in heels, which she described as dramatic due to her preference for sneakers.

Culinary School Journey

• 👨‍🍳 Teyana is currently enrolled in culinary school, learning the art of cooking and pastries with the goal of bettering her skills and potentially opening a restaurant.
• 🔪 She highlighted the rigor of the program, including live online classes, strict assignments, and developing precise knife skills, even learning to appreciate onions through new techniques like rice pilaf.
• ✅ Despite her busy schedule, she takes pride in her straight-A performance and finds the genuine praise from her chefs deeply therapeutic.

Personal Growth and Future in Music

• 🌱 Teyana emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and creating safe spaces, encouraging listeners to "take your cape off" and embrace love and feeling.
• 💖 She hopes her daughters and fans learn that it's okay to not be okay, to love again, and to maintain a great heart despite life's challenges.
• 🎯 Her return to music is permanent, as she is now doing what she loves on her own terms, finding joy and purpose in her hard work.