Calgary’s latest lead in hip-hop: Tea Fannie
Arroy (AJ) Jacob, Web Editor |
Sled Island Music & Arts Festival made its 2024 debut at the end of June, racking multitudes of performers for their shows. From art exhibitions to stand-up comedy and live music, downtown blossomed with expression.
Of the live music performances, the Palomino Smokehouse hosted the Sled Island Wrap-up Pig Roast show variety of shows throughout the night of June 23rd.
And of these live music performances was Tea Fannie and her Calgary-based crew.
“It’s been five years now since I’ve been performing across the country – somebody pushed me on stage and told me to do a 15-minute set… and then I just kept doing it.”
Tea Fannie is an up and coming lyricist, rapper, ghost-writer, and breath of fresh air to the hip-hop scene, and is paving the way for female rap across the country.
Featured on Global News, performing her newest single “BBBO” live on Global News, she has now brought her band members to celebrate the end of the Sled Island Music & Arts Festival.
When asked what music genres she performs the most, she said she there are different answers, and that it depends on what she’s listening to at the moment.”
“Right now I like listening to R & B music and country – I’ve been discovering local country in the city, and it’s insane.”
And when asked what brought her to Sled Island specifically, we get a glimpse into the origins of her skyrocketing music career.
“Sled Island gave me my first check for a song. They paid for it way back in 2020, and it was a song that I made for my dad. Then the year after that they asked me to be one of the artists that do the postcards, so they came in and filmed stuff and then they put it on a drive-in theater in High Park, it was really cool. And I have loved Sled since then.”
She goes on to mention one of her most memorable moments performing with Sled Island: “A couple years ago we got to open for Princess Nokia for the Palace Theater, like a sold out crowd. [Sled’s] been a huge part of my career, I think they help out a lot.”
“Because of them Princess Nokia has a video of us performing on her phone because she came early and we got to meet her. We got advice from her, and her sound girl, and her manager, it was a lot of femme power. It was really, really good.”
After our brief interview she entered the Palomino and swooned the swarm of festival goers with her charm, cadence, and charisma.
Throughout her set, she invited members from the audience to join her on stage and sing, rap, and vibe to the emanating Calgarian artistry seeping out of the building. Showcasing local talent in the middle of her set was how she rekindled the flame between hip hop and community.
Tea Fannie performing live at the Palomino Smokehouse to wrap up the Sled Island Music & Arts Festival. Photo by Arroy (AJ) Jacob.
“Our music in this city is insane.”
Learn more about Tea Fannie’s upcoming performances on her website: teafanniemusic.com, or her Instagram, @iamteafannie. Visit the official Sled Island Music & Arts Festival website to keep up with any updates for the Sled Island Wrap-Up Pig Roast 2025.
