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Teedra Moses Reflects on 20 Years of 'Complex Simplicity'—On Her Terms

In this exclusive interview, Teedra Moses discusses the reimagined anniversary edition of her debut album, her slow-and-steady creative process, and how staying true to herself has defined her journey in R&B.

And while the New Orleans native was certainly thrilled with the slick adaptation and the new generation of fans who discovered her as a result, Kaytranada’s infectious take was just more confirmation of what she knew all along when she released Complex Simplicity back in the day: she’d made a bona fide classic album that would stand the test of time. Flavored with hip-hop, neo-soul, old-school soul, bits of jazz, and more, Complex Simplicity landed on many critics’ best-of lists when it dropped, veering from the formulated, easy-to-classify records of the day. Moses says she was in a dark place when she recorded her debut, dealing with relationship drama, family dysfunction, loved ones battling illness, money problems, the works.

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