Greentea Peng is hitting Melbourne for one of her Strawberry Fields sideshows.
When you listen to her debut album, MAN MADE, it’s easy to see why Greentea Peng connected with so many people who were stuck in COVID lockdowns.
Timing matters: the record came out in the middle of the pandemic, but Peng’s beautiful, calming record carried a venom that anyone suffering to any degree could connect with.
“I released quite a thought-provoking project amidst one of the most unprecedented times any of us had experienced,” mentions Peng.
“People’s psyches were heavily affected, and I released a project that was delving into that and bringing a lot of the shit to the forefront.
Greentea Peng
- When: October 17
- Where: The Forum
- Tickets here
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“A lot of people discovered me in COVID, when they were in lockdown, when they were struggling with their mental health.”
Peng believes that she attracts the ponderers.
Times are moving incredibly fast, and lots of things are shifting, in her view, both energetically and physically.
“There are a lot of people in no man’s land, a lot of people trying to figure out, hold on, where is my place?
“I’m very opinionated, and I’m passionate about the human race. I’m passionate about creation. I think COVID was Pandora’s box. That was the beginning. For a lot of people, their whole paradigms have been shattered. Their whole belief in democracy.
“It’s not like I feel like a representative of a revolution or anything like that. I’m just depicting this human experience the best way I can.”
With her second record, TELL DEM IT’S SUNNY, released last year, Peng gave us a more humble offering, laid back when compared with the debut, but just as introspective.
“I am naturally a heavy and melancholy type of person, and I’ve been dealing with those realities my whole life. That’s a whole part of my healing on an individual level, being able to alchemise the depression and turn it into something resourceful, useful and beautiful.”
Peng describes her creative process as somewhat chaotic, and always coming from a semi-manic place.
She claims that she doesn’t think of herself as an artist, but then humbly describes the near-dictionary definition of an artist when trying to explain how she does think of herself.
Along with the art, Peng is running the successful business that is herself. Her tour schedule is packed, and the venues are getting bigger.
“I don’t often reflect on my position enough, but when I do, I’m like, what the fuck? I don’t mean I take it for granted, but often you’re so busy in the flow of one thing after the next, after the next.
“You have to really carve out that time for reflection and appreciation of just what’s going on.
“Even the opportunity to sell tickets for people to listen to my ponderings halfway across the world, it’s a trip. Ten years ago, that would never have even been a thought in my brain. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to do what I love all around the world.”
Peng’s trajectory seems well-planned, but in reality, it’s been as organic as it gets.
She’s aware that when we are glued to our phones, we’re constantly being trained to compare ourselves to the next thing. For Peng, this can feel like constant competition and a drive to be better, which she tries not to let affect her art.
“Everything’s so thrown away, so fickle, a little bit superficial and image-based. Numbers and constant content and the need to be seen and stay relevant, all of those things make me feel physically uncomfortable.
“So it’s about finding that balance of still trying to progress but keeping it about the art. My goal in this is not numbers or how big of a show I can sell out. I’m more like, I want to play this instrument. I’m trying to develop my artistry.
“Obviously, it’s beautiful being successful, and I give thanks for it every day, but I have to be careful not to let my ego and my want for success and achievement override my art.”
Spoken like a true artist.
Greentea Peng plays the Forum on November 17. Tickets are on sale now.
