Better With Time

Singer-songwriter Teedra Moses opens up about her upbringing in NOLA, her beauty and musical eras, confidence lessons and more

- Akili King

I was always a creative child. Whether it was drawing, singing or making music, I was into it. Of course, being from New Orleans, I was surrounded by music, as it's such a huge part of the culture there. Gospel music was everywhere I turned, because my mother was a gospel singer and I went to church almost as much as I went to school. Even at the school I went to, St. Joan of Arc, choir was a part of the curriculum. At home, I remember singing along to Anita Baker and Karen Clark of the Clark Sisters. Similarly, self-care and beauty routines were a huge part of my upbringing. My mother did my hair when I was a young girl. From her, I learned that it's not only about the products you use, but also about who's taking care of your hair. My mother loved our hair so much. We were like her baby dolls. She made sure it was washed and taken care of—oiling our scalps, putting on scarves before we went to bed. It was a ritual that we went through every weekend.