Today we’d like to introduce you to Teghan Devon.
Hi Teghan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
When I was 10 I started guitar lessons. I was really bored learning at first so I started writing songs to make it more fun. Eventually, I learned how to play Blackbird by The Beatles and that’s what made me fall in love with guitar. I kept writing songs and in high school I was privileged to be able to go to multiple songwriting camps. Nerding out with peers about the craft is really what made me want to pursue it as a career and what brought me to Interlochen Arts Academy. Interlochen will always be an important step in my journey. I continued my music education in college at McNally Smith College of Music, then transferred to Berklee College of Music where I got my undergraduate degree, and a year after, I attended Lillehammer Institute of Music Production and Industries (LIMPI) in Norway, where I received a certificate in songwriting. I can’t put into words how much my professors have impacted me. Because of them, and all of the amazing people in my corner, I’ve played at music festivals and music conferences, had my music played on shows on MTV and CBS, and above all, written and released music that I’m passionate about and proud of.
These past few months I’ve put out some of my favorite songs I’ve ever made. I just put out a Christmas single on November 14th called Don’t Let A Boy Ruin Christmas that I’m so excited about and I have more big things coming in the new year.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has definitely been a bumpy and unusual one. Right before Christmas break my sophomore year, my first college McNally Smith College of Music shut down. It was completely unexpected and was one of the most challenging and heartbreaking times in my life. The silver lining was that I took a semester off to record my debut album Fingers Crossed, which was produced by one of my favorite songwriting professors, Jeff Harrington. That album is so incredibly special to me and I was lucky enough to have made it with some of my favorite people.
I was able to transfer to Berklee College of Music, and even though I’m so grateful for that privilege, it was an extremely tough transition for me. Soon after I got there, the building next to my dorm caught fire and because of the damage we all had to live in a hotel for the rest of the semester. While that was happening, I had to say goodbye to my best friend of 13 years, my yellow lab, Sarge. My soulmate and my rock went to the rainbow bridge at the worst time in my life. My EP, Little Lion, is about my grieving process over that next year, although I still miss him every single day.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I would say that what I’m most known for and what I’m most proud of is my creativity and range when it comes to song subject matter. Whether it’s a song about a character from a tv show, a song about a real mother sea turtle, a song about the presidential election, or a break-up song, I will write about anything.
I wrote my new song “Don’t Let A Boy Ruin Christmas” to cheer up one of my best friends and distract her from heartbreak during the holidays. I write a lot of what I call “indie-folk/indie-rock emotional-wrecking ball songs”, and it was fun to spice things up with a lighthearted pop/r&b twist. I also had a blast brainstorming all of the holiday themed roasts and references. I tried to channel my inner Sabrina Carpenter and bring the holiday spirit while at the same time being a little savage.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Since 2019, I’ve been volunteering every summer as a Sea Turtle Nest Monitor for Bald Head Island Conservancy. Outside of music, it’s my favorite thing in the world. I educate people on the beach about sea turtles, I do maintenance on the runways around nests to make sure the hatchlings have a clear path to the water, I monitor the nests for activity, and I help the incredible sea turtle team make sure that all the hatchlings get to the water safely.
It is an unbelievable privilege to play a part in the lives of these beautiful creatures in my favorite place. The magic is never lost on me. There is nothing that brings me more peace than spending a few hours on the beach at night under the moon, watching over a nest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://teghandevonmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teghandevon
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeghanDevonMusic/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@teghandevonmusic
