From the very start, Tebi Rex had a plan. “We always said we would do three albums, tell a story and end it there,” they explain. Their debut was split into three acts, charting the rise and fall of an Irish artist. Now, with Fin., that prophecy comes to its close.
The single Not with a fizzle fr captures the ache of saying goodbye. “It feels like a longing. It’s us letting go of something we love and leaving claw marks on it as it goes. We have adored this thing at the centre of our lives for 10 years and saying goodbye is such a harsh inevitability. But we did; and we hope the love we felt throughout the last 10 years hangs around, because we need it, and frankly I dunno who we are without it.”
That vulnerability is new terrain for a duo often defined by wit and humour.
“I realised that being vulnerable makes the best art, and if you’re going to make an album about endings you need to be prepared to open up. No one escapes an ending, so be honest—the best you can do is lean in and lay it all out.”
They always knew Fin. would be the end, but the reality of it hit in waves. “When Max sent me his first verse idea for the album, I cried cause I realised we were actually facing the end. Since then, every last moment has stuck with me—our last time in the studio, our last time listening to a finished track. Now every time I get on stage, I take a minute to remember I won’t get to do this many more times.”
The album feels like a letter written to everyone and no one. “There are lyrics explicitly for Max, to say goodbye to him, to thank him for believing in me and making me a better artist. There are also moments for myself, the scene, and the people who gave us their time. But really, it’s a goodbye to a feeling. Getting to make and play music professionally with your best friend isn’t normal. Not everyone gets to do that.”
They’ve also never shied away from difficult conversations, like with their single Ireland’s Full. “Yeah of course we expected some backlash. It’s nothing new. Anytime Max gets put on tv he has to face this kind of nonsense. But it was outweighed by some very moving messages. Authenticity is the most important part of art, especially as someone who’s been a guest in a genre for 10 years.”
Musically, their final project took them somewhere unexpected. “This Dance/Jazz/House thing we did with this album—I’m kind of annoyed we figured it out so late in the game. Honestly making dance hip hop is so much fun.”
And if their discography is filled with highlights, two shows stand out most. “The first headline show in Workmans, 2018. We sold the place out, and it was the first time I heard people sing our lyrics back. The other was Electric Picnic. We were booked for the 12pm slot on a Sunday—surely no one would be up that early? Wrong. Place was jammed, and for us? I couldn’t believe it. Like, we are two clowns making silly music what is everyone doing here hahaha awh what a time to be alive.”
Through it all, their process never really changed. Even recording Fin. was filled with laughter. “There hasn’t been a single fight. We wedged in so many stupid background bits you can’t really hear in the final versions, but you can hear us laughing about it. Like, there’s a part where I explicitly ask RTÉ to give us the Choice Award at the end of the first song, and that’s why we fall apart laughing.”
Letting go wasn’t easy, but it was something they’d braced themselves for. “There’s actually a great song on the album about that called 14 Plants. I wrote it after my mam had passed. I mentally prepped for the goodbye from the moment she was sick, as bad as that sounds. In a weird way, it’s the same with the band. I knew it was going to end, so I mentally prepped for it. That song nailed what my grieving process is like.”
And now, it really is goodbye. “For me, I’m outtie. I want to end on my best stuff, and this is it. I don’t want to release music without Max. I’ll stay creative though, I run a clothing brand called Forever Worldwide Studios, and I’m getting married soon. Max will stay in music—he has his third play coming, and a solo project under Filmore! I hope it flops. I hope it fails and he regrets ever trying to succeed without me. I pray on his downfall every day. If you see him, boo him for me.”
For anyone discovering them now, Tebi Rex hope it feels like catching up on a story already told. “I want them to feel like they missed out on something. Like starting a show while your friends are already on season five. That’s what I love about our albums—you can hear us grow up.”
Listen to Tebi Rex New Album, Fin
Read more Music articles from KLATMAG
Written by Angel Joanne Okonkwo
