I got No Doubt on cassette, 'Tragic Kingdom.' And I just remember being so psyched about all those songs and, like, the songwriting and just her voice, and her vibe was amazing.
— Teddy Geiger
One of the things that I loved about working on that first album was working with Billy Mann, who produced the album, and all the people who worked to finish it. Just seeing how they did things and learning.
I started painting my nails and started wearing some women's clothing, but that whole side of me always caused problems in my intimate relationships. There was a lot of shame attached to it. I'd talk to people I was dating about it but still feel ashamed.
Painting my nails was one of the things I liked to do, and I was so terrified of, like, ever letting anybody see my nails painted.
That image of who I was publicly was so solidified. You're that person. And it wasn't even close to a true representation of where I was in my life.
You're always kind of having to 'make it' over and over again, which is cool and makes it fun. But I remember thinking, when I first did it, I was like, 'Cool. I made it. It happened.' And I did not. That's not how it works.
When I was growing up, I didn't know of anybody who was trans. There was always, like, this shame, anxiety thing around all of that, even if I wasn't actively expressing it.
I try not to write two songs about the same thing, although, on occasion, it happens, so I guess it kinda helps to change stuff up.
If there was something that I took an interest in that I'd go to college to learn about, I'd go.
I was on 'In Search of the Partridge Family,' MTV'S 'Miss Seventeen,' and the comedy 'Love Monkey.'
A lot of what's happened with my career has been because of the Internet. It's a way for me to reach fans directly, especially with music.
Movies affecting music has caused me to collaborate a little bit better.
I'm not a big tennis fan.
I think you can tour the country and collectively reach fewer people than just being on television one time.
I want people to see just who I am.
I threw away all my boys' clothes and started wearing makeup.
I started out as an artist, but I've always wanted to be a writer and producer.
Having a hit is fine, but doing the work is what I want. I get more excited the day of creation than once it's big.
A lot of times, I'd be styled and, like, wearing a t-shirt I wouldn't ever wear. All the sudden, there's this image of you, and you're like, 'Hold on, wait.'
My mother makes marvelous meals.
Things kind of have their arc: you get signed, and your first thought is, 'Oh my God, I made it!' But you never really make it.
People have their image of you or their ideas about who you are, and it can be frustrating.
The song 'Try Too Hard' I wrote when I was 10 or 11.
I think the music that I'm writing and the stuff I'm going to do as I age will age.
I used to be extremely shy.
It's not a cis-man becoming a cis-woman. It's a trans person just being who they want to be. This is how I've always felt, and this is who I've always been. But so much focus is put on the transition or the change because it's so visible. But that's not even what it is... That's who that person's been and who they are now.
Music has been more a solitary, creative thing. The acting side of things and working in movies has helped me collaboratively with music in terms of helping me get ideas across to other people and making it more of a team efforts.
A lot of animals are finding themselves in positions where their habitats are being destroyed.
I can remember back to being 5 and looking in the mirror, feeling like a girl and wanting that. But growing up in Rochester, there were limited resources. I'd never met a trans person before.
I've done a lot of writing for other people, other projects, and what I tried to do with the music I'm putting out for myself is kind of keep it where I'm doing everything.
I don't ever want to let anyone down. That's my worst fear.
I'm not ashamed of myself.
I told a couple friends about it... I was like, 'Hey, might be trans, might want to look at doing hormone therapy, just letting you know'... and they were like, 'Yeah cool. Who cares? Like, whatever, awesome.'
Everybody has had that experience of really wanting to do something and being afraid.
It's funny. Some people now are like, 'Why would you transition? Why can't you just be comfortable how you were born?' That was my logic, but at a certain point, I realized that I was born uncomfortable.
It's hard to feel like a teen idol.
I definitely have always been interested in film and working in that, and I never actually thought that I'd be able to do it.
It's very, very exciting for me to hear my songs on the radio and to play shows and have people know the words.
I'm extremely bad at not missing TV shows, but I'd like not to miss '24.'
I went to my junior prom. It wasn't that fun... And I don't dance.
My goal is to make music and be a part of cool projects.
I'm not really a huge team player guy; I wasn't really into sports or anything.
I'm just kind of trying to make the best stuff I can make.
I was terrified of girls until sophomore year of high school. I couldn't even borrow pencils from them. I'd have to wait until the teacher called me out on it, like, 'Does anybody have a pencil for Teddy?' because I'd be too scared to ask the girl next to me.
