(July 1, 2026) Whether CeCe Teneal is singing the music of soul luminaries like Aretha Franklin or her original music, she is a force to be reckoned with. Teneal, a native of Osteen, Florida, which is a small town near Orlando, has a voice that recalls the era when we call vocalists with chops soul “sangers.”
And anyone who sees Teneal performing the music of Aretha, Gladys, Tina, Chaka, and Whitney in her tribute shows gets it – the lady has the gift. On “Side B,” the funky anthem featured in this First Listen, we hear Teneal diving into an autobiographical original.
“Side B” is a banging assertion of purpose and Declaration of Independence that finds Teneal displaying her soul and gospel roots spiced with a bit of hip-hop swagger as she rises above the naysayers and boldly embraces her truth. CeCe Teneal says this about the song: “’Side B’ is not a polite introduction. It’s the deep cut, the real story, and sound of me finally getting out of my own way.”
Check it out here.
By Howard Dukes
