Geiger co-wrote a series of hit songs for Shawn Mendes,[6] starting with the single "Stitches" in 2015, now certified 8× Platinum,[7] and including the 7× Platinum "Treat You Better" in 2016.[8] After transitioning in 2017–2018, Geiger released her third solo album, and continues to compose songs for other artists.
Early life
Geiger was born on September 16, 1988, to John Geiger and Lorilyn Geiger (née Rizzo).[9][10][11] She has two younger siblings, brother A. J. and sister Rachel.[10] Geiger attended McQuaid Jesuit High School,[12] and learned how to play piano and guitar. As a child, Geiger composed songs in the basement of the family home;[13][9] writing on the guitar from the age of eight to entertain schoolmates.[14]
Career
2004–2008: Teen idol
In July 2004 at the age of 15, Geiger tried out in a singing competition in Los Angeles for a planned VH1 television series reboot of The Partridge Family, the process of which was filmed and aired as its own program: In Search of the Partridge Family. During weeks of rehearsal, Geiger met the unknown teenager Emma Stone who won a spot as Laurie Partridge while Geiger was passed over for the role of Keith which had been played in the 1970s by David Cassidy. The show, The New Partridge Family, never aired, but the experience gave Geiger's career a significant boost: veteran producer Billy Mann saw the potential in Geiger and signed on as artist manager.[9][15][16]
Also in 2004, Geiger formed the band Faction which played around New York state. The band won a competition in early 2005,[9] and Geiger gave away the $1000 prize as relief for the survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Mann encouraged Geiger to sign a six-album recording contract with Columbia Records in February 2005, which broke up Faction as a band.[17][16] As a solo artist, Geiger released the EP Step Ladder in June 2005.[16] Geiger opened for Hilary Duff's Still Most Wanted Tour from July to September 2005, playing 35 dates across the US in front of thousands.[14] Geiger continued touring as a solo artist, with a voice described as "raspy" like James Taylor,[16] or "breathy" like John Mayer.[17]
Geiger appeared as a recurring character in the short-lived television series Love Monkey, which also featured some of her music. The show debuted in January 2006, but was soon canceled. Geiger's song "For You I Will (Confidence)" was used as Love Monkey's theme music for four episodes, and it was released as the first single of Geiger's upcoming album. A music video was shot for the song, depicting Geiger as a street busker trying to attract a popular girl (played by reality TV actress Kristin Cavallari.)[18][19] The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 90 in February, rising to a peak of 29 in May, staying on the chart for 20 weeks.[20] It was certified Gold in March 2006 by the RIAA,[21] and nominated for Best Love Song at the 2006 Teen Choice Awards in August.[17]
Geiger's first full-length album, Underage Thinking, was released on March 31, 2006, peaking at number 8 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The first single, "For You I Will (Confidence)", preceded the album, and the second single, "These Walls," was released in September. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that the album contained "unabashedly mainstream music, not cool in the slightest", but certainly the equal of "the best adult pop". Erlewine suggested that Geiger would have enjoyed greater uplift in album sales if Love Monkey had not been canceled shortly before the album was released.[22]
Geiger was marketed as a teen idol, aimed at teenage girls who made up the largest demographic of fans.[18] Geiger's most loyal fans called themselves "Tedheads" or "Ted-Heads".[23] Geiger was photographed for a Got Milk? advertisement[18] which was published in Rolling Stone magazine, with Gieger wearing a "milk mustache" alongside "number 1 fan" Rebecca Eden who won a 2005 photo competition for the privilege.[24][25] In 2006, Geiger appeared in ads for Secret deodorant,[18] with Procter & Gamble expressing hope that this would expand sales to teen girls.[26] At the age of 18, Geiger was featured on the November 2006 cover of Seventeen magazine; Adweek remarked that it was unusual for a "boy" to appear on the cover after years of women being featured.[27]The Morning Call commented that Geiger's cover feature confirmed that this was Seventeen deciding who was the "hottest guy" in the US, following past appearances by teen idols Leonardo DiCaprio in 1998 and Justin Timberlake in 2002.[28]
In mid-2007, Geiger participated in the filming of The Rocker, portraying the role of a young musician writing songs in a band. Emma Stone was also in this production; the two struck up a romance which lasted for two years.[29] The film was a box-office bomb, but Geiger's music was featured in the film along with a cover of the Poison song "Nothin' But a Good Time" with Geiger singing lead.[30]
Geiger launched a solo tour in June–July 2008 called TG334U North American Concert Tour, with Hilary McRae as the opening act. The tour hit 33 concert venues.[31] The "TG334U" moniker was an initialism standing for Teddy Geiger [performing] 33 [songs] for you. Geiger fans were asked to vote for their favorite songs which would be assembled to create the next solo album.[32] The album project was not realized.
2009–2017: Songwriter
In 2009, Columbia released Geiger from her contract and she left the music industry to return home to Rochester for a hiatus. She continued writing songs for other artists.[18]
Geiger came out as a trans woman in October 2017, and has said that she "knew she was female at 5 years old."[37][38] She has also said that she intends to keep the name Teddy and use female pronouns.[38]
She was engaged to Canadian actress Emily Hampshire, but they ended their engagement in June 2019 after seven months.[39][40][41]
Geiger stated in a 2021 interview that she is bisexual.[42]
