Tinashe Strips Down And Talks Women’s Empowerment In New Paper Magazine Interview
Last time Tinashe did a magazine photoshoot she made SURE to get our attention. Now that she has it, she’s using the spotlight (and Paper Magazine) to share her message of women’s empowerment…and show us a lil more skin! A win-win!
The 23-year-old musician began to draw attention in 2012 when she released two mixtapes (made right here in this house) and inked a deal with RCA Records. Her debut album, Aquarius, dropped in 2014, but it didn’t necessarily reflect Tinashe’s creative goals. She sees the first album — and its related tours — as having been a means of proving herself and showing her record label that she had the goods to make her own decisions. Her upcoming release, Joyride, which is expected out in early summer, is the album she wanted to make, as opposed to what the industry had in mind for her.
The music on Joyride is an evolution of sorts for Tinashe — and not only because she feels it’s a better reflection of her artistic vision than Aquarius. For one thing, the music itself has a stronger pop vibe than her prior work, as heard on songs like “Prisoner” and “Flame,” buoyant, anthemic numbers that pair the singer’s soulful vocals with hook-laden beats. And, for another, there are fewer featured guests (Young Thug’s collaboration on single “Party Favors” and Chris Brown’s appearance on “Player” are two), because Tinashe feels that a “great song will speak for itself.”
Recent events have lead us to believe that the Chris Brown feature MIGHT not make it to the final cut of the album.
The fresh-faced chanteuse also spoke on the importance of female artists having control of their music.
“You can’t have too many chefs in the kitchen,” she says, curled onto the couch. Her dad has disappeared into the other room and she speaks freely, clearly uninhibited. “You have to stay true to your own instincts and just have your own vision. I think that is very important. Otherwise you just get lost in the sauce.” She adds, “Especially as a young woman in the industry. A lot of people think, ‘Oh you’re just a cute girl.'” She cringes. “It has nothing to do with your artistry or your heart or work or anything like that. It’s obviously just about what you look like.”
Joyride, aptly named for the adventure Tinashe has found herself on for the past few years, is a collaboration with a variety of producers, including Dev Hynes and Boi-1da, but much of the music was written and recorded in her home studio. Tinashe is a self-taught engineer (she learned by watching YouTube tutorials) who believes that artists, particularly female artists, can maintain control by knowing how the technical aspects of creating music work. Plus, she’s comfortable in her bedroom, where everything started. “I don’t need a giant soundboard to make a good song,” she says.
Later, considering what it means to be a female pop artist, Tinashe offers a more detailed explanation of why she felt it was important to stand up for herself while making Joyride over the past year. She doesn’t want to be the type of female pop artist who is controlled by a producer. “It’s important nowadays to have your own perspective and get involved, because it is such a male-dominated industry,” she says. “We need to gain back control.”
Sounds like a woman who knows exactly what she wants.
Flip the page a few times to see more of Tinashe wearing a lot less and let us know if she’s exactly what you want…
Images via Paper Magazine
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