NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� from the unknowns of life 鈥� or the music industry 鈥� but instead, embraces them. That鈥檚 what makes
鈥淵ou never really know when that鈥檚 going to happen. You can鈥檛 really predict it,鈥� she said of the song, which peaked at No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100, her second-highest charting track as well as No. 2 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a blessing and something that I鈥檓 just super excited about.鈥�
Leading off her upcoming album 鈥淨uantum Baby鈥� which drops Friday, 鈥淣asty鈥� rocketed after a social media user with an existing clip that had already made its viral rounds. The song also garnered acknowledgement or some form of shoutout from icons like Beyonc茅 and Janet Jackson, as well Christina Aguilera, Anitta and more. Her standout lyric of 鈥渕atch my freak鈥� has become a popular catch phrase.
This project marks her seventh studio album and the second of a three-part trilogy. The title nods quantum physics, as she hopes fans will enter her personal universe and rediscover her at the most fundamental, molecular level.
鈥淚鈥檝e been really lucky since leaving my major label, going independent, being able to focus on whatever I want to make creatively. And I鈥檝e really honed that process over the last three albums,鈥� said the songstress, whose previous album, 鈥淏B/ANG3L,鈥� was released last year. 鈥淭his second part of the trilogy is really focused on getting to know me a little bit deeper.鈥�
The eight-track project, clocking in just over a swift 22 minutes, features production from Nosaj Thing, Ricky Reed and sdtroy, with Tinashe writing on every song.
Known for genre-bending, often fusing R&B, pop, dance and electronic elements with precise performance choreography to match, Tinashe debuted in 2014 with 鈥淎quarius,鈥� her highest-charting album to date. Despite not matching that success and often living in musical limbo, she chose to leave the support of RCA鈥檚 major label machine due to their rocky relationship. However, she鈥檚 kept her career afloat, in part thanks to a loyal fan base.
鈥淲hen I first came on the scene, I was young, I was green. I feel like I鈥檝e learned so much and gained so much, first of all, self-confidence,鈥� explained Tinashe. 鈥淏eing a young woman in these usually male-dominated spaces, there鈥檚 usually never any other women in the room. And you鈥檇 come in with a producer who鈥檚 made all these amazing records and you don鈥檛 wanna tell them what to do 鈥� and they鈥檙e not probably gonna listen to you anyways. So, I think now, I just have a much stronger sense of what I want to do and being able to give that direction.鈥�
Recorded at her home studio, 鈥淨uantum Baby鈥� features songs like the sultry, trap-soul track 鈥淭hirsty鈥� and the vibey, Kaytranada-reminiscent Often incorporating moody and atmospheric sonics, there鈥檚 also the intro track, 鈥淣o Simulation,鈥� where she harmonizes, 鈥淲e鈥檙e all looking for something/where are we going/what do we do?鈥�
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 mostly looking for at this point in my life is just great experiences and peace of mind,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 at the point where I鈥檓 not trying to force or create anything anymore.鈥�
Despite past collaborations with platinum-selling artists like Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Future and Nick Jonas, she鈥檚 no longer chasing big features or producer placements in hopes of bettering her chances to scale the charts.
that I ever put out. So, I set the bar really high鈥� and there was always that sense of like, 鈥楥an we do this?鈥� And that was always kind of on the forefront of my mind when creating records," reflecting on her Schoolboy Q-assisted track, which peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, her highest-charting song. 鈥淚 think I鈥檝e made better records since I鈥檝e stopped considering how they will perform 鈥� I just really focus on my instincts and making something that feels good to me.鈥�
What feels best to Tinashe now? It's being free from creative confinement and battling industry politics over her career. Her trendy style and fashion-forward eye makes her a frequent front-row guest at fashion shows and red carpet events, and she鈥檚 expressed an interest in returning to acting. In October, she鈥檒l kick off her 23-date Match My Freak world tour, produced by Live Nation, to support the music.
The 鈥淎ll Hands on Deck鈥� artist has managed to steady the ship of her career, and she鈥檚 willing to live with the results of navigating the turbulent music industry seas 鈥� as long as she鈥檚 the captain.
鈥淔inding contentment in yourself and in your artistry is super important for a music artist in terms of feeling good about what you do because the music industry is so volatile 鈥� where I started to feel that freedom and contentment was when I didn鈥檛 set any expectations for myself,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 really success right now, it's just to make things that I love and to focus on creating great art that鈥檚 timeless鈥�
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Follow Associated Press entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at: @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.
Gary Gerard Hamilton, The Associated Press
