Tinashe Talks ‘Joyride’ Delay, Rihanna Taking Title Track, & “Hopefully” Releasing This Year

Published: Monday 12th Jun 2017 by Sam

The wait for Tinashe‘s much delayed sophomore album has been anything but a ‘Joyride’ for fans of the singer.

Talk of the set’s arrival dates back to 2015. Yet, what has followed has been a succession of “lead” singles that have ultimately led to incessant push-backs. So much so that its current status is quite the conundrum.

However, in a new interview with The Guardian, the ‘Flame’ belter provided an update. One we’re not sure will be entirely thrilling for fans but is an update nonetheless.

She told the British publication:

“Things haven’t always gone according to my original plan, but that’s life, and things change.”

It’s not like it’s sitting in a vault locked up, it’s always getting better and improving. I plan on doing a solid few more months recording then hopefully getting it out this year.”

She also addressed rampant rumors that Rihanna had pouched the actual track ‘Joyride’ in the midst of the delays. Interestingly she verified the speculation. She said:

Yeah, that’s true. But I don’t know if it was personally Rihanna, like, ‘I’m taking that from Tinashe.’ I don’t think that’s how it worked. But it’s back now.”

***************

It’s unfortunate that there still seems to be so much uncertainty surrounding the set.

Without being privy to the specifics of the drama, our primary observation is the lack of consistency in the sound of the songs released thus far.

Indeed, when listening to tracks such as ‘Super Love’ and ‘Flame,’ it appears the “plan” is to birth music’s next big “Pop girl.”

Yet, when sandwiching edgier, left-leaning offerings such as ‘Party Favors’ and the ‘Nightride’ mixtape between her Pop-ier releases, it becomes quite confusing to ascertain what her core proposition is.

Sure she’s incredibly versatile, but at such an early stage of her career that can actually be problematic in that it makes it hard to package her in a way that is both consistent and palatable to her eventual audience.

And while some will argue about the unfairness of artists being “boxed” or confined to lanes, the harsh reality is that that is quite literally “how it is” for the vast majority. Unfortunately.

Hopefully, Tinashe and her team hone in on the best positioning for her, stick to it, and achieve the success her talent deserves.

Your thoughts?

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  1. Frank June 12, 2017

    Why can’t she just make another 2on type song. We live in a time where everyone likes using slang terms no one has heard of to promote black culture.

  2. LISA LEVINE June 12, 2017

    Saw her at a festival yesterday and she was really good, while her songs are forgettable, her dancing and energy was good in 90 degrees

  3. BeysBugg June 12, 2017

    Where the Navy at that said Rihflop would top Forbes list this year after dragging Bey last year for $52 million. Why your girl only make $36 million even though she had a world tour, album, Fenty Puma & 8 4673664733737373 hits and streams. ????? I thought she was getting paid cause she owns her master’s? I thought Anti World Tour grossed $100+ million. ?

    • Credits June 12, 2017

      How much did you make?

      • Dreazy Baby June 12, 2017

        That’s a valid question

  4. #TeamTinashe Stan June 12, 2017

    As a huge supporter and believer in Tinashe’s talent I have been very vocal about this era.
    Her record label, her team and I now see that it’s her that is a part of the problem.
    1) Her record label should have set up pop features with big pop producers such as Calvin Harris, David Guetta or Zedd then parlay into releasing the banger, high octane choreography and stunning video of “Superlove” last year.
    2) Her team needs to do much better in making her look like a star at all times. As I feel since she has turned blonde again I haven’t really liked any of her fashion styling or makeup. Also, her label and team claim they believe in her talent but yet hasn’t even made the effort to place her on an Award stage to perform when she has proven over and over that she can really bring the life out of her songs with her 10/10 performances.
    3) While I do love her for not trying to box herself in but I can’t deny that “Flame” is her biggest sellout song ever! It’s cheap, mediocre and beneath her. We all like different genres but for a sophomore album don’t you think you should carry on the success of the debut album and then do different genres???

    I am very certain we ain’t getting ‘Joyride’ this year. Kinda sucks that her hard work and contribution to urban music (R&B) is now fading out for something more forced.

  5. Yella June 12, 2017

    I saw that interview. Ciara is your peer, sis??!! Since when? Just cause y’all both tributed Janet at the BET awards that don’t mean you get to be on her level. You arent even on kelly rowland’s level.

    When your debut album pushes 3,000,000+ units in PURE sales, THEN you call call Ciara your peer. The nerve! Let’s see if that second flop album comes out.

    • Black power June 12, 2017

      Humble yourself! Ciara may have once been a top tier artist but she can’t sell albums nor fill venues to save her life now. She’s a serial flop. So yes they are peers

      • Yella June 12, 2017

        Tinashe doesn’t even have a lane to play in. Bey and Rih are in their own lanes and Ciara is doing well in her lane. All of these ladies have international name recognition and their own brands. Ciara has had success with music, she has endorsements with make-up lines, shoe lines, and has fashion designers clamoring to dress her.

        Tinashe is still struggling to pinpoint her identity, let alone create a brand for herself. I’d consider someone like Justine Skye a peer of hers, not Ciara.

  6. Yella June 12, 2017

    Unlike the ladies she mentioned (Bey, Rih, and Ciara), Tinashe doesn’t even have a lane to play in. Bey and Rih are in their own lanes and Ciara is doing well in her lane. All of these ladies have international name recognition and their own brands. Ciara has had success with music, she has endorsements with make-up lines, shoe lines, and has fashion designers clamoring to dress her.

    Tinashe is still struggling to pinpoint her identity, let alone create a brand for herself. I’d consider someone like Justine Skye a peer of hers, not Ciara.

  7. Kendrick Slaymar June 12, 2017

    At this point, Khelani and SZA are debuting higher than Tinashe on the charts.
    The excuses are old. Tinashe got way more opportunity than them and still hasent risen as the “chosen” one. This chick has had plenty opportunities and deals. Flop after flop and all she does is complain or bring up other artists in her interviews.

    • #TeamTinashe Stan June 12, 2017

      Did she bring them up or was it the interviewer?
      And how is she complaining?

      Reading comprehension is key boo boo 😉

  8. Black power June 12, 2017

    She needs a new team point black period. I’ve always said it’s waaay too early in her career to switch up genres. Like build your damn fan base before you go putting out songs in every genre. She doesn’t have a particular look, she doesn’t have a consistent sound and it’s clear her team/management/label don’t have a clear vision for her!! It’s so sad because she’s so talented. But she’s also stuck in her ways so I don’t see her taking off anytime soon

    • Justmeeeee June 13, 2017

      @ Black lower

      I agree because what she is trying to do has been done. Kelis did this.
      The problem with Tinashe is that she never had a Major breakout hit and has limited s** appeal.
      She is shaped like Pink…

      However she does have Talent.
      She needs a BETTER team to assess & promote her properly.

      It is NOT our fault.

  9. incognegro June 12, 2017

    This is mildly encouraging, but I do feel bad for her! I think it’s so easy to blame the artist, blame the management, blame A&R…when in fact, it’s the suits (who are the least in touch with music) who are making decisions. The climate for a female singer, particularly one of color is pretty rough these days. With fickle fans who comment on message boards but do not purchase nere album, and the fact that most music is being pirated or stolen online, this makes it hard for record companies to reconcile providing a budget to female artists (who are typically more expensive). How many of our favorite artists have had their albums delayed (Jazmine Sullivan, SZA, Elle Varner, Sevyn Streeter)? Also notice that a vast majority of them are on RCA Records. How many of them have vented and talked about quitting the record business because of the politics? These days, artists have to get creative when releasing an album, whereby the costs are funding by someone other than the record company! Tinashe is a brilliant artists, who is more capable than a summertime pop-hit! She writes her own music, produces her own music, and performs at a high level whenever given the opportunity. Sadly everyone wants her to become Becky, when she is Tinashe, which holds up her progress and her album.

    I rest assured that when her album is released it will be bomb, but as fans, we have to support the artists because in most cases the record companies are not.

  10. Sam June 12, 2017

    Look, even with Tinashe’s limited singing ability she’s just average at everything at best and thats why she’ll never really pop off. She doesn’t possess what all other artists annoying or otherwise posses and that is an image/brand. Much like Rita Ora she’s okay vocally and has a few catchy songs, but the media and girls in general like an image, a look, a vibe that they can latch on to and emulate. Tinashe doesn’t have that she has video looks and then everyday looks but no signature look, era look hairstyle make up…. and much Like Ora she seems to be dressed for occasions with little consistency, but the only thing that Ora has better is a team who keep her out there and that started off by Roc Nation having faith in her limited a$$ and opening doors and getting her contacts that continue to this day.

    As for this Rihanna Joyride poaching situation. She said that she’s still recording which means the album was never complete. I don’t believe that after the song was taken that you didn’t just rename the album and replace the song but over a year later you’re now saying that you have the song back and your still recording… then the music was never that great and the record company doesn’t believe in the product.
    I dont dislike Tinashe, i could take her or leave her, her album had a few good tunes and her mixtape also but i have no belief that this album will be a masterpiece and that she will retain her deal after this doesn’t do well as it must be costing the label money.
    Good luck to hr though.

  11. 4everBrandy_Ci June 12, 2017

    I’m going to say this Tinashe is one of the unique artists and there is room for women artist. This climate of the record business is messed up. Also if you’re a fan of Tinashe and yes it’s cool to have your perspective. And I do encourage having feedback and suggestions but seriously it’s messed up how these record labels don’t invest in artist nowadays. And please excuse me with that b******* Ciara comparison because I’m a dedicated fan of Ciara and Tinashe. Ciara gets unnecessary bias from people but she continues to do her thing. This is no different from Tinashe. And see a few of these “so called fans”. Now to be honest it’s the record business period. They don’t invest in r&b artists as they use to before. It’s like people want to dictate what artists should do with their records. Let the artists find a lane and go from there. Tinashe has put out records with substance. So far she has her own lane but the issue is her marketing. This relates to Ciara too. The lack of promotion and the airplay. Some of Tinashe fans are supportive and I dig it. But I think at this point the fans need to allow Tinashe to get in her innovative zone. “Flame” is a cool record and for those that aren’t digging it that’s fine. But to jump to conclusions without seeing what she’s going to do with her next single concerns myself. We’re going to get the album this year. I read she’s still recording she let the chick get into her innovative zone and just be there for her if y’all are fans. Yes this is a rant but hell I have to get this off my chest. These artists put so much into their craft.

  12. Sam June 12, 2017

    I just listened to Flame and although a bit too poppy for my liking if it was a song by Ellie Goulding it would’ve done really well. I guess you just have to have that one breakthrough to have that free publicity.
    I will say that its better than that awful Rita Ora song.

  13. @ASAPicon June 12, 2017

    Honey I cannot.
    Farewell Ms thing

  14. Kkk June 12, 2017

    Queen tinashe

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