It’s not uncommon for this generation of performers to cite Queens of Pop Madonna and Janet Jackson as influences, but, unlike many , Urban Pop stage blazer Tinashe can boast direct links to the music royals.
Beyond drawing inspiration from their respective empowerment anthems like ‘Express Yourself’ and ‘Control,’ Sweet T, hot on the promo trail in support of the March 4 release of the deluxe edition of her last studio album ‘333,’ recently took to press to praise the icons for their roles in her personal life – especially as it relates to navigating a male-dominated music industry.
Sitting down with our friends at HNHH in honor of Women’s History Month, the 29-year-old waxed honest about how watching and listening to the divas has helped her move in a space that hasn’t been the most inviting to young, female creatives.
Look inside to read her touching quotes.
Tinashe (now independent) on how labels tried to ‘limit’ her sound:
“I rejected being put in a box. I didn’t want to be stuck with an R&B label…I didn’t want to just limit myself. When I started experimenting in more of the Pop space, there wasn’t the infrastructure ready for me to make that leap. I don’t think they knew what I was serving. My music is somewhere in between [Pop & R&B]…”
Tinashe on how the industry forces women to compete:
“The competition factor, where they do pit us against one another, and it’s not necessarily our fault that we’re fighting for this one or two seats at the table. I think the music industry does an amazing job at doing that with women. When you’re a young woman in those environments it’s easy for them to not respect you as a creative.”
Tinashe on how having an all-female team has empowered her:
“I think having women around me has helped me to feel much more safe and much more empowered by my own self as an artist. Now I have a female lawyer, my whole team is women! My lawyer, my glam team, my management, my business manager.”
Tinashe on what woman she would interview about how to navigate the male-dominated music industry:
“I would probably want to interview Janet Jackson just because she’s my hero and I feel she has a very interesting story and perspective on the music industry. She’s seen it change so many times throughout her career and I think the biggest thing that I would ask is at the moments where it seemed like everybody was counting her out…what did you tell yourself [to keep going]?”
Tinashe on the best career advice she’s received to date:
“I met Madonna, and I just asked her, ‘What’s one piece of advice you’d be willing to give me? You’re Madonna, you’re Queen.’ And she was like, ‘Don’t compare yourself to anyone, and don’t take sh*t from anyone.’ Because that can be a very slippery slope when you start making compromises to your artistry or what you want to do, and before you know it, all of a sudden, the final product will feel like it didn’t come from your soul.”
*****
Click here to read the full interview.
Read the whole interview. Tinashe seems grounded and approachable. She continues to have a fan in me. Madonna’s advice is solid and wouldn’t we ALL like Janet to REALLY talk about navigating the industry? That’s a documentary unto itself…
She’s been giving the same interview for like 8 years now. What’s new, Tinashe?
And your tired a*** is still listening to the same interviews for 8 years so what does that say about you and your boring life.
I guess that says that I keep up with a lot of music news in my spare time? Lmao, you thought you ate that didn’t you? 😂😂😂 Maybe YOU can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, but some of us aren’t one dimensionally pinheaded like yourself.
You must not keep up with a lot of music or artist since there are sooooooooooooo many that you keep focusing on what Tinashe has been saying for 8 years, you claim. And speaking of spare time, how about incorporating a job in there, maybe two jobs so you can stay off the Grape Juice with your tired reads, uneducated bish.
Lol she thinks she is so groundbreaking. r&b crossing over to pop is not now. “experimental” sounds also not new. She is unlikeable.