Tinashe: “I Think More Women Should Collaborate And Support Each Other”
Curled up on a sofa backstage before her sold-out show at London’s Heaven, 22-year-old Tinashe is as chilled out as they come, citing her transatlantic fan base as “motivational”. With four hours ’til she was due to hit the stage and her debut album about to drop, MTV UK grilled the ‘All Hands On Deck’ singer on everything from astrology to Disney, all while developing our new biggest girl crush.
MTV UK: Your new album is called Aquarius, but what do the zodiac and star signs mean to you?
Tinashe: For me the album title is more of a metaphor than super literal astrology. It represents me and my introduction to the industry. It’s a way of categorising myself without naming it after myself. That was really where that came from.
MTV UK: So no tattoos like Cara Delevingne’s lion for her Leo sign then?
Tinashe: Maybe. I just don’t have any tattoos right now, so getting one would be a big deal. I wouldn’t rule it out, but do I plan on getting one? Nah, not really.
MTV UK: You collaborated with Iggy Azalea on your ‘All Hands On Deck’ remix - why did you want to work with Iggy?
Tinashe: Well first of all we were going to go on tour together this summer, and I always just wanted to collaborate with a female artist. I think more women should collaborate in general and support each other.
MTV UK: You’ve done two tracks with Calvin Harris, ‘Dollar Signs’ and ‘5AM’ - how was he to work with?
Tinashe: It was really fun working with Calvin, he’s a cool creative guy andhegave me a lot of creative freedom, so it was really easy. He’s a nice guy.
MTV UK: Who is number one on your collaboration hit list?
Tinashe: Ooh… I’d like to collaborate with Andre 3000. That would be crazy. Little Dragon, Emily Haines. Yeah.
MTV UK: Do you miss the group dynamic from when you were in The Stunners or do you prefer having the freedom to do what you want musically?
Tinashe: I love the creative control, just being my own artist, it’s a lot more fulfilling to create music that’s really true to who you are. The group stuff wasn’t very personal. The only thing that’s better in a group versus being by yourself is the companionship. You have to do a lot of thing by yourself as a solo artist. But it’s cool. It’s worth it.
MTV UK: What is your favourite song from Aquarius to perform live at the moment?
Tinashe: Right now probably 'All Hands On Deck', because it’s the new single, and it’s cool to watch the shift of people not really knowing the songs to getting more and more excited about the songs. That’s fun. The craziest crowds have been in the Bay area in San Francisco andOakland in California, and also Australia.
MTV UK: How does the rest of your afternoon look before you’re about to go on stage?
Tinashe: Typically there will be a soundcheck, I’ll do interviews and a meet and greet, and take pictures with some fans. Then I’ll just hang out and prepare myself to go on.
MTV UK: With you having more and more shows and photoshoots, is fashion something that’s becoming more important to you as well as your music?
Tinashe: Fashion is a huge part of entertainment and expressing yourself, and it’s just another element of expression, so definitely. I love fashion. For me it’s always interesting because I like to be able to mix up different styles and different brands, kind of like how my music taste or personality is, there’s lots of influences.
MTV UK: Who would you say is your fashion icon or someone you just think looks great all the time?
Tinashe: I think my ultimate fashion icon would have to be Gwen Stefani. I love her persona, I love what she embodies and represents, I love the fact that she was a girl fronting a band of boys in No Doubt. My biggest inspirations musically were definitely Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson. Loved them.
MTV UK: You’re now embracing tour bus life, but what are the three essentials you need for life on the road?
Tinashe: My pillow from home, because it’s extra squishy, and just great. Gotta have snacks too, because you’re on a bus, so you can load up on those. And three? I brought my studio with me and set that up in one of the rooms. That’s kinda cool.
MTV UK: That is cool. Have you been doing much writing lately?
Tinashe: I’m trying to, as much as possible, though I haven’t had much free time while I’ve been on the road. I’m trying to fit in writing when I can.
MTV UK: You posted on Facebook earlier today that you were watching Disney movies – what’s your favourite one?
Tinashe: Yeah [laughs]. I really love Pocahontas. Today I was watching Aladdin, it’s a classic, you can’t beat it.
MTV UK: If you could be any Disney character who would you be?
Tinashe: Probably Pocahontas. She’s pretty cool. She’s fearless and jumps off cliffs and s**t. That’s awesome.
