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Music Style: Murky Alternative R&B taking influence from Downtempo, Alternative Pop, and Hip-Hop.

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Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe is an artist who a lot of us know for quite a few things. Some of these are “having label issues”, “better off being independent”, “being a talented artist”, and why some may see a lot of “f*** RCA” sentiments on a few online spaces. However, that last one is a whole other story. Tinashe is probably one of the most recognizable faces of the Dark R&B scene. A lot of her stuff tends to cross paths with other acts in the scene like The Weeknd, BANKS, Santino Le Saint, ABRA, and Syd. Before Tinashe became the Dark R&B chick we all know and love, she was a member of the pop girl group, The Stunners (Interestingly enough, Hayley Kiyoko was a member of this group as well). The Stunner would eventually disband in 2011, which lead to both Tinashe and Hayley perusing solo careers. On November 25, 2011 Tinashe would drop her debut single Can’t Say No and the rest is history.

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While Tinashe’s primary sound is murky Alternative R&B she has shown that she can work with other sounds as well. She’s incorporated Lo-Fi (The Last Night on Earth, Let You Love Me), Hyphy (Chainless, 2 On, Ride of Your Life, I Can See the Future), Witch House (Reverie, Bet), Trip Hop (Midnight Sun, Crossing the Cosmo, Bated Breath, I Tried, Another Season), Industrial (Secret Weapon, Indigo Child, Joyride), Atlanta Bass (Superlove, No Contest), Chopped N Screwed (C’est La Vie, Company, Boucin’ Pt 2), Sophisiti-Pop (Fugitive, Know Better), Cloud Rap (Vulnerable, Pretend, Like I Used to, X), Ambient pop (Stargazing, Spacetime, You Don’t Know Me, Middle of Nowhere), UK Bass (Cold Sweat, Life’s Too Short, Wanderer, Let Me Down Slowly), Crunk (All Hands on Deck), Tropical House (Me So Bad, Stuck with Me), and Drum n Bass (Shy Guy, Pasadena). She can also work with a full Hip-Hop sound (Cash Race, Link Up, Hopscotch), Art Pop (Come When I Call, Ghetto Boy, Stormy Weather, 333), Neo Soul (Just a Taste, 1 for Me, Let Go, Sunburn), and House (Die A Little Bit, I’m Every Woman). She’s even went into full-on Pop like in Wildfire, I Wanna Get Better, Undo (Back to My Heart), Perfect Crime, and The Chase. Like a lot of Alternative R&B acts, Tinashe has also veered into Contemporary R&B territory like in Ooh La La, Last Call, This Feeling, and Thug Cry.

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I feel like Tinashe, vocal wise, is in pretty good position among her peers. Like a lot of female R&B signers, Tinashe’s vocals have often been compared to Aaliyah. While I see the similarities and the reasoning, I personally feel that Tinashe’s vocals take more from Britney Spears and Mya, as opposed to Aaliyah. Although, she does channel Aaliyah’s singing style in tracks like 2 On, That, Ecstasy and Just a Taste. The best example where her vocals take more from Britney & Mya is when she’s sings in a more nasal, fake baby voice. Tinashe has done this on 1 for Me and This Feeling. Tinashe also knows how to use her voice. She shown that she can utilize an operatic singing style like in Reverie and I’m Selfish. She’s also incorporated a more jazzy style like in Sunburn. Tinashe has shown that she can go high (Can’t Say No, Fear Not, Stargazing, Come When I Call, I Tried), use her lower register (I Wanna Get Better, Far Side of The Moon, Slow, Vulnerable), and do insane vocal runs (Yours, This Feeling, Just a Taste, Wildfire). Check out this little performance of Tinashe singing Know Better, she definitely knows what she’s doing vocally. I also wanna highlight her vocals on Ecstasy. This particular section of Tinashe singing Ecstasy, is just pure heavenly R&B vocals. I would say that was one of the best times when she channeled Aaliyah vocally. Also, these performances of Superlove and Wanderer really showcase her vocal power. Tinashe has shown that she can sing rap and even rap to an extent. Her sing rapping can be seen in her many Hip-Hop adjacent songs like Sacrifices, Throw a Fit, Hopscotch, Story of Us, Link Up, and Worth It.

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If you’re intro a Dark Alternative R&B sound listen to In Case We Die, Nightride, or Amethyst. If you want a more sci-fi spacey nocturnal sound, listen to Reverie. For something incorporating Neo Soul, listen to Black Water. For something more mainstream sounding listen to Aquarius or Joyride. If you want something more on the Hip-Hop side, listen to Songs for You. For something giving a sci-fi futuristic sound, listen to 333.

Some of my favorite Tinashe songs: Can’t Say No, The Last Night on Earth, That, I Tried, This Feeling, Stumble, Crossing the Cosmo, Chainless, Stargazing, Yours, Another Me, Come When I Call, Reverie, I’m Selfish, Ecstasy, Vulnerable, Midnight Sun, 1 for Me, Just a Taste, Middle of Nowhere, Aquarius, Bet, Cold Sweat, 2 On, Pretend, All Hands on Deck, Indigo Child, Feels like Vegas, Bated Breath, Wildfire, Watch Me Work, Superlove, I Wanna Get Better, Wanderer, Worth It, Just The Way I Like You, Lucid Dreaming, C’est La Vie, Sunburn, Sacrifices, You Don’t Know Me, Spacetime, Ride of Your Life, Touch Pass, Ghetto Boy, Joyride, He Don’t Want It, Ooh La La, Me So Bad, Stuck With Me, Salt, No Contest, Fires and Flames, Like I Used To, Feelings, Life’s to Short, Hopscotch, Stormy Weather, Save Room For Us, Story of Us, Perfect Crime, Cash Race, Know Better, So Much Better, Remember When, I’m Every Woman, Let Go, I Can See the Future, X, Shy Guy, Bouncin’, Unconditional, 333, Undo (Back to My Heart), Let Me Down Slowly, Last Call, The Chase, Small Reminders, Bouncin’ Pt 2, It’s a Wrap

Here’s a Spotify and Apple Music playlist for Tinashe.

Here are some good performances: ‘Songs for You” (live @ Duke University), 2014 Soul Train Performance, Live @ Roskilde Festival 2017, Company (Live on MTV), LiveXLive Presents: Tinashe Live, Billboard Live @ Home

Next R&B Artist Spotlight: Corbin

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