Tinashe & Key ‘Popstar’ Collaborators Go Behind the Scenes of Her Career-Defining Opus: ‘We Have to F—k People Up Beyond Repair With This Music’
Tinashe, Ricky Reed and more key players break down the making of fall's buzziest album.
Tinashe is experiencing unparalleled euphoria following the release of her critically acclaimed album, Popstar. The project debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, selling 35,500 units — including 22,000 pure sales — marking her biggest week and highest-charting project to date. The 33-year-old artist, known for her unique blend of pop, alternative, dance, and R&B, has been traveling to promote the album and recently performed at Charli xcx's headlining Austin City Limits set alongside two of her tracks from Popstar.
Tinashe, who is not traditionally focused on chart success, has finally achieved the mainstream validation she's longed for. Born to professor parents in Kentucky and raised in Los Angeles, she began her journey in the entertainment industry at a young age, appearing in The Polar Express and The Stunners before releasing a series of mixtapes in the early 2010s.
After signing with RCA Records, Tinashe faced ups and downs including commercial hits like "2 On" and rocky releases like Nightride and Joyride, but she regained creative control in 2019 with Songs for You, paving the way for Popstar, her latest career-defining opus.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
