September 16th 2023.
Tinashe is opening up about her journey to becoming an independent artist, and the role her label played in some of her eyebrow-raising collaborations. In a recent interview on The Zach Sang Show, Tinashe was asked whether she regretted her decision to work with controversial musicians R. Kelly and Chris Brown.
Tinashe revealed that she was forced by her former label, RCA, to record a song with Kelly. “That is so embarrassing. That is so unreal that I even have a song with R. Kelly,” she said. Tinashe also described the lack of control many up-and-coming artists have over their music and career plans. “I was so young, too, which is crazy because I feel like I did that song when I just signed to that label… I was probably, like, 20,” she said. “Like, for example, that song with Chris, that was a song that… we all wanted it to be this big moment — this big single. So I feel like in [the label’s] mind, they were like, ‘You need the support.’ And [Chris] was like their biggest artist that they had on rhythmic radio at the time.”
In 2019, Tinashe left RCA and embarked on a successful independent career under Roc Nation management. She has since released three critically acclaimed projects and has been vocal about her experience in the music industry, as well as her disapproval of major labels. Her latest release, BB/ANG3L, features seven tracks and leans heavily into her R&B side.
Tinashe's story serves as an example to up-and-coming artists about the importance of having control over their music and career trajectory. It also serves as a reminder of the devastating effects of the music industry's complicity in R. Kelly's alleged abuses.
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