WEBVTT - Tinashe 0:00:15.476 --> 0:00:23.436 Pushkin Tinache's changing what a pop music career can look like. 0:00:24.276 --> 0:00:27.516 Back in twenty fourteen, her song two On featuring Schoolboy 0:00:27.636 --> 0:00:30.756 Q became a huge hit. It was her very first 0:00:30.796 --> 0:00:33.356 single from her very first album and seems like a 0:00:33.396 --> 0:00:37.796 clear indication that she was poised for more chart success. Instead, 0:00:37.876 --> 0:00:41.756 something maybe more interesting happened. Instead of dominating the pop market, 0:00:41.876 --> 0:00:45.196 she released projects that missed the Billboard chart but gained 0:00:45.196 --> 0:00:49.076 her an incredibly strong and loyal fan base. She even 0:00:49.116 --> 0:00:51.436 left her label in twenty nineteen to go independent and 0:00:51.476 --> 0:00:54.956 brought her fans along with her, and now ten years later, 0:00:55.236 --> 0:00:59.036 has her second Billboard hit with the viral sensation Nasty. 0:00:59.916 --> 0:01:03.156 Nasty comes from her new album Quantum Baby, the second 0:01:03.196 --> 0:01:05.596 part in a trilogy of albums that, to my ears, 0:01:05.636 --> 0:01:09.276 sounds like her best work yet. I spoke to Tina 0:01:09.516 --> 0:01:13.316 from Amazon's Studio one twenty six about these trio of albums, 0:01:13.356 --> 0:01:16.916 including her big summer hit and the time she spent 0:01:17.036 --> 0:01:23.596 weeks filming The Polar Express with Tom Hanks. This is 0:01:23.676 --> 0:01:27.436 broken record liner notes for the digital Age. I'm justin Mitchman. 0:01:28.316 --> 0:01:35.036 Here's my conversation with Tinche Yo. Congratulations on like everything, 0:01:35.196 --> 0:01:36.756 Yeah thing is crazy. 0:01:36.836 --> 0:01:37.716 I know, I'm excited. 0:01:37.796 --> 0:01:42.076 We kind of set this up like a while ago. 0:01:42.076 --> 0:01:44.516 I want to say, like before the song was going 0:01:44.556 --> 0:01:48.916 to do it. You've been doing incredible work for so long. 0:01:49.036 --> 0:01:52.756 It's like it's incredible to see the payoff. 0:01:53.276 --> 0:01:56.716 Yeah, it feels good time having fun. 0:01:56.836 --> 0:01:59.676 Yeah, yeah, what was Maybe we can just start with 0:01:59.796 --> 0:02:05.196 Nasty and yeah what I guess, or maybe let's just 0:02:05.196 --> 0:02:08.156 start with the new part two in general, like how 0:02:08.196 --> 0:02:12.356 were you part one in part two of Baby Angel, 0:02:12.476 --> 0:02:17.636 Baby Angel? Pronounce it a baby Angel, Baby Angel, Like 0:02:17.676 --> 0:02:21.516 how did you kind of make both at the same time? 0:02:21.756 --> 0:02:22.516 Yeah? 0:02:22.676 --> 0:02:25.236 Yeah, well I initially went in with the intention of 0:02:25.996 --> 0:02:28.356 making a full length project, but breaking it up into 0:02:28.356 --> 0:02:31.516 parts to give people enough time to really chew on 0:02:31.596 --> 0:02:34.796 each piece of material. I think, you know, we live 0:02:34.836 --> 0:02:37.476 in this day and age, it's very quick to consume, 0:02:38.116 --> 0:02:39.636 and I think as an artist, you know, you spend 0:02:39.676 --> 0:02:43.236 so much time working on the songs and curating them 0:02:43.236 --> 0:02:45.036 so perfectly and listening to them over and over and 0:02:45.076 --> 0:02:47.276 over again. There's something kind of sad every time you 0:02:47.316 --> 0:02:49.156 release like a full length project and you're like. 0:02:49.196 --> 0:02:51.596 Well, what about this track and this track and this track? 0:02:51.756 --> 0:02:53.116 You know, like people get caught up. 0:02:53.156 --> 0:02:55.676 Obviously, the singles get their light, they get their shine, 0:02:55.716 --> 0:02:57.916 they get their little focused track. 0:02:57.676 --> 0:02:59.476 Moment or a music video or something. 0:02:59.516 --> 0:03:02.116 But there's usually so many other songs on a record 0:03:02.116 --> 0:03:04.996 that you want to like celebrate or you know, let 0:03:05.076 --> 0:03:08.156 them have their flowers. So I thought it would be 0:03:08.236 --> 0:03:11.196 smart to break it up into three different parts, seven 0:03:11.276 --> 0:03:14.556 songs each. So I initially started working on just like 0:03:14.676 --> 0:03:15.836 a huge batch. 0:03:15.796 --> 0:03:18.396 Yeah, so you wanted people to be able to digest yeah, 0:03:18.436 --> 0:03:18.956 something in. 0:03:19.036 --> 0:03:23.516 Yeah, just each individual batch chunk. 0:03:23.756 --> 0:03:26.636 So then how many how many songs did you wind 0:03:26.716 --> 0:03:27.796 up recording? 0:03:29.716 --> 0:03:30.116 A lot? 0:03:30.876 --> 0:03:33.636 Every project, I end up recording a lot of material usually, 0:03:33.756 --> 0:03:37.316 so I don't know, there's not really like a set number. 0:03:37.316 --> 0:03:39.396 But I would say it was getting into like the 0:03:40.196 --> 0:03:43.596 I would say fifty, I would say fifty fifty records 0:03:43.596 --> 0:03:44.436 maybe wow. 0:03:44.556 --> 0:03:46.556 But those aren't all like fully fleshed out ideas. 0:03:46.836 --> 0:03:50.156 They're usually like I'll start a song, make a verse hook, 0:03:50.996 --> 0:03:53.596 call that a song, you know, Yeah, decide if I'm 0:03:54.356 --> 0:03:54.956 fucking with. 0:03:54.876 --> 0:03:56.036 It, I want to change it. 0:03:56.076 --> 0:03:57.876 We'll take me to the inception of stuff. So like, 0:03:57.916 --> 0:04:00.836 how do you how do you work with it? Like 0:04:00.876 --> 0:04:04.076 there's some great producers on here, obviously Nasty's Ricky reed, 0:04:04.156 --> 0:04:07.556 but you got no such thing. Yeah, he had some 0:04:07.596 --> 0:04:09.316 incredible cuts on the part too. 0:04:09.596 --> 0:04:11.796 Yeah, Andy produce talks to me nice on part one. 0:04:11.836 --> 0:04:14.196 So I feel like that's like a great connection of 0:04:14.436 --> 0:04:17.196 and also kind of shows how the cohesion between the 0:04:17.236 --> 0:04:20.476 first project the second project, and also the evolution of 0:04:20.516 --> 0:04:22.556 the from the first project to the second project, you know, 0:04:22.556 --> 0:04:25.636 because they're both the same, but you know they're different, 0:04:26.076 --> 0:04:28.116 they have their own personalities. 0:04:29.236 --> 0:04:31.436 So how do you how do you like lock in 0:04:31.476 --> 0:04:33.436 with the producer and kind of like tell me the 0:04:33.476 --> 0:04:36.156 process of like who starts, like are you are you 0:04:36.196 --> 0:04:38.956 going to listen through? Listen for some for tracks, listen for. 0:04:38.996 --> 0:04:40.716 Yeah, and then I mean it kind of depends on 0:04:40.756 --> 0:04:42.916 who I'm working with or kind of the mood of 0:04:42.956 --> 0:04:47.236 the day. A lot of times will start from scratch, 0:04:47.276 --> 0:04:49.916 depending on the producer. If they're more comfortable with like 0:04:49.956 --> 0:04:52.916 playing beats that they've kind of made, then like that's 0:04:52.956 --> 0:04:56.516 cool too, because I will definitely take an idea, start 0:04:56.556 --> 0:04:58.316 something and then kind of go back in and like 0:04:58.396 --> 0:04:59.516 make tweaks and make. 0:04:59.476 --> 0:05:00.156 Edits that way. 0:05:00.796 --> 0:05:02.956 But I also love starting from scratch if people are 0:05:02.996 --> 0:05:05.996 down for that, So you know, just kind of starting 0:05:06.076 --> 0:05:09.716 usually with like a bpm a tempo, something that feels inspiring, 0:05:09.996 --> 0:05:12.356 something I want to dance to, something that feels different 0:05:12.356 --> 0:05:13.236 and unique as well. 0:05:13.236 --> 0:05:16.316 That's something in that moment feels Yeah. 0:05:15.996 --> 0:05:18.676 Yeah, it feels right, it feels inspiring. 0:05:19.236 --> 0:05:21.436 Is there something off Part two that started that way? 0:05:21.436 --> 0:05:23.196 It's kind of like was all a card to you? 0:05:25.276 --> 0:05:27.876 Yeah? I mean I feel like every record was, honestly, 0:05:27.956 --> 0:05:34.876 thinking back on it, nasty definitely, red flags mmmm yeah, 0:05:34.916 --> 0:05:38.396 so many, all of them. Okay, getting no sleep. He 0:05:38.396 --> 0:05:40.116 didn't cook that one in the room though. That was 0:05:40.156 --> 0:05:42.556 more like we had a session the first day. I 0:05:42.596 --> 0:05:44.676 told him what I wanted. He said, I'll come back 0:05:44.676 --> 0:05:47.276 with something tomorrow. So it was still like it was 0:05:47.276 --> 0:05:52.396 still special, you know, Taylor tailor made for you? 0:05:52.596 --> 0:05:53.236 Yeah, exactly. 0:05:53.596 --> 0:05:56.356 Spend a lot more time on it, given you have 0:05:56.676 --> 0:06:00.116 so many like great deep cuts on an album. M hm. 0:06:00.156 --> 0:06:01.836 And that was kind of the impetus for maybe breaking 0:06:01.876 --> 0:06:04.196 these these up a bit. How do you go about 0:06:04.196 --> 0:06:06.476 deciding once you have a set of songs, what's what 0:06:06.556 --> 0:06:07.436 the single is going to be? 0:06:07.676 --> 0:06:12.876 Yeah, this, I may actually get some feedback on the 0:06:12.916 --> 0:06:15.356 single because I do want to hear what other people 0:06:15.396 --> 0:06:20.076 are into, but not necessarily the songs on the album itself. 0:06:20.116 --> 0:06:24.556 Like I'll definitely refer to which ones I'm looking back 0:06:24.636 --> 0:06:28.396 on and constantly playing to see which songs are like 0:06:28.476 --> 0:06:31.996 the keepers. But sometimes the singles is just like playing 0:06:32.036 --> 0:06:33.916 it for a few people and you can tell. 0:06:34.116 --> 0:06:35.076 Sometimes it's the one that. 0:06:35.036 --> 0:06:37.796 Sparks the idea for a music video, like, oh, I 0:06:37.796 --> 0:06:39.356 could do this really cool concept. 0:06:39.836 --> 0:06:42.316 I'd love to give this a moment. 0:06:42.596 --> 0:06:45.156 Sometimes it's just highlighting up record that I feel like 0:06:45.236 --> 0:06:48.916 would otherwise be just lost in the shuffle. 0:06:50.596 --> 0:06:54.036 There's not like a huge rhymor reason mind. 0:06:53.756 --> 0:06:55.396 It so, But there are some songs at the end 0:06:55.396 --> 0:06:57.036 of the day you'll set aside as being like maybe 0:06:57.036 --> 0:06:58.396 you have a hunch these could or. 0:06:58.636 --> 0:07:01.596 Yeah, just because people are usually excited about it. 0:07:02.196 --> 0:07:05.636 People in the studio, yeah yeah, or play things in 0:07:05.636 --> 0:07:09.516 your life or whatnot. Any thing you can point as 0:07:09.556 --> 0:07:11.796 to why you feel like Nasty is doing what it's doing. 0:07:13.916 --> 0:07:17.476 I mean I think a lot of things. 0:07:17.516 --> 0:07:22.756 Probably, I think the fact that the song is very catchy, 0:07:22.876 --> 0:07:25.116 it's easy to get in your head. You can hear 0:07:25.156 --> 0:07:27.516 it one time, you kind of remember it, or you 0:07:27.596 --> 0:07:31.156 kind of know what's what it's about. I think the 0:07:31.196 --> 0:07:34.516 simplicity of it lends itself to being a hit song. 0:07:35.556 --> 0:07:37.956 I think it doesn't really sound like too much other 0:07:37.996 --> 0:07:40.516 stuff on the radio right now or like in the 0:07:40.636 --> 0:07:42.836 universe right now. I think it has its own vibe 0:07:42.876 --> 0:07:45.196 with kind of the minor chord section going into like 0:07:45.236 --> 0:07:48.636 the major chord hook. So I think that stands out 0:07:48.636 --> 0:07:51.316 in a way. I think it's memeable. You know. It's 0:07:51.316 --> 0:07:54.476 got these like funny, funny lines that are like is 0:07:54.476 --> 0:07:57.676 somebody gonna match my freak? Or I having a nasty girl? 0:07:57.716 --> 0:08:01.636 You know that people are just finding these little memorable moments. 0:08:02.316 --> 0:08:07.276 And I also just think like time and place, like 0:08:07.396 --> 0:08:10.076 you know, just sometimes the universe just the perfect storm 0:08:10.156 --> 0:08:14.316 of everything coming together, everything else that's out right now 0:08:15.596 --> 0:08:19.116 where I'm at my career, the fact that it's summer, 0:08:19.836 --> 0:08:20.076 you know. 0:08:20.156 --> 0:08:22.916 I think there's just so many things that go into it. 0:08:23.196 --> 0:08:26.476 The lines part about the meaning of life, even like 0:08:26.516 --> 0:08:29.236 you deliver it is really like your delivery on that yeah, 0:08:29.356 --> 0:08:32.996 so interesting, even like I need somebody with a good technique. 0:08:36.036 --> 0:08:38.116 It's just it makes you, It makes you feel something different, 0:08:38.156 --> 0:08:39.556 you know. I mean you're like, oh, it's just like 0:08:39.596 --> 0:08:42.516 there's a you could tell that there was really almost 0:08:42.516 --> 0:08:44.836 sounds like a I mean in a way, it's almost 0:08:44.876 --> 0:08:47.556 like maybe the way like an actor reads lines. Yeah, 0:08:47.916 --> 0:08:49.516 treated I don't know that you did that. 0:08:49.636 --> 0:08:55.396 But as a listener, there was definitely a purposefulness of 0:08:55.436 --> 0:08:57.836 the approach to the verse. Like how I said it, 0:08:57.876 --> 0:08:59.956 I really wanted it to be in like a conversational 0:09:00.036 --> 0:09:03.356 part of my voice, and so it felt very in 0:09:03.396 --> 0:09:06.276 your face and really like I was just talking to 0:09:06.316 --> 0:09:08.676 you and not like I was trying too hard to 0:09:08.716 --> 0:09:10.916 like perform it or sing it or do it in 0:09:10.956 --> 0:09:13.676 my singing voice or any particular voice. Because sometimes easy 0:09:13.716 --> 0:09:15.276 to do that too, you know, like perform it in 0:09:15.316 --> 0:09:17.996 like a sexier tone or like you can do so 0:09:17.996 --> 0:09:21.236 many different ways to make it interesting if you will. 0:09:21.236 --> 0:09:23.596 But I really wanted it to be like in a talky, 0:09:23.756 --> 0:09:26.716 conversational kind of tone. 0:09:27.116 --> 0:09:28.876 Is that like an intentional set out in the studio? 0:09:29.116 --> 0:09:33.236 And then like, I guess, how do you get vocal feedback? Yeah? 0:09:33.276 --> 0:09:35.476 I also don't really get vocal feedback. 0:09:35.476 --> 0:09:38.676 I usually it's just me and my engineer recording everything 0:09:39.276 --> 0:09:44.516 and yeah, just doing whatever feels right. I actually don't 0:09:44.676 --> 0:09:46.756 like vocal feedback. Every time there's like a vocal producer 0:09:46.796 --> 0:09:49.036 in the room. I'm like, this is so annoying. Let 0:09:49.076 --> 0:09:52.076 me sing it how I want to see it. The 0:09:52.196 --> 0:09:55.676 initial reason was because I'd recorded it as a freestyle 0:09:56.156 --> 0:09:59.156 and I had that tone. So listening back to the 0:09:59.196 --> 0:10:02.916 freestyle that I'd recorded, I was like, that sounds good. 0:10:03.076 --> 0:10:06.276 I tried to mimic it, and it didn't come across 0:10:06.316 --> 0:10:08.636 that same way. So I was very specific in trying 0:10:08.676 --> 0:10:12.796 to like mimic it the way that I just was 0:10:12.836 --> 0:10:14.476 saying when I was messing around. 0:10:14.836 --> 0:10:16.756 Wait, so what part of exactly was a freestyle? 0:10:16.876 --> 0:10:21.236 The whole I've been a nasty girl, nasty and is 0:10:21.276 --> 0:10:24.916 somebody gonna match my freak? Is somebody gonna match my freak? 0:10:24.996 --> 0:10:26.516 Is somebody gonna match my nasty? 0:10:26.596 --> 0:10:30.756 The whole thing? The uh, the whole thing. 0:10:31.676 --> 0:10:31.996 I have it. 0:10:32.116 --> 0:10:34.876 I have it in my computer on photo booth. 0:10:35.636 --> 0:10:38.356 Wait, is that what you were? It wasn't like a 0:10:38.436 --> 0:10:40.596 voicemail you got you hopped on photo booth. 0:10:40.716 --> 0:10:42.796 Yeah. Because I was driving in my car and the 0:10:42.876 --> 0:10:44.476 music was playing off my phone, so I had to 0:10:44.516 --> 0:10:47.956 record myself. So I had my laptop and the passengers like, 0:10:47.996 --> 0:10:51.876 open it up, very sick. I wasn't filming myself. 0:10:51.876 --> 0:10:55.596 It was just filming the audio then Yeah, how. 0:10:55.516 --> 0:10:58.316 Much is that a part of your process freestyling? 0:10:58.436 --> 0:11:01.196 Yeah, I feel like that gives me the best product. 0:11:01.316 --> 0:11:04.076 So I always try to be very purposeful about following 0:11:04.076 --> 0:11:08.236 my instinct and making sure that I record my initial 0:11:08.276 --> 0:11:12.796 instinct on a b That's really important too, because a 0:11:12.796 --> 0:11:14.396 lot of times I just think that that's your best 0:11:14.396 --> 0:11:15.716 idea for some reason. 0:11:16.476 --> 0:11:19.916 Just is so recording things going back to hear what 0:11:19.956 --> 0:11:22.916 the initial like, Yeah, what really spoke to you initially? Yeah, 0:11:22.956 --> 0:11:27.476 and then yeah, not exaggerating but building on them yeah hmm. 0:11:27.516 --> 0:11:30.276 And a lot of times either there will be words already, 0:11:30.676 --> 0:11:33.836 like with Nasty there were actual words, tangible words, but 0:11:33.876 --> 0:11:35.196 sometimes it's just melodies. 0:11:35.276 --> 0:11:36.356 Sometimes it's gibberish. 0:11:36.836 --> 0:11:39.556 Sometimes it's a word here and there, mumbo jumbo, and 0:11:39.556 --> 0:11:43.236 you kind of have to like excavate the lyrics. But yeah, 0:11:43.276 --> 0:11:46.356 I think that's usually how I write nearly every song. 0:11:46.796 --> 0:11:47.876 Wow, that's really cool. 0:11:48.036 --> 0:11:50.516 Yeah, you just kind of felt like, yeah, well I 0:11:50.516 --> 0:11:53.956 really love that, Like West Coast kind of chilled but 0:11:54.076 --> 0:11:56.476 still makes you want to dance. It's that pocket that 0:11:56.516 --> 0:12:00.036 like everyone wants to bob their head. Everyone could kind 0:12:00.036 --> 0:12:03.076 of catch that beat. It's not too up, it's not 0:12:03.196 --> 0:12:07.116 too slow. Yeah, And I've been DJing a lot lately 0:12:07.156 --> 0:12:08.916 and there's always like a lot of songs in that 0:12:08.956 --> 0:12:12.556 like ninety nine one hundred bpm that I love to play. 0:12:12.916 --> 0:12:14.556 I don't know because I grew up on the West Coast, 0:12:14.596 --> 0:12:16.796 but it was like sweet Spot. 0:12:17.436 --> 0:12:18.436 What are those tracks? 0:12:18.796 --> 0:12:21.196 I don't know, like anything like Ti Dolla Sign or 0:12:21.236 --> 0:12:24.436 like YG you know, like that it's giving that laid back, 0:12:24.716 --> 0:12:28.796 effortless bop energy and wanting to kind of start with 0:12:28.836 --> 0:12:29.916 that pocket. 0:12:29.716 --> 0:12:33.676 Okay, dope. When did you officially move to California? 0:12:33.756 --> 0:12:34.636 How old were seven? 0:12:34.796 --> 0:12:35.396 You were seven? 0:12:35.556 --> 0:12:35.916 Yeah? 0:12:36.156 --> 0:12:40.036 Did it feel? How was coming out here? Like? Because 0:12:40.076 --> 0:12:42.796 you were obviously from a young age plugged into the arts, 0:12:42.796 --> 0:12:46.196 plugged into music, digesting things that you're taking in. How 0:12:46.196 --> 0:12:50.516 did how to moving here change the way you you 0:12:50.796 --> 0:12:52.796 listened to things and felt things and what you wanted 0:12:52.796 --> 0:12:53.036 to do. 0:12:53.116 --> 0:12:55.116 I feel like the West Coast has such a specific 0:12:56.316 --> 0:13:00.476 style of just culture and sound, whether it be like 0:13:00.636 --> 0:13:03.956 how the culture of creating music, you know, being in 0:13:04.676 --> 0:13:06.996 that culture from really young age, being in the studios, 0:13:07.156 --> 0:13:09.876 you know, seeing how songs were made, you know how 0:13:09.956 --> 0:13:14.116 producers worked, you know, just the culture of chilling in 0:13:14.276 --> 0:13:16.556 La and the laid backness of it all. And I 0:13:16.636 --> 0:13:19.796 think that has a lot to do with like approach, 0:13:20.116 --> 0:13:25.636 subject matter, PPM style, just different things that I tend 0:13:25.676 --> 0:13:28.996 to like, you know, growing up here has a very 0:13:29.196 --> 0:13:32.316 clear vibe in my opinion. 0:13:32.876 --> 0:13:35.716 Yeah, it's hard to explain I think to people that 0:13:35.756 --> 0:13:37.556 don't grow I grew up here too. It's like and 0:13:37.716 --> 0:13:42.116 there is a certain cadence and a swim rhythm. I 0:13:42.116 --> 0:13:44.316 guess a rhythm to life here, and I guess it's 0:13:44.316 --> 0:13:45.956 maybe like you can explain to New Yorker because they 0:13:45.996 --> 0:13:48.236 also have a rhythm that they're plugged. 0:13:47.916 --> 0:13:49.876 Into the different one, but they feel. 0:13:49.916 --> 0:13:52.956 Very much and feels superior. 0:13:53.036 --> 0:13:53.316 Yeah. 0:13:53.436 --> 0:13:58.876 Sometimes, But but I do think like like coming like 0:13:59.276 --> 0:14:04.316 you know, obviously the legacy of kind of like that 0:14:04.436 --> 0:14:06.676 West Coast swing that goes into like a yg My 0:14:06.756 --> 0:14:10.276 crazy life and all these others like I love And 0:14:10.316 --> 0:14:11.756 now that you're saying that, I can kind of hear 0:14:11.796 --> 0:14:14.756 that because you do have a unique. 0:14:13.956 --> 0:14:15.596 Style, Yeah, thank you. 0:14:15.756 --> 0:14:19.556 And it feels like because Tuon it was your first single, Yeah, 0:14:19.876 --> 0:14:22.836 turned out to be a big Yeah, definitely, and it 0:14:22.876 --> 0:14:25.556 feels like you kind of came fully formed. 0:14:25.916 --> 0:14:28.116 Yeah, well it had that pocket too, so I feel 0:14:28.116 --> 0:14:30.596 like that's another reference point always like going back to 0:14:30.636 --> 0:14:33.116 being like, how do we you know that there was 0:14:33.156 --> 0:14:34.996 some magic in that what was that? 0:14:35.116 --> 0:14:37.156 You know, what set that song apart? 0:14:37.516 --> 0:14:39.636 And I think that part of it is that identity, 0:14:39.836 --> 0:14:43.876 having that kind of its own identity, its own vibe, 0:14:43.916 --> 0:14:48.236 its own cadence, And yeah, I don't know, I just 0:14:48.276 --> 0:14:50.316 remember like growing up and going to dance it, you know, 0:14:50.436 --> 0:14:52.756 just being around at the house parties and stuff like that. 0:14:52.796 --> 0:14:55.556 I think it's just very visceral and you want to 0:14:55.556 --> 0:14:56.796 be a part of it and you want to just 0:14:56.836 --> 0:15:00.676 like have that energy. So going into my entire career, 0:15:00.716 --> 0:15:02.236 I kind of always had in the back of my 0:15:02.236 --> 0:15:04.516 head like every project has a couple of those little 0:15:04.756 --> 0:15:07.236 tracks sprinkled in, from back to my first mixtape, Like 0:15:07.276 --> 0:15:09.436 I have a record on there called Chainless that's like 0:15:09.476 --> 0:15:11.956 the super West Coast, just like we shot it on Fairfax, 0:15:12.036 --> 0:15:14.556 like shot the music video. It's just kind of funny 0:15:14.596 --> 0:15:16.716 to see how everything comes very full circle, you know. 0:15:17.076 --> 0:15:21.156 Yeah, Yeah, you've stayed based here your whole career. Yeah right, yeah, 0:15:21.196 --> 0:15:24.236 how do you You're just I'm just thinking you shot your 0:15:24.276 --> 0:15:28.036 very first video from your mixtape on Fair Facts. Yeah, 0:15:28.516 --> 0:15:30.716 you're a very different stage in your career in life 0:15:30.996 --> 0:15:32.116 at this point today. 0:15:32.276 --> 0:15:35.876 Yeah, I was just driving in traffic in the exact 0:15:35.916 --> 0:15:37.476 same location where I shot that video. 0:15:38.276 --> 0:15:41.356 Like wow, I'm just dripping about, like how like how 0:15:41.396 --> 0:15:43.516 you must experience a city so differently. 0:15:44.076 --> 0:15:45.876 Yeah, I don't know, it's amazing. 0:15:45.996 --> 0:15:49.156 I think the evolution and the journey is all these 0:15:49.156 --> 0:15:52.516 little moments along the way really make it so much 0:15:52.676 --> 0:15:55.356 more meaningful and impactful to be where I am now 0:15:55.476 --> 0:15:58.796 and to kind of see firsthand you can you can 0:15:58.836 --> 0:16:01.596 compare very easily like the then and now, and I 0:16:01.596 --> 0:16:03.356 think that that makes it really sweet. 0:16:03.636 --> 0:16:07.756 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. We'll be right back with more from 0:16:07.756 --> 0:16:16.836 a conversation with Tina. We're back with Tinache. I want 0:16:16.836 --> 0:16:21.876 to talk a bit about your journey to being like 0:16:21.876 --> 0:16:27.396 an independent artist or your journey since becoming an independent artist. 0:16:28.116 --> 0:16:31.076 It's interesting that you seem to kind of be ahead 0:16:31.076 --> 0:16:33.276 of the curve a bit on that. 0:16:33.796 --> 0:16:34.196 I don't know. 0:16:34.276 --> 0:16:36.076 I don't know, it's the queriesst of me, Like we're 0:16:36.116 --> 0:16:37.276 always trying to move. 0:16:38.596 --> 0:16:40.716 Ahead of the curve. 0:16:40.836 --> 0:16:42.716 I guess I always trying to see about corners and 0:16:43.036 --> 0:16:43.596 I was just. 0:16:43.556 --> 0:16:45.916 Trying to make your own path, you know, carve your 0:16:45.916 --> 0:16:46.476 own way. 0:16:46.356 --> 0:16:50.796 Because it's like you left your label in twenty nineteen, yeah, 0:16:50.836 --> 0:16:55.516 and so five years later it seems to be like, 0:16:55.956 --> 0:16:58.996 like I just saw today Neo is going independent. Really 0:17:00.596 --> 0:17:05.036 like this is a real sort of time, a real 0:17:05.076 --> 0:17:08.876 pivotal like kind of like a boiling point in music 0:17:08.916 --> 0:17:11.596 where artists are realizing what they can do for themselves 0:17:11.596 --> 0:17:15.476 and you've got like a five year head start on it. 0:17:16.276 --> 0:17:18.236 Can you take me through the decision to go independent? 0:17:18.436 --> 0:17:18.916 Yeah? 0:17:19.316 --> 0:17:22.916 I think for me it The thing about the independent 0:17:22.996 --> 0:17:27.476 route that I you know, try to emphasize or keep 0:17:27.516 --> 0:17:30.516 in mind is that I do think I wouldn't necessarily 0:17:30.636 --> 0:17:32.916 ride out the gate be like everyone should be independent. 0:17:32.996 --> 0:17:35.276 I think it's like a very case by case basis. 0:17:35.516 --> 0:17:37.556 I feel like I had a very lucky perfect storm 0:17:37.596 --> 0:17:39.956 of like having the experience with the major label that 0:17:40.036 --> 0:17:42.196 kind of sowed a lot of seeds for me, and 0:17:42.236 --> 0:17:45.316 then like you know, establishing a fan base that was 0:17:45.556 --> 0:17:50.276 very dedicated and like super loyal, so that when I 0:17:50.396 --> 0:17:52.076 was able to make that step, they were able to 0:17:52.116 --> 0:17:53.996 go with me and follow me and still continue to 0:17:53.996 --> 0:17:56.476 support me. Because I do think the independent grind is 0:17:56.636 --> 0:18:04.116 super difficult, and so I think it's it's more what's 0:18:04.236 --> 0:18:07.036 really important is being able to tailor your career specifically 0:18:07.036 --> 0:18:09.636 for like what works for you. Because the reason I 0:18:09.716 --> 0:18:14.196 went into bed personally was because I just like mentally 0:18:14.436 --> 0:18:14.756 was not. 0:18:16.436 --> 0:18:17.396 Enjoying being in the. 0:18:17.396 --> 0:18:20.996 Place where I couldn't make all of the creative financial, 0:18:22.556 --> 0:18:26.396 you know, timing decisions when it came to my music. 0:18:26.396 --> 0:18:28.556 And I think it works for some people. You know, 0:18:29.476 --> 0:18:31.356 you know it's a complicated relationship. 0:18:31.876 --> 0:18:34.436 Sure, yeah, but I mean like it must have been 0:18:34.636 --> 0:18:36.316 because you know, like there's a world it must not 0:18:36.356 --> 0:18:38.636 have even been label specific, or you could tell me 0:18:38.636 --> 0:18:40.556 if it was, because it's like, I'm sure you could 0:18:40.596 --> 0:18:45.196 have just like found a different relationship that worked. 0:18:45.236 --> 0:18:46.436 You mean, like a different record late. 0:18:47.436 --> 0:18:47.636 Yeah. 0:18:47.996 --> 0:18:48.276 Yeah. 0:18:48.476 --> 0:18:51.316 I wasn't interested in that at that point because I 0:18:51.396 --> 0:18:55.716 really wanted to, I guess, prove to myself that my 0:18:55.796 --> 0:18:58.036 decisions were still the right decisions. And I was very 0:18:58.076 --> 0:19:01.956 wary of adding more cooks to the kitchen, if you will, 0:19:02.276 --> 0:19:04.556 I think it you know, like when you're working with 0:19:04.756 --> 0:19:09.116 a bigger team, a bigger machine, you start making little 0:19:09.196 --> 0:19:11.996 compromises here and there. It's not necessarily like it's in 0:19:12.036 --> 0:19:14.036 your face, and it's very cut and dry, like I'm 0:19:14.036 --> 0:19:17.196 making the wrong decision. It's you know, you start listening 0:19:17.276 --> 0:19:19.556 to so many different opinions and there's a lot of 0:19:19.556 --> 0:19:21.596 outside noise, and I think I really wanted to just 0:19:21.636 --> 0:19:24.316 eliminate all of that, go back to my roots, go 0:19:24.396 --> 0:19:27.316 back to making music in my house, in my home, 0:19:27.716 --> 0:19:31.476 and being the sole decider of like this is the one, 0:19:31.556 --> 0:19:32.716 this is what I'm going to do, this is what 0:19:32.756 --> 0:19:35.276 I want to put out, and so yeah, it was 0:19:35.356 --> 0:19:37.076 just really important for me at the time to make 0:19:37.116 --> 0:19:40.836 that decision to like fully embrace. 0:19:42.276 --> 0:19:45.796 Being by myself, you know, on a creative front. 0:19:46.116 --> 0:19:50.596 Yeah, you had mentioned that it's like, you know, when 0:19:50.596 --> 0:19:53.916 you go independent, there's not like some you know, I 0:19:53.956 --> 0:19:57.876 mean there's kind of there's not some like predetermined path 0:19:57.916 --> 0:19:59.196 like you kind of have to tailor it to you. 0:19:59.436 --> 0:20:01.716 That's who you are as an artist and you taste. 0:20:01.916 --> 0:20:04.556 So what were some of those early conversations you were 0:20:04.596 --> 0:20:07.436