After starting her career on RCA Records, Tinashe has gone the independent route for her latest releases. It’s working out pretty well, too: Her latest single, “Nasty,” is a TikTok favorite and one of the biggest hits of her career. Tinashe’s RCA years were filled with conflict, so she doesn’t seem to mind rubbing her success in their faces a little bit.
via: Complex
The "2 On" singer, who left the record label in 2019 after years of conflict, was recently stopped by a reporter who asked her about RCA, as her latest single has become her first Billboard-charting solo hit. The singer is now independent but has a publishing deal with Nice Life Recording Company, founded by songwriter Ricky Reed (who co-wrote and co-produced "Nasty").
"Nasty," of course, can credit its success to being a summertime-ready earworm, along with being memeified shortly after the song's April release.
"Do you feel like RCA kind of dropped the ball when you were on their label? Because they couldn't do it? You did it by yourself," the reporter told her.
"You know? We just didn't need them," Tinashe responded with a playful shrug. "All you need is hard work, good fans, talent. I know they're gagging."
As for her post-"Nasty" plans, Tinashe promised new music and remixes, her upcoming album Quantum Baby, although she probably misspoke by saying her 2023 EP BB/Angel, along with a tour.
While RCA currently works with female pop and R&B singers like Grammy-winner Victoria Monét and Normani, who's seen a lengthy album rollout over the course of five years, Tinashe's been public about her disappointment with her former label.
Tinashe's first independent album was 2019's Songs For You, and the singer told Billboard that year that there were "definitely ups and downs" with RCA, one being the aftermath of her 2014 debut LP, Aquarius.
"My second album process just wasn’t as seamless as the first. I first announced it in 2015, right off the back of Aquarius. For whatever business reasons, it didn’t come out for the next three years," she told the publication.
"With that process of delaying the album, I felt really deflated as a creative. I was frustrated and helpless. I was over it and felt jaded. In my head, I had the idea of what I wanted the album would be. I felt like this would be a great opportunity to do this on my own. I just needed to free myself from everything. I felt like my career was coasting. I’m able to play shows, make money, and I can keep putting out music, but it didn’t feel all the way right."
As they should. I've always liked Tinashe, and per usual RCA tends to drop the ball when it comes to putting their money behind developing their real talent. I've always seen the potential in Tinashe, and I'm glad she's finally getting the success she's worked so hard for.
Success doesn't happen overnight. Labels really need to take the time in developing their talent if they want to survive, but then again, more artists are receiving success by going independent than getting caught up in some shitty major label contract.
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