Wondering Why Everyone's Talking About Tinashe? Here's Why She's R&B's Next Queen.

By VH1

October 9, 2014 / 10:00 AM

tinashe

R&B newcomer Tinashe recently hit the scene with an effortless sense of bravado and an authentic '90s vibe reminiscent to era’s greats—Aaliyah, Mya, SWV. After conquering seemingly challenging factors during her summer of stardom—you know, like, Beyoncé and Jay Z selling out a nationwide stadium tour and Ariana Grande commanding the charts—Tinashe managed to steer herself away from the competitive landscape and score a sizable breakout hit with "2 On" featuring Schoolboy Q.

With Tinashe’s controlled and precise vocal licks laid over the track’s relentless beat, "2 On" easily became the slinkiest R&B party jam to surface since—perhaps—Bey’s “Party.” The DJ Mustard-helmed "2 On" sat atop the Billboard Rhythmic Chart for 4 weeks and melted the airwaves all summer-long. The track made such an impact that even Drake felt compelled to join OB O'Brien on a surprise remix, "2 On/Thotful."

"I honestly was not expecting that Drake remix" Tinashe told MTV News back in May, a day after learning of the track. With a cosign from the Young Money maverick and glowing praise from The New York Times, it’s clear that Tinashe (pronounced tin-AH-shay, if you’re tripped up) is on the brink of something major. Or at the very least, she provided us with an infectious ode dedicated to the art of getting ratchet and going dumb. Those kinds of odes are the best.

Prior to getting her 2 on, our girl experienced marginal success as one sixth of the girl group the Stunners, who disbanded in 2011. Not common amongst most teens we know, the now 21-year-old L.A. native frequently cut classes and ditched prom to do things like hold meetings with record label execs and tour alongside Justin Bieber. And despite opening on Bieber’s My World Tour and cutting a single for the iCarly soundtrack, the group's demise forced Tinashe to persevere.

As a singer, songwriter, model, actress and dancer – Tinashe is a proven entertainer through and through. And she’s handy! Beginning as a baby model, Tinashe built her own recording studio from the earnings she made as an actress. Does she look familiar? You may recognize her as Jake’s reoccurring love interest, Celeste, from Two and a Half Men. After her stint with the Stunners, Tinashe released her own mixtape, In Case We Die in 2012, which inevitably led to her solo contract with RCA Records. She continued releasing mixtapes to the Internet from her home studio; 2012’s Reverie and 2013’s Black Water until herdebut album, Aquarius, dropped on October 7.

Aquarius features A-List production from Stargate, Mike Will Made It, Detail and the aforementioned DJ Mustard. The Los Angeles Times regards the effort as one of the strongest R&B debuts in years. The album’s second single "Pretend," produced Detail ("Drunk in Love") showcases Tinashe getting super vulnerable (and somewhat feisty—yeah, girl!) alongside featured MC A$AP Rocky. "Pretend" tells the age-old story of a relationship that’s been tested one too many times and is hanging on by threads fueled with denial, bitterness and lust.

Want more from Tinashe? We know you do. Catch her video for “Pretend” featuring A$AP Rocky.

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And watch Tinashe perform “The Star Spangled Banner” at Dodger Stadium on the eve of Aquarius’ release.

[Photo: Getty/@Tinashenow Instagram]