Tinashe On Achieving Success In The Industry After 10 Years With Her Single "Nasty": 'So Thankful'
Singer Tinashe is basking in the success of her recent single "Nasty."
To date, the 31-year-old's track, released earlier this year, has charted on Billboard's Hot 100 and amassed millions of streams on Spotify. This achievement is significant, as it comes years after Tinashe left her record label, RCA Records, to become an independent artist with Nice Life Recording.
The success of "Nasty" marks a pivotal moment in the star's career, as it's her first major hit in a decade. Tinashe's last chart-topping single was 2014's "2 On" featuring Schoolboy Q. Despite consistently releasing music over the years, none of her subsequent singles had performed as well. If "Nasty" continues its upward trajectory, it may finally break this streak.
"Nasty" gained widespread popularity mainly due to a viral X (formerly known as Twitter) post featuring an edited clip of social media user Nate Dj Winer dancing to the song. Although the single wasn't playing in the original video, the altered upload captivated audiences due to its seamless pairing of Nate's dance moves and Tinashe's track.
Since then, the "Needs" vocalist has added her spin to the viral video by stitching it on TikTok and dancing to the clip. In an interview with Variety, Tinashe discussed how self-belief and perseverance through various setbacks have contributed to her recent triumph.
In the conversation, the “Talk To Me Nice” songstress revealed that the acclaim she has received for 'Nasty' was unexpected, but she remains grateful to those who recognize her craft.
“It’s amazing. I’m just so thankful. I was saying this to my mom the other day, 10 years later, who would have thought? And I didn’t need this moment. I came to the place where I didn’t need that validation anymore. And I think that makes it even better, because it’s like holy s–t, the universe just worked in such mysterious ways,” she said.
Further into the interview, Tinashe disclosed that she first realized her song was going viral when her peers and others began contacting her.
“I noticed a difference almost immediately because I started getting hit up by my peers, and I feel like people see my content all the time, but it’s very rare I’ll get a DM from Meghan Trainor being like, ‘I love that song,’ or Kehlani or Tyla,” she stated. “There was a group of people within the first week that I dropped it that were messaging me being like that’s that shit. So to me, I was like, OK, this is different. Unusual. It’s been a snowball avalanche since then.”
The "Bouncin" singer credited her current success to her resilience and consistency in releasing music and visuals.
“I definitely think that everything that I’ve done up to now, all those grinding it out moments where I just had my head down and was just putting out the best music I could and being really consistent and making great visuals and things like that, it’s all led up to this,” she said. “I don’t think it’s just this. Everything that I’ve done really laid the groundwork, and the people who have been quietly supporting at all these different platforms that have been ‘waiting’ for me to have my moment, they can all activate now. I feel like everything has led up to this, so I’m thankful for both this moment and also the journey it took to get here.”
Toward the end of the discussion, the “Remember When” singer expressed that this achievement has reinforced her belief that anything is possible and emphasized the importance of living in the present and trusting the universe.
“Nasty” is available on all streaming platforms.
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'Sistas' Star Skyh Black On The Power Of Hypnotherapy & Emotional Vulnerability For Men
In this insightful episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Sistas star Skyh Black, as he opened up about his journey of emotional growth, resilience, and self-discovery. The episode touches on emotional availability, self-worth, masculinity, and the importance of therapy in overcoming personal struggles.
Skyh Black on Emotional Availability & Love
On Emotional Availability & Vulnerability
“My wife and I wouldn't be where we are today if both of us weren't emotionally available,” he shared about his wife and Sistas co-star KJ Smith, highlighting the value of vulnerability and emotional openness in a relationship. His approach to masculinity stands in contrast to the traditional, stoic ideals. Skyh is not afraid to embrace softness as part of his emotional expression.
On Overcoming Self-Doubt & Worthiness Issues
Skyh reflected on the self-doubt and worthiness issues that he struggled with, especially early in his career. He opens up about his time in Los Angeles, living what he calls the “LA struggle story”—in a one-bedroom with three roommates—and being homeless three times over the span of 16 years. “I always had this self-sabotaging thought process,” Skyh said. “For me, I feel therapy is essential, period. I have a regular therapist and I go to a hypnotherapist.”
How Therapy Helped Him Heal From Self-Doubt
On Hypnotherapy & Empowering Self-Acceptance
Skyh’s journey is a testament to the power of tapping into self-development despite life’s struggles and being open to growth. “I had to submit to the fact that God was doing good in my life, and that I'm worthy of it. I had a worthiness issue and I did not realize that. So, that’s what the hypnotherapy did. It brought me back to the core. What is wrong so that I can fix it?”
Watch the full podcast episode below:
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Quinta Brunson Gets Real About Divorce, Boundaries & Becoming
Quinta Brunson is the woman who chooses herself, even when the world is watching. And in her June 30 cover story for Bustle, she gives us a rare glimpse into the soft, centered place she's navigating her life from now. From leading one of television's most beloved series in the last decade to quietly moving through life shifts, the creator of Abbott Elementary is walking through a personal evolution and doing so with intention, grace, and a firm grip on her boundaries.
Back in March, the 35-year-old filed for divorce from Kevin Jay Anik after nearly three years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences." The news hit the headlines of news outlets fast, but Quinta hadn't planned to announce their dissolution to the public so quickly.
Quinta Brunson On Divorce, Public Scrutiny & Sacred Boundaries
"I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce,’" she told Bustle. “I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you. No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move, when a major change happens in your personal life. It’s just that that’s public record information."
In regards to her private moves becoming tabloid fodder, Quinta continued, "I hated that. I hate all of it."
"I Am An Artist First": Quinta On Cutting Her Hair & Reclaiming Herself
Still, the diminutive phenom holds her crown high in the face of change and is returning to the essence of who she is, especially as an artist. "Cutting my hair reminded me that I am an artist first. I want to feel things. I want to make choices. I want to be a person, and not just stuck in having to be a certain way for business." It's giving sacred rebirth. It's giving self-liberation. It's especially giving main character energy.
And while the headlines keep spinning their narratives, the one that Quinta is focused on is her own. For her, slowing down and nourishing herself in ways that feed her is what matters. "It’s a transitional time. I think it’s true for me and my personal life, and it’s how I feel about myself, my career, and the world," Quinta shared with Bustle. “I feel very serious about focusing on watering my own gardens, taking care of myself and the people around me who I actually interact with day-to-day."
That includes indulging in simple rituals that ground her like "making myself a meal" which has become "really, really important to me."
That spirit of agency doesn't stop at the personal. In her professional world, as the creator, executive producer, and lead actress of the critically-acclaimed Abbott Elementary, Quinta understands the weight her choices carry, both on- and off-screen. She revealed to Bustle, "People used to tell me at the beginning of this that the No. 1 on the call sheet sets the tone, and the producer sets the tone — and I’m both of those roles."
She continued, "I understand now, after doing this for four years, how important it was that I set the tone that I did when we first started."
Quinta doesn't just lead, she understands the importance of curating the energy of any space she enters. Even amid a season of shifts and shedding, her power speaks loudly. Sometimes that power looks like quiet resistance. Sometimes that power is soft leadership.
And sometimes that power looks like cutting your hair and taking back your name in rooms that have forgotten you were an artist long before you were a brand.
Read Quinta's cover story on Bustle here to witness the fullness of Quinta's becoming.
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