Tinashe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tinashe
Tinashe in 2023
Born	Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe (1993-02-06) February 6, 1993 (age 32) Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter dancer actress
Years active	2000–present
Works	Tinashe discography
Musical career
Origin	Pasadena, California, U.S.
Genres	R&B pop alternative R&B
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Roc Nation RCA Nice Life

Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe (tee-NAH-shay; born February 6, 1993), known as Tinashe, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. She was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and later moved to Pasadena, California, as a child. There, she started her career in entertainment.

Tinashe has had many notable roles. She did motion-capture for the animated film The Polar Express (2004). She also played Robin Wheeler in the Cartoon Network TV series Out of Jimmy's Head (2007–2008). She had a recurring role in the CBS series Two and a Half Men (2008–2009).

From 2007 to 2011, Tinashe was part of a girl group called The Stunners. After the group broke up, Tinashe released her first music project, a mixtape called In Case We Die (2012). It was an alternative R&B style and was well-received by critics. Soon after, she signed with RCA Records. Her next two mixtapes, Reverie (2012) and Black Water (2013), also received praise.

Tinashe became more widely known with her 2014 song "2 On" (featuring Schoolboy Q). This song reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was the first single from her first studio album, Aquarius (2014). In 2015, she was featured on Snakehips' song "All My Friends" with Chance the Rapper. This song was very popular in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. She also appeared on Britney Spears' song "Slumber Party", which topped Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart.

Her albums Nightride (2016) and Joyride (2018) both reached the top ten on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. After leaving RCA, Tinashe released three albums on her own: Songs for You (2019), 333 (2021), and BB/Ang3l (2023). Her 2024 song "Nasty" became her first solo song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 in ten years. This song came out before her seventh album, Quantum Baby (2024).

Early Life and Family

Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe was born on February 6, 1993, in Lexington, Kentucky. She is the oldest child of Michael and Aimie Kachingwe, who are both college professors. Her father teaches acting and is from Zimbabwe. Her mother teaches physical therapy and has Danish, Norwegian, and Irish family roots. Tinashe's name means "We have God" or "God is with us" in the Shona language. She has two younger brothers, Thulani and Kudzai.

As a child, Tinashe lived in DeKalb, Illinois. When she was eight, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. She went to Crescenta Valley High School for one year. She then left early to focus on her music career. She started learning ballet, tap, and jazz dancing at age 4. She continued to compete in dance until she was 18.

Career Highlights

Early Acting and The Stunners

Tinashe in 2010

In the 2000s, Tinashe appeared in several TV shows and movies. These included Cora Unashamed (2000) and Call Me Claus (2001). She also voiced characters in Rocket Power (2004) and Avatar: The Last Airbender (2007). She had a main role in Out of Jimmy's Head (2007–2008). She also had a recurring role on Two and a Half Men (2008–2009).

In 2007, Tinashe joined the girl group The Stunners. The group included her friends Marisol Esparza, Allie Gonino, Hayley Kiyoko, and Kelsey Sanders. They signed with Columbia Records and later with Universal Republic Records. In 2009, they released a song and video called "Bubblegum". They also released a five-song EP. In 2010, they released the song "Dancin' Around the Truth". The Stunners also opened for Justin Bieber on his My World Tour.

The Stunners broke up in 2011. Tinashe then decided to start a solo music career. She bought her own equipment, like a camera and microphones. She taught herself how to record and mix music. She wrote and recorded songs in her home studio. She also filmed and edited her own music videos. She learned a lot from watching videos on YouTube.

On May 3, 2011, Tinashe performed solo on TV for the first time. She sang "God Bless America" at a Dodgers baseball game. In June 2011, she released her first solo music video. It was a cover of Lil Wayne's song "How to Love". Later that year, she released her first original solo song, "Can't Say No".

Mixtapes and First Album Success

Tinashe in 2013

Tinashe released her first solo mixtape, In Case We Die, in February 2012. She recorded it in her home studio. The mixtape had four singles, including "Chainless" and "Boss". Critics and fans really liked the mixtape.

In July 2012, Tinashe announced she had signed with RCA Records. After signing, she released her second mixtape, Reverie, in September 2012. This mixtape included songs like "Stargazing" and "Ecstasy". Reviews for Reverie were also very positive.

In November 2013, Tinashe released her third mixtape, Black Water. It had thirteen songs. The song "Vulnerable", featuring rapper Travis Scott, was called a "Must-Hear Pop Song of the Week" by MTV.

Tinashe worked on her first studio album in 2014. She recorded in many cities, including Los Angeles and London. She worked with several producers. On January 13, 2014, she released "2 On", the first single from her album. The song featured American rapper Schoolboy Q and was produced by DJ Mustard. "2 On" became a big hit, reaching number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

On June 29, 2014, Tinashe performed "2 On" on national television for the first time at the BET Awards. She also announced that her album, Aquarius, would be released on October 7, 2014. Tinashe said the album showed who she was as an artist and how she had grown. The album's second single was "Pretend" featuring ASAP Rocky. Aquarius debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart.

"All Hands on Deck" was the last single from Aquarius. Its music video was praised for its amazing choreography and visuals.

New Music and Tours

Tinashe performing in 2015

In early 2015, Tinashe began working on her second studio album. On March 16, 2015, she released a free seven-song mixtape called Amethyst. She recorded this project in her bedroom during her Christmas break. Tinashe also directed several music videos for songs from her Aquarius album.

On September 2, 2015, Tinashe shared a preview for her second album, Joyride. She told Billboard that the title meant her career felt like an adventure. She released "Party Favors" featuring Young Thug and "Player" featuring Chris Brown. In October 2015, she was featured on Snakeships' song "All My Friends" with Chance the Rapper. This song became a top 20 hit in several countries.

In 2015, Tinashe joined Nicki Minaj on the Pinkprint Tour. She also toured South America with Katy Perry on the Prismatic World Tour. She was featured in Vogue and on the cover of Dazed magazine.

Tinashe announced the Joyride World Tour in January 2016. However, the tour was later canceled so she could focus on making new songs for the album. She released another song, "Ride of Your Life", in February 2016. In February 2016, MAC Cosmetics worked with Tinashe for a special makeup collection.

On July 15, 2016, Tinashe released a new song called "Superlove". The music video for "Superlove" was very popular, reaching one million views on YouTube in just a day and a half. In September 2016, Tinashe performed her song "Company" on MTV's Wonderland. In October 2016, Tinashe was confirmed to be working with Britney Spears on a remix of Spears' song, "Slumber Party".

On November 4, 2016, Tinashe released a digital album and short film called Nightride. She said she had been working on it for two years alongside her Joyride album. Rolling Stone magazine described Nightride as "dark, alluring and dangerous."

In March 2017, Tinashe joined Maroon 5 on their tour. She also premiered a new song, "Flame". It was confirmed that Tinashe would appear in the TV series Empire. On April 2, 2017, Tinashe performed "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Florida, in front of a huge crowd.

In July 2017, Tinashe said she was working on her second album, Joyride. On January 18, 2018, she released "No Drama" featuring Offset. This was the first single from Joyride. "Faded Love" featuring Future was released as the second single. Joyride was released on April 13, 2018.

New Beginnings and Independent Music

In September 2018, Tinashe was announced as a contestant on season 27 of Dancing with the Stars. Her dance partner was Brandon Armstrong. Even though she often received high scores, Tinashe and Brandon were eliminated in October.

In January 2019, Tinashe played the main role of Mimi Marquez in Rent: Live, a live TV version of the musical Rent. Mimi is a dancer who faces many challenges. Tinashe had been a fan of the musical since middle school. She said it was important because it dealt with relevant topics in an exciting way. The show aired on Fox on January 27, 2019.

In February 2019, Tinashe's manager announced that she had left RCA Records. This "positive split" allowed her to have more creative control over her music. She signed a management deal with Roc Nation in November. Tinashe then released her first album on her own, Songs for You, on November 20. Critics praised the album. In July 2020, she released the song "Rascal (Superstar)".

In August 2020, Tinashe confirmed she would be featured on Iggy Azalea's song "Dance Like Nobody's Watching". This was their second time working together. In November 2020, Tinashe released a Christmas EP called Comfort & Joy.

Recent Albums and Projects

Tinashe performing at Festival Grls! in São Paulo in 2023

On May 28, 2021, Tinashe hinted at her fifth studio album with a teaser called "333". The album's first song, "Pasadena", featuring Buddy, was released on June 4. On July 9, she released "Bouncin'". Tinashe then announced the 333 Tour, which started in September 2021. On July 22, Tinashe announced that her album 333 would be released on August 6, 2021. The album received positive reviews. The song "Bouncin'" and its music video got a lot of attention from other artists like Little Mix and Doja Cat.

Tinashe was the first artist to be featured on the rebooted MTV Cribs. She showed her Los Angeles home and her home studio. She also started a new Facebook Watch show called Choreo Cage Fight. In 2022, Tinashe was named in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list.

On July 29, 2022, Tinashe released the song "New to You" with Calvin Harris, Normani, and Offset. This song was for Harris' album Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2.

In January 2023, Tinashe made a guest appearance in the movie House Party. She also competed on the reality show Stars on Mars, which started on June 5, 2023. She finished as the runner-up on the show. On July 21, 2023, she released "Talk to Me Nice", the first song from her sixth album, BB/Ang3l. On August 18, 2023, she released the album's second song, "Needs". The album was released on September 8, 2023.

Recent Success and Future Plans

In January 2024, Tinashe was announced as part of the line-up for the Coachella music festival. She performed on NPR Tiny Desk on February 9, 2024.

Tinashe released the song "Nasty" on April 12, 2024. This song became very popular after being featured in a dance video on TikTok. She performed the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on June 12, 2024. The song reached number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also reached number 1 on the US Rhythmic Radio Chart. "Nasty" was named TikTok's number 1 Song of the Summer in the United Kingdom.

On August 16, Tinashe released her seventh studio album, Quantum Baby. This album is the second part of a three-album series that started with BB/Ang3l. Quantum Baby received good reviews. She also announced the 2024-2025 Match My Freak: World Tour. This tour will include shows in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Musical Style and Influences

Tinashe's music is often described as R&B, pop, and alternative R&B. She writes her own songs. Her songs are about her own life and relationships. She also likes to write about society and different things that affect her. Her mixtapes have been more experimental, mixing traditional R&B with electronic and dark pop sounds.

Tinashe says she is "really inspired by R&B, hip-hop, and alternative music". She likes songs that sound a "little crazy". She feels this creates an interesting contrast with her voice, which she describes as "bright, and soft, and like pretty, and sweet". She doesn't want her music to sound too sweet or nice.

Tinashe said in 2016 that she doesn't "fit into any particular genre." She later said she sees herself as "a pop artist who makes R&B-tinged pop music". Early in her career, people often compared her to Ciara, who is one of her inspirations. Her style has also been compared to Janet Jackson, Aaliyah, James Blake, and Mya. Tinashe was inspired by the music her parents played when she was young. She considers Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Sade, Christina Aguilera, James Blake, the xx, and SBTRKT as important influences. She admires artists who are amazing singers and performers, especially in live shows.

Personal Life

In 2016, Tinashe lived with her family in La Crescenta, a suburb near Los Angeles. She was in a relationship with Australian basketball player Ben Simmons from 2017 to 2018. In 2020, she shared that she identifies as bisexual.

Tinashe has a black belt in Taekwondo. In June 2020, she attended the George Floyd protests in Los Angeles.

Discography

• Aquarius (2014)
• Nightride (2016)
• Joyride (2018)
• Songs for You (2019)
• 333 (2021)
• BB/Ang3l (2023)
• Quantum Baby (2024)

Stage Roles

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Tours

Headlining Tours

• Aquarius World Tour (2014–2015)
• Joyride Tour (2016)
• 333 Tour (2021–2022)
• BB/Ang3l Tour (2024)
• Match My Freak: World Tour (2024–2025)

Supporting Tours

• Nicki Minaj – The Pinkprint Tour (2015)
• Katy Perry – Prismatic World Tour (2015)
• Maroon 5 - Maroon V Tour (2017)
• Flume - Palaces World Tour (2022)

See also

In Spanish: Tinashe para niños