Tinashe facts for kids

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

Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe (born February 6, 1993), known by her first name Tinashe, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. She was born in Lexington, Kentucky. As a child, Tinashe moved to Pasadena, California, where she started working in entertainment.

She had notable acting roles, including a motion-capture performance in the animated movie The Polar Express (2004). She also played Robin Wheeler in the Cartoon Network TV series Out of Jimmy's Head (2007–2008). From 2007 to 2011, Tinashe was part of the girl group The Stunners.

After the group broke up, Tinashe released her first music project, a mixtape called In Case We Die (2012). It was well-received, and she soon signed with RCA Records. Her next mixtapes, Reverie (2012) and Black Water (2013), also received praise.

Tinashe became 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 song from her first studio album, Aquarius (2014). In 2015, she was featured on the song "All My Friends" by Snakehips, which was popular in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. She also appeared on Britney Spears' song "Slumber Party".

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 chart in ten years. This song came out before her seventh album, Quantum Baby (2024).

Early Life and Dance Training

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.

When Tinashe was eight years old, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. She went to Crescenta Valley High School for one year. She then left school early to focus on her music career full-time. She started learning ballet, tap, and jazz dancing at age four. She continued to compete in different dance styles with a dance company until she was 18.

Career Beginnings: Acting and The Stunners

Early Acting Roles

Tinashe in 2010

In the 2000s, Tinashe appeared in several TV shows and movies. These included Cora Unashamed (2000), Call Me Claus (2001), and Masked and Anonymous (2003). She also lent her voice to TV series like Rocket Power (2004) and Avatar: The Last Airbender (2007).

These roles led to her main part as Robin Wheeler in the Cartoon Network TV series Out of Jimmy's Head from 2007 to 2008. She also had a recurring role in the CBS series Two and a Half Men from 2008 to 2009. Even though she wasn't credited in Masked and Anonymous, a film critic named Roger Ebert praised her singing in the movie. He said her performance was "sweetness and conviction."

Joining The Stunners

In 2007, Tinashe became a member of the girl group The Stunners. The group was started by Vitamin C. Her bandmates were Marisol Esparza, Allie Gonino, Hayley Kiyoko, and Kelsey Sanders. Six months after forming, the group signed with Columbia Records.

In 2009, they released a song and video called "Bubblegum." Later that year, they released a five-song EP (Extended Play). In 2010, they released the music video for their song "We Got It." They performed this song on The Today Show. After signing with Universal Republic Records, they released another song, "Dancin' Around the Truth." The music video for this song came out just before the group opened for Justin Bieber on his My World Tour.

Starting a Solo Music Career

After the Bieber tour, The Stunners went back to the studio but broke up in 2011. Tinashe then decided to start her solo music career. She bought equipment like a camera and microphones and taught herself how to record and mix music. She wrote and recorded songs in her home studio. She also learned to produce beats and edit her own music videos. Tinashe said that YouTube was her "teacher" for learning these skills.

On May 3, 2011, Tinashe performed solo on TV for the first time, singing "God Bless America" at a Dodgers baseball game. On June 24, 2011, she released her first solo music video, a cover of Lil Wayne's song "How to Love". She later released her first original solo song, "Can't Say No," with a music video on November 25, 2011.

Independent Mixtapes and First Album

Early Mixtapes and Record Deal

Tinashe in 2013

Tinashe released her first solo mixtape, In Case We Die, in February 2012. She recorded it in her home studio. This mixtape included songs like "Chainless," "My High," and "This Feeling." The final song from the mixtape, "Boss," was featured in a TV show called Single Ladies. Music blogs generally liked the mixtape.

On July 13, 2012, Tinashe announced that she had signed with RCA Records. After signing, she released her second mixtape, Reverie, on September 6, 2012. This mixtape featured songs like "Stargazing" and "Ecstasy." Reviews for Reverie were mostly positive.

On November 26, 2013, Tinashe released her third mixtape, Black Water. This mixtape had thirteen songs and included work from producers like Dev Hynes and Boi-1da. The song "Vulnerable," which featured rapper Travis Scott, was called a "Must-Hear Pop Song of the Week" by MTV.

Debut Album Aquarius

Tinashe worked on her first studio album in 2014, recording in different cities like Los Angeles, London, and New York. She worked with several producers, including DJ Mustard and Mike Will Made It. On January 13, 2014, she released the first song from her debut album, "2 On". This song featured American rapper Schoolboy Q and was produced by DJ Mustard. "2 On" became very popular, reaching number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

On June 29, 2014, Tinashe performed "2 On" on national television at the BET Awards pre-show. That same day, she announced that her album, Aquarius, would be released on October 7, 2014. Tinashe said the album combined all her previous work and showed who she was as an artist. The second song from the album, "Pretend" featuring ASAP Rocky, was released on August 22, 2014. Aquarius debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart.

"All Hands on Deck" was the last song released from Aquarius. Its music video was praised for its dancing and visuals.

New Music and Tours

Nightride and Joyride Era

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 a Christmas break. Tinashe also directed several music videos for songs from her Aquarius album, like "Aquarius" and "Bated Breath," without help from her record label.

On September 2, 2015, Tinashe shared a preview for her second studio album, Joyride. She explained that the title felt like an "adventure, a journey, a ride" because of all her travels and experiences. She released a song called "Party Favors" featuring rapper Young Thug on September 9. On October 2, 2015, Tinashe released another song, "Player", featuring Chris Brown. She was also featured on the British electronic duo Snakeships' song "All My Friends" in October, which became a top 20 hit in several countries.

In summer 2015, Tinashe joined Nicki Minaj for concerts on the Pinkprint Tour. In September and October, she toured South America with Katy Perry on the Prismatic World Tour. Tinashe announced the Joyride World Tour on January 12, 2016, but it was later canceled so she could focus on creating new songs for the album.

On July 15, 2016, Tinashe released a new song, "Superlove". The music video for "Superlove" was very popular, reaching one million views on YouTube in just a day and a half. On September 15, 2016, Tinashe performed her song "Company" on MTV's Wonderland. On October 25, 2016, Tinashe worked 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 the Maroon V Tour. She also performed "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Florida, in front of a large crowd. On January 18, 2018, she released "No Drama" featuring Offset, which was the first song from her album Joyride. "Faded Love" featuring Future was released as the second song on February 12, 2018. Joyride was released on April 13, 2018.

Television and Independent Music

TV Appearances and Leaving RCA

On June 9, 2018, producer Hitmaka announced he was working on Tinashe's next album, called Nashe. The first song from this project, "Like I Used To", was released on July 13, 2018. The second song, "Throw a Fit", came out on July 26, 2018.

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 the fourth couple to be eliminated from the competition on October 15.

Fox announced a live TV version of the musical Rent, called Rent: Live. Tinashe played the main female role of Mimi Marquez. She had been a fan of the musical since middle school. The musical aired on Fox on January 27, 2019.

In February 2019, Tinashe's manager announced that she had left RCA Records. This "positive split" gave her more creative control over her music. She signed a management deal with Roc Nation on November 7. Tinashe then released her first album on her own, Songs for You, on November 20. Critics praised the album. On July 17, 2020, Tinashe 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. On November 25, 2020, Tinashe released a Christmas EP called Comfort & Joy.

333 and BB/Ang3l

On May 28, 2021, Tinashe shared a hint about her fifth studio album on social media, with the caption "333." The first song from the album, "Pasadena," featuring American rapper Buddy, was released on June 4. On July 9, Tinashe released the second song, "Bouncin'." After this release, Tinashe announced the 333 Tour, which started in September 2021. On July 22, Tinashe announced that 333 would be released on August 6, 2021. The album received positive reviews.

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

Tinashe performing at Festival Grls! in São Paulo in 2023

On July 29, 2022, Tinashe released the song "New to You" with Calvin Harris, Normani, and Offset.

In January 2023, Tinashe made a guest appearance in the movie House Party. She also competed in the reality TV show Stars on Mars, which premiered 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 studio album, BB/Ang3l. On August 18, 2023, she released the album's second song, "Needs". She released the album on September 8, 2023.

Quantum Baby and Recent Success

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, as the first song for her new album. The song became very popular after appearing 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. "Nasty" also became number 1 on the US Rhythmic Radio Chart. It was named TikTok's number 1 Song of the Summer in the United Kingdom and number 2 in the United States.

On August 16, 2024, 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 positive reviews. She also announced the 2024-2025 Match My Freak: World Tour, which will include shows in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Musical Style and Influences

Tinashe's music style is often described as R&B, pop, and alternative R&B. She writes her own songs and is open to working with other artists. Her songs are about her own life and relationships, or about things she observes in society. Her mixtapes have been more experimental, mixing traditional R&B with electro-hop 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" because it 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.

In 2016, Tinashe said she doesn't "fit into any particular genre." She later described herself as "a pop artist who makes R&B-tinged pop music." Early in her career, she was often compared to Ciara, who she looks up to. Her style has also been compared to Janet Jackson, Aaliyah, 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 has a black belt in Taekwondo.

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