Tinashe Opens Up About Collaborating With Chris Brown and R. Kelly

Tinashe, the talented singer-songwriter known for her latest album BB/Ang3l, recently shared her thoughts on past collaborations with artists Chris Brown and R. Kelly, expressing embarrassment over these musical partnerships.

During an interview on the Zach Sang Show, Tinashe discussed her collaborations with Chris Brown and R. Kelly on the songs “Player” and “Let’s Be Real Now,” respectively. These collaborations took place in 2015 when she was signed with RCA Records.

When asked if these collaborations felt like something she was essentially forced to do due to label pressure, Tinashe candidly responded with a laugh, “You think I wanted to? [laughs] I literally… I block out that R. Kelly song from my mind. I forget that it even exists. That is so embarrassing. That is so unreal that I even have a song with R. Kelly. That’s so embarrassing. Yes, that was label-y! […] And I was so young, too, which is crazy because I feel like I did that song when I just signed to that label. I was probably, like, 20. That was crazy.”

@zachsangshow “I block out that song from my mind” @Tinashe on working with R. Kelly #tinashe #rkelly #embarrassing #zachsangshow #zachsang #fyp #foryou @Amp ♬ original sound – Zach Sang Show

Sang, the show’s host, commented that public perception may have led people to believe that these collaborations were entirely Tinashe’s choice, but she likely had limited control over the situation. Tinashe agreed, saying, “You do, a thousand percent. Especially when it comes to singles, for example — that song with Chris [Brown]: that was a song that I put a lot of… we all wanted it to be this big moment, this big single. So I feel like, in their mind, they were like, ‘You need the support.’ He was their biggest artist that they had on rhythmic radio at the time. To me, I was like, ‘Well, this is a pop song. So, I really don’t feel like we should put Chris on it.’ That doesn’t compute to me, but… I don’t know.”

Tinashe’s candid reflections shed light on the complex dynamics and pressures that artists often face within the music industry, particularly when it comes to collaborations and singles.

This interview provides insight into Tinashe’s experiences and decision-making processes as she navigated her career in the music industry.