NEW YORK (AP) — Tinashe refuses to retreat from the unknowns of life — or the music industry — but instead, embraces them. That’s what makes the success of her cheeky, inuendo-filled hit, “Nasty,” taste oh so sweet.
“You never really know when that’s going to happen. You can’t really predict it,” she said of the song, which peaked at No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100, her second-highest charting track as well as No. 2 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50. “It’s been a blessing and something that I’m just super excited about.”
Leading off her upcoming album “Quantum Baby” which drops Friday, “Nasty” rocketed after a social media user combined a snippet of the song with an existing clip that had already made its viral rounds. The song also garnered acknowledgement or some form of shoutout from icons like Beyoncé and Janet Jackson, as well Christina Aguilera, Anitta and more. Her standout lyric of “match my freak” has become a popular catch phrase.
This project marks her seventh studio album and the second of a three-part trilogy. The title nods quantum physics, as she hopes fans will enter her personal universe and rediscover her at the most fundamental, molecular level.
“I’ve been really lucky since leaving my major label, going independent, being able to focus on whatever I want to make creatively. And I’ve really honed that process over the last three albums,” said the songstress, whose previous album, “BB/ANG3L,” was released last year. “This second part of the trilogy is really focused on getting to know me a little bit deeper.”
The eight-track project, clocking in just over a swift 22 minutes, features production from Nosaj Thing, Ricky Reed and sdtroy, with Tinashe writing on every song.
Known for genre-bending, often fusing R&B, pop, dance and electronic elements with precise performance choreography to match, Tinashe debuted in 2014 with “Aquarius,” her highest-charting album to date. Despite not matching that success and often living in musical limbo, she chose to leave the support of RCA’s major label machine due to their rocky relationship. However, she’s kept her career afloat, in part thanks to a loyal fan base.
“When I first came on the scene, I was young, I was green. I feel like I’ve learned so much and gained so much, first of all, self-confidence,” explained Tinashe. “Being a young woman in these usually male-dominated spaces, there’s usually never any other women in the room. And you’d come in with a producer who’s made all these amazing records and you don’t wanna tell them what to do — and they’re not probably gonna listen to you anyways. So, I think now, I just have a much stronger sense of what I want to do and being able to give that direction.”
Recorded at her home studio, “Quantum Baby” features songs like the sultry, trap-soul track “Thirsty” and the vibey, Kaytranada-reminiscent “Getting No Sleep,” which serves as her second and current single. Often incorporating moody and atmospheric sonics, there’s also the intro track, “No Simulation,” where she harmonizes, “We’re all looking for something/where are we going/what do we do?”
“What I’m mostly looking for at this point in my life is just great experiences and peace of mind,” she said. “I’m at the point where I’m not trying to force or create anything anymore.”
Despite past collaborations with platinum-selling artists like Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Future and Nick Jonas, she’s no longer chasing big features or producer placements in hopes of bettering her chances to scale the charts.
“’2 On’ was my first single that I ever put out. So, I set the bar really high… and there was always that sense of like, ‘Can we do this?’ And that was always kind of on the forefront of my mind when creating records," reflecting on her Schoolboy Q-assisted track, which peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, her highest-charting song. “I think I’ve made better records since I’ve stopped considering how they will perform … I just really focus on my instincts and making something that feels good to me.”
What feels best to Tinashe now? It's being free from creative confinement and battling industry politics over her career. Her trendy style and fashion-forward eye makes her a frequent front-row guest at fashion shows and red carpet events, and she’s expressed an interest in returning to acting. In October, she’ll kick off her 23-date Match My Freak world tour, produced by Live Nation, to support the music.
The “All Hands on Deck” artist has managed to steady the ship of her career, and she’s willing to live with the results of navigating the turbulent music industry seas – as long as she’s the captain.
“Finding contentment in yourself and in your artistry is super important for a music artist in terms of feeling good about what you do because the music industry is so volatile … where I started to feel that freedom and contentment was when I didn’t set any expectations for myself,” she said. “That’s really success right now, it's just to make things that I love and to focus on creating great art that’s timeless”
Follow Associated Press entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at: @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.
This cover image released by Tinashe Music Inc/Nice Life Recording Co. shows “Quantum Baby” by Tinashe. (Tinashe Music Inc/Nice Life Recording Co. via AP)
Tinashe poses for a portrait in New York on June 6, 2024 to promote her seventh studio album, “Quantum Baby.” (AP Photo/Gary Gerard Hamilton)
Tinashe poses for a portrait in New York on June 6, 2024 to promote her seventh studio album, “Quantum Baby.” (AP Photo/Gary Gerard Hamilton)
Tinashe poses for a portrait in New York on June 6, 2024 to promote her seventh studio album, “Quantum Baby.” (AP Photo/Gary Gerard Hamilton)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dangerous winds returned to Southern California on Tuesday as new wildfires broke out and a pair of major Los Angeles-area blazes burned for a third week, while officials made preparations to protect scorched neighborhoods from toxic ash runoff ahead of potential rain this weekend.
Forecasters cautioned that gusts could peak at 70 mph (113 kph) along the coast and 100 mph (160 kph) in mountains and foothills during extreme fire weather that's expected to last through Tuesday afternoon.
The National Weather Service warned of a “ particularly dangerous situation ” across Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego counties due to low humidity and powerful Santa Ana winds. Gusts will ease later in the day, but windy conditions are expected into Thursday.
Fire engines and water-dropping aircraft positioned across the region allowed crews to swiftly douse several small blazes that popped up over the holiday weekend, said David Acuna, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
“Our concern is the next fire, the next spark that causes the next wildfire,” Acuna said Tuesday. He said another worry was that the two major blazes, the Palisades and Eaton fires near Los Angeles, could break their containment lines.
Evacuations were ordered Tuesday when the Friars Fire broke out near a San Diego mall and flames ran up a hillside toward residences, Cal Fire said.
Meanwhile, evacuation orders were lifted for the Lilac Fire in the Bonsall area of San Diego County, which burned at least 85 acres (34 hectares) of dry brush after threatening structures, the agency said. Nearby, crews fully contained the 17-acre (34-hectare) Pala Fire.
As a small number of residents were allowed to return to the devastated Pacific Palisades area, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order Tuesday to expedite cleanup efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides, install barriers and reinforce roads ahead of possible rain this weekend that could create mud and debris flows.
“This is to prevent additional damage to areas already ravaged by fire, and also to protect our watershed, beaches and ocean from toxic runoff,” Bass said during a news conference.
Bass also warned that winds could disperse ash and urged Angelenos to visit lacity.gov to learn about ways to protect themselves from toxic air during the latest Santa Ana wind event.
There's a 60% to 80% chance of a small amount of rain for Southern California starting Saturday, with most areas likely getting not more than a third of an inch (0.8 cm), said Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist for the weather service's LA office. However up to an inch (2 1/2 cm) of rain could fall during localized thunderstorms, which would be a “worst-case scenario” if it's enough to trigger debris flows on scorched hillsides, he said.
“But even if the rain doesn't materialize this time, it could be a good practice run for those communities because this will be a threat that they’ll have to deal with for months or years," Kittell said Tuesday.
Los Angeles firefighters on Monday quickly extinguished a small brush fire near the iconic Griffith Observatory in a sprawling park overlooking the city. A man suspected of starting the fire was taken into custody, LA police said. Fire crews also quickly extinguished a small blaze near Tujunga and another one along Interstate 405 in the Granada Hills neighborhood that temporarily closed northbound lanes.
Southern California Edison said it had preemptively shut off power to more than 61,000 customers in five counties to prevent winds from toppling electrical equipment and sparking new fires. The utility said it was considering precautionary shutoffs for an additional 251,00 customers.
Authorities urged residents to review evacuation plans and prepare emergency kits, and be on the lookout for fires and report them quickly.
The low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong winds come as firefighters continue battling the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have killed at least 27 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out Jan. 7. The Palisades Fire was 61% contained and containment of the Eaton Fire reached 87%.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff flew to Los Angeles Monday after attending President Donald Trump's inauguration and met with firefighters, volunteers and victims of the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
“We just came out to thank (firefighters), to thank the community and just remind folks that we're all in this together,” Harris said. She said their home in Pacific Palisades was still standing.
Trump, who criticized the response to the wildfires during his inaugural address, has said he will travel to Los Angeles on Friday.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said the devastation left by the fires underscores the need for partnership between the state and federal governments.
“I look forward to President Trump’s visit to Los Angeles and his mobilization of the full weight of the federal government to help our fellow Americans recover and rebuild,” Newsom said in a statement.
Associated Press radio reporter Julie Walker contributed from New York.
San Diego firefighters knock down a small brush along a hillside over the Mission Valley Shopping Mall in San Diego on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
FILE - Resident Pauly Harter, right, pulls his son Gavin on a cart during a walk Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
FILE - Nancy Belanger pours water on a neighbor's fire-ravaged property in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Residences destroyed by the Eaton Fire line a neighborhood in Altadena, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Residences destroyed by the Eaton Fire line a neighborhood in Altadena, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A woman search inside a destroyed home by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
FILE - Josh Lederer wears a mask to protect him from fumes as he retrieves his children's clothes from his fire-ravaged property in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Residences destroyed by the Eaton Fire line a neighborhood in Altadena, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A lone home stands among residences levelled by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Residences destroyed by the Eaton Fire line a neighborhood in Altadena, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Residences destroyed by the Eaton Fire line a neighborhood in Altadena, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
FILE - Jerome Krausse pushes his mother-in-law in a shopping cart as they evacuate from their home in the Pacific Palisades after a wildfire swept through their neighborhood in Santa Monica, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
A firefighter pulls a hose while trying to keep the Lilac Fire from spreading near the Bonsall community of San Diego County, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A firefighter battles the Lilac Fire near the Bonsall community of San Diego County, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A firefighter sprays water while battling the Lilac Fire near the Bonsall community of San Diego County, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Firefighter Joshua Cari sprays water while battling the Lilac Fire near the Bonsall community of San Diego County, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Firefighter Joshua Cari sprays water while battling the Lilac Fire near the Bonsall community of San Diego County, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Firefighters battle the Lilac Fire along Interstate 15 near the Bonsall community of San Diego County, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Firefighter Joshua Cari sprays water while battling the Lilac Fire near the Bonsall community of San Diego County, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Vehicles drive along Interstate 15 as the Lilac Fire burns along a hillside in Bonsall, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Firefighters walk up a ridge to battle the Lilac Fire in Bonsall, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Firefighters stand along a ridge as they battle the Lilac Fire in Bonsall, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Two firefighters roll up a fire hose during the Lilac Fire in Bonsall, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Vehicles pass through smoke from the Lilac Fire in Bonsall, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Firefighters battle the Lilac Fire in Bonsall, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Strong winds carry embers as firefighters work to extinguishe a brush fire in the Winchester community of Riverside County, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A firefighter extinguishes a brush fire as strong winds carry embers in the Winchester community of unincorporated Riverside County, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Homeowner David Marquez, left, holds a metal detector as he shows recovered metal items found with his father, Juan Pablo Alvarado, right, inside the walls of their multi-generational home in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Joel Parkes, a teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District returns to his destroyed home in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Joel Parkes, a teacher at Los Angeles Unified School District returns to his destroyed home in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Joel Parkes, a teacher at Los Angeles Unified School District, left, returns to his home with his wife in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Homeowner David Marquez, left, holds a metal detector as his father, Juan Pablo Alvarado, right, and a friend look for the remains of gold jewelry and other silver items inside the walls of their multi-generational home in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Debris from a destroyed home is seen as a newly built ADU (accessory dwelling unit) stands behind after surviving the Eaton Fire, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)