Singer Tinashe Gets Candid About Feeling Like The Butt OfThe Joke’ For Years Amid Success Of New Album “Popstar”: Never Give Up On Yourself

Tinashe

Singer Tinashe Gets Candid About Feeling Like The Butt OfThe Joke’ For Years Amid Success Of New Album “Popstar”: Never Give Up On Yourself

And if you needed a sign not to give up on yourself, here it is.

#Tinashe has definitely entered her winning season, and she’s taking a moment to celebrate the success of her eighth studio album, “#Popstar.” The 16-track project dropped on September 25 and has been met with major praise from fans and critics alike. Metacritic rated Tinashe’s latest record a 90 out of 100, while #Pitchfork — known for not holding back with its brutally honest reviews — gave it a rare 9.0 out of 10. On top of that, the album is now challenging for a top 10 debut on the Billboard 200, which would mark the first of Tinashe’s decades-long career.

Reflecting on just how far she’s come since entering the music scene in the late ’90s/early 2000s, Tinashe opened up in a statement shared online, writing, “This moment is a testament to never giving up on yourself. For years I felt misunderstood, overlooked, the butt of the joke.” Despite people questioning why she continued releasing music, Tinashe said she remained focused on her passion and simply “kept creating things I loved.” Along the way, she said she “reached a place where I no longer craved the validation of accolades, awards, or even mainstream success,” explaining that it had all become “too painful” to care about anymore.

Now, after years of staying the course, the recognition appears to be hitting a little differently. She added, “That’s why this means so much to me-because after all of these years, to finally be here in this moment and seeing the praise for this project and finally feeling seeeeeen and heard is unbelievably touching.” Tinashe’s journey is certainly a reminder of what can happen when you tune out the noise, keep betting on yourself, and refuse to give up on what you love.