Tinashe on 'Popstar', Shedding the Underrated Label and Naming Charli xcx and Zara Larsson as Peers

Tinashe has released her eighth studio album, Popstar, following the viral success of the tracks Nasty and No Broke Boys in 2024. During a Q&A session after the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles, she shared insights about the album's title. Tinashe attributes her rise to fame to her 2014 hit 2 On, describing the album as a blend of dynamic beats and introspective lyrics. In the song Empty Stadium, she reveals her anxiety about being overlooked. She names Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Lady Gaga, and Beyoncé as her ultimate pop icons, while considering Charli xcx and Zara Larsson as contemporaries. Tinashe views success as a combination of critical acclaim and creative freedom, guided by the mantra "life is long." Although she has yet to visit Zimbabwe, it remains a goal.