Key Takeaways
- Tinashe released her eighth studio album, Popstar, on Sept. 25 to high praise from fans and critics.
- On Wednesday, Sept. 30, the pop vocalist thanked fans while admitting that she once felt undervalued as an artist.
- The album is projected to debut in the top ten of the Billboard 200
Following the release of her eighth studio album, Popstar, Tinashe has revealed to her fans the difficulties she faced for years of being “misunderstood” as an artist.
On Wednesday morning (September 30), the “Too Easy” vocalist posted an iPhone note on her X, formerly Twitter, thanking fans for their positive response to Popstar. The album received a 9.0 review by Pitchfork, with the publication glowingly calling the 16-track LP “the best pop album of the year.”
“This moment is a testament to never giving up on yourself. For years I felt misunderstood, overlooked, the butt of the joke... but I just kept going,” Tinashe wrote. “People would say "she's still making music? Why hasn't she quit by now?" ...but I never gave up on myself or my artistry.”
The singer added, “I just kept focusing on my passion and love of music and art and kept creating things I loved. I inevitably reached a place where I no longer craved the validation of accolades, awards, or even mainstream success because it was too painful to care anymore.”
Tinashe explained that the strong reception to Popstar “means so much” and is “unbelievably touching.” “Like I really feel it's healing a huge part of me in real time,” she wrote.
The artist was formerly signed to RCA, where she released three albums before parting with the label. Since then, Tinashe has released a strong output of albums independently, including her 2024 release Quantum Baby, which featured her viral single, “Nasty.”
With Popstar on track to debut high atop the Billboard 200, Tinashe will perform the album live on the Three Nights With a Popstar Tour, with Chicago, Brooklyn and Los Angeles dates between October and November.
