Songs for You

Songs for You is the fourth studio album by American singer Tinashe, released independently through her own label Tinashe Music Inc. on November 21, 2019. It is the first project since her departure from RCA Records in February 2019. The project features collaborations with Ms Banks, 6LACK, and G-Eazy. The album has received positive reviews, with publications praising her creativity, production and songwriting, as well as for releasing music independently."Tinashe Takes Control On Her Genre-Hopping New Album Songs For You" - MTV News."Tinashe's 'Songs For You' Is Your Next Favorite Album" NYLON.
== Background ==
After Tinashe's previous album Joyride was released, she started recording her follow-up mixtape. The mixtape was based on Tinashe's alter-ego, Nashe. Both Tinashe and Hitmaka, an executive producer on the mixtape, promoted Nashe through snippets of songs from the track list."Hear Tinashe Unload on Ex on New Single 'Like I Used To'" - Rolling Stone. Further promotion continued with its singles, "Like I Used To" and "Throw a Fit", both of which used the mixtape's artwork."Tinashe Is 'On a Wave' With Surprise Track 'Like I Used To': Listen" - Billboard."Tinashe Brings Out Her Spicy Alter Ego on 'Throw A Fit'" - Complex. Promotion for Nashe ceased without reason;"Tinashe shares Songs For You" - The FADER. however, speculation arose after Tinashe posted a screenshot on Instagram of a page error from RCA's website with a broken heart as the caption to the post."Tinashe's Trials And Tribulations In The Music Industry" - Lindah Kiyeng Communications. According to Hitmaka, the mixtape was shelved."Tinashe Is Creatively Rejuvenated in New Album 'Songs for You'" - HYPEBEAST. The cancellation of Nashe, described as a "failed course-correction" by Paper, became a turning point in her decision to depart from RCA, among other reasons."Tinashe Is Under New Management: Her Own" - PAPER. In February 2019, Tinashe's then-manager Mike Nazzaro announced her departure from RCA, citing: "We initiated for her to be released. It was a positive split for her. It's giving her back creative control." After her departure, HotNewHipHop.com published an article reporting that she was in the midst of a bidding war with multiple major labels. Tinashe would eventually sign a management deal with Roc Nation on November 7, 2019."Tinashe Signs With Roc Nation Management" - Vibe. Her new team includes Roc Nation's artist management Simonne Solitro.
Songs For You features three songs — "Link Up", "Feelings", and "Cash Race" — originally intended for Tinashe's 2018 summer project Nashe, produced by Hitmaka. MadeinTYO was originally featured on the tracklist after it was teased throughout the listening parties, but the collaboration was scrapped after the producer gave the beat to another artist."Finally Free: Tinashe is Leaving Her Label Issues in the Past & Making the Music She Loves" - Billboard.
== Recording ==
The album was recorded in Tinashe's home studio in Los Angeles. She considered her home studio as the location for the album recording as "[bringing] people into my experience, my world," and added, "I think that already set the tone for [the album], like 'OK, this is gonna be really real. This is gonna be raw.' It was truly me and that was all I was bringing to the studio, my emotions.""Stream Tinashe's New Album 'Songs for You'" - Rap-Up.
== Release and promotion ==
On September 30, 2019, Tinashe announced the project along with a trailer on YouTube. Between October and November 2019, she held listening parties for her project in London, Los Angeles and New York, and stated during the parties that Songs for You is her most vulnerable project to date. In an interview with Hip Hop Mike, she stated her direction for the album as, "a real experience that they could really sink their teeth into. There are a few moments that are in your feels. I had to really open myself up. It’s the most vulnerable project I’ve ever put out."
The album was released on November 21, 2019 on a Thursday instead of the music industry's customary releases of Friday. Tinashe stated in an interview with Billboard that she wanted to emphasize her stance in the music industry as "not part of the system". The album topped the iTunes Albums chart on the night of its release; the album reached the number 1 spot in multiple countries including the US, making her the first independent artist to do so since Frank Ocean's 2016 album Blonde topped the chart."#SONGSFORYOU by @Tinashe reaches #1 on iTunes USA!" - MusicNewsFact.
=== Singles ===
The first single, "Die a Little Bit" featuring Ms Banks, was released as the lead single from Songs for You on October 24, 2019, with an accompanying music video directed by C Prinz. The second single, "Touch & Go" featuring 6lack, was released on November 7, 2019. "So Much Better" featuring G-Eazy was released as the third single on November 21, 2019, alongside its music video directed by Mynxii White. "Stormy Weather" was released as fourth single on December 27, 2019 with the release of an accompanied video. "Save Room for Us" was made the fifth and final single on February 14, 2020 with the release of an accompanying video, and an additional remix by Makj himself. An acoustic video for album track, "Remember When", was released on April 21, 2020.
From June 26, 2020 to July 10, 2020, a remix of a song from the album would be released each Friday. "Hopscotch" with American R&B duo THEY., "Die a Little Bit" featuring Ms Banks, with producer Zhu and "Touch & Go" featuring 6lack, with producer TARRO were released respectively a week apart from each other. All remixes came with their own accompanied short visual.
=== Tour ===
In February 2020, Tinashe announced her Tour for You in support of the album."Tinashe Will Embark on a Tour For You: See the New Dates" - Billboard."Tinashe Announces 'Tour For You' North America Dates" - HYPEBEAST. Within one week, half of the dates were sold out."All these Songs For You, baby on Instagram: "Half the shows are completely sold out already 😻😻😻😻..." - Instagram."How Tinashe Toed the Line Between 'Sexy & Classy' on Her G-Eazy Collaboration" - Billboard.
The Phoenix venue was moved from the Crescent Ballroom to The Van Buren due to high demand. On April 1, 2020, Tinashe announced the postponement of the tour, due to the COVID-19 pandemic."All these Songs For You, baby on Instagram: "Soooo saaaaaaaad to finally announce this, but I've been stalling, hoping for a different outcome..." - Instagram.
== Critical reception ==
Songs for You received positive reviews from music critics. Stereogum's Chris DeVille regarded the album as sonically "[feeling] like freedom. Liberated from label meddling, she has assembled a fine reminder of what made her so likeable in the first place," and compares the overall sound for the album as "the vibe is that of an extremely talented R&B artist getting back to cooking after a deep, cleansing exhale.""Tinashe Takes Matters Into Her Own Hands" - Stereogum.
Madeline Roth from MTV describes Songs for You as "Tinashe taking full creative control over her work; something she was finally able to do [...] The result, it seems, is music that comes straight from the soul.""Tinashe Takes Control On Her Genre-Hopping New Album Songs For You" - MTV News.
Nylon's Allison Stubblebine said that "Tinashe is the R&B superstar we've been looking for, and now that her first-ever independent album Songs for You has dropped, it's time to throw it on repeat and give her the praise she deserves. There's not a single bad song on the record: Concluding at 51 minutes, the 15-track release showcases everything Tinashe does best."<ref>"Tinashe's 'Songs For You' Is Your Next Favorite Album" - Nylon Magazine.
== References ==
Category:Albums
Category:Discography