Joyride by Tinashe

Artist: Tinashe

Album: Joyride

Genre: R&B/Pop

Released: 2018

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Joyride has finally come! Let’s see how this album holds up after a few months in this crazy mist of the music industry. As you all know now, Tinashe is one of my favorite artists right now because her music is versatile, and innovative. She is a triple threat that is multi-talented and layered. She is a singer, song-writer, director, producer, and actress. However, her journey throughout her musical career has been a bit shaky for reasons I only can speculate. For one, she is not the perfect artist for a major label which is the main issue in my opinion. Honestly, looking back on things, her career would have been better if she had stayed independent because her music was just as good and she already had a fan base. Labels are supposed to push their artists forward, but in some cases they will hold you back, and this is exactly what’s been happening with my girl Tinashe. She does not deserve this!

Anyway, Joyride is here. It exists, and is not just a title anymore. Let’s get into the content, musicality, and life of this long awaited album, and let’s see how it holds up to her other projects and stands within the climate of an ever busy/competitive summer for 2018.

Joyride begins with an intro of Tinashe speaking to a driver through a speaker and telling them to keep their eyes on the road and to prepare for joyride with a background of racing car noises. This intro was definitely expected, but it sounds bigger than one it is, similar to the title track “Joyride”. Now I see why Rihanna took enough interest in "Joyride" to take this song away from T because it has Rihanna written all over it! It sounds like something she would do with its heavy drums and melody that is a bit all over the place I do not care for the song very much. I think this song is good for the concept of this album, but it is not one that I would play for myself just to leisurly listen to. The repeated “la la la la la la la la la” is annoying and too pop-ish for my liking. However, I will say that the songs gets way better towards the end when the production smooths out and her vocals are clearer and more melodic.

“No Drama”, the first single released for this project is okay. The beat carries the pleasure of this song. It is clearly a “made-for-urban-radio” song. It is a song to push her into radio waves and to get those young black kids to become fans of her. It is not a bad song at all. It is a bop in every sense of the word. It’s catchy, bragadocious, and easy to dance to. However, the song like 2 on” does not showcase Tinashe’s personality. I think it lacks authenticity in her case. The lack of personality leads people to enjoy the song but not care t hear anything else from her because it sounds like it could be done by any mediocre R&B artist which Tinashe is not. Yeah, I’m ging to be a bit hard on this project but it is because Tinashe is so talented and she can do better.

Moving on, “He Don’t Want It”, starts off like an R&B song from the 80’s reminiscent of Janet Jackson. This soon changes when the drums and snares come which I enjoy a lot. Her vocals are light and airy due to her singing in that falsetto she does so well. Now, this song is the Tinashe I want. The Tinashe that sounds freeing and authentic. It is an alternative R&B track that is so appreciated by her hardcore fans. It's a song about rejection and I love it. It is also relatable because she is talking about putting effort into someone and it not being reciprocated. Therefore, you come to realize that “he don’t want it”. After the light bulb turns on you maneuver to the club and turn up to the best song on this thing, “Ohh La La”.

Ya’ll “Ohh la la” is my shit! I cannot for the life of me fully comprehend to why this track was not used as a lead single with a big budget video! What the hell RCA? What the hell Tinashe? As soon as I heard this track back in April, I was immediately entranced in the bounce especially since I am from the south, and twerk music is highly appreciated. The bed squeaks are intoxicating and very well put together. My shoulders cannot help but move on beat! This damn song is just perfect! It would have been a perfect urban single instead or along with “No Drama”. “Ohh La La” deserves better! It hasn’t gotten old yet, and it is the only song from Joyride that I listen to constantly.

THENNNNNNNNN the mood drastically changes as soon as “Me So Bad” comes on. I mean, this song is stupidly generic riding this reggae mixed with pop trend. I know T’s voice sound decent with pop melodies, but I just really do not enjoy it. I am always excited with anything T does, so when the video dropped, I was excited. The video is really cute, and it IS a cute summer song, but again she is being overlooked as an artist even when some people like the song and visuals BECAUSE it is not special. ‘Me So Bad” could have stayed off the album or at least had been a single for the middle of the summer instead of Spring. It just does not carry the same heat.

I don’t even know what is happening in the interlude “Ain’t Good For YA”. The beat is so damn silly I can barely pay attention to what she is singing. It sounds like she is singing to a lover. Why is this album called Joyride again?....

In other news, I was thoroughly excited that T got Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano to be on this project for “Stuck With Me”. Yukimi’s vocals and lyrics sound really good with whatever effect they put on it. Her voice stands out so greatly. I do like this song quite a bit, but due its pop-ish hook about being a “train wreck” and a “car crash” I have passed on this being on my daily playlist. It is a really well put together song, but it does not grab me. However, I do believe that a music video with T and Yukimi being all cute and shit would liven up this song for me and maybe some other folks out there, so hopefully they will do this. Probably not though..

“Go Easy on Me” is a very short interlude that sounds Aquarius esque due to her speaking bout how the world is filled with greed and ignorance. It is a decent lead in to “Salt” because of Tinashe’s low tone. I am just happy that she named the song “Salt”. Hell, I love salt. It makes food so much better!

Well, this song is good. Her backing vocals are subtle but add so much to the track. She sounds very passionate and convincing in this song. I would lovee to hear her sing this one live. A good somber video could go with this track too. It kind of puts me into a dark bar where I could drink myself numb and sing along to to the lyrics to aid my broken heart.

“Faded Love” was my shit when it first came out. I liked the single cover art cause it is so Tinashe. I also like how different it sounds from everything else out right now. Production on this one is very 80’s and appropriate for its subject matter. Future’s feature was not totally needed; however, it does not ruin the song for me. I actually like his verse towards the end.

“No Contest” is that track die hard Tinashe fans had been waiting to hear officially. Her performances have been praised, and finally having the real version is comforting because the song is really good. The track has texture with its highs and lows. The DJ Mustard “heys” at the end of the song gives me the vision of T’s high energy dancing. It is a cute bop that could have a great visual attached.

I think this is what is missing from Tinashe’s huge catalog. She needs to hit a Beyonce move and just record multiple music videos. She has great tracks on her mixtapes that could have had videos like “Black Water’, Wrong”, and “My High”. More videos would showcase not only hear talent, but her personality which is missing. Tinashe fans, including myself, know that she has so much to offer, but the mass public does not, and this is also another element keeping her stagnant because people do not KNOW her! Ugh! It is so frustrating, but I’ve been coming to understand how she is deemed underrated after all this time and quality music.

She must take more control over her career, and I see that she did this, but she has to do more. She must get better people in her camp, and most of all she should decide what kind of artist and life she wants to live. She has the potential to be huge, I mean really huge, but it seems she may not be comfortable with this. So, it is all up to her. A smaller fan base and remaining underrated may feel safe and comfortable for her. After all, too much fame and everyone knowing your name can drive you crazy.

Now on to the last song of this record, “Fire and Flames”. It is a piano based ballad about burning up for a lover and wanting said lover to stay with her. The lyrics are beautiful, but the melody again is very Top 40, so I do not care for it that much, but it as potential to grow on me since I do enjoy her ballads. This track acts as “Bated Breath” did for Aquarius but not as well. I just love “Bated Breath” so much anyway, so not much can top that one for me.

Well, overall I am so glad that this project got its chance to shine and actually exist for us to vibe to. I will definitely say that the second half of this project is much better than the first, and it did end well. I do wish there was more songs. But Tinashe could appease my enthusiasm by just releasing more videos. Videos that she has a say so in. A video for “Ohh La La” is much needed! As far as its place in all of her discography, I would place it below Aquarius and Nightride. Yeah, most of these tracks are just not songs that captivate me like some of the songs on those projects, and if you are a Tinashe listener, then you probably understand. I do not think that Joyride got its just due mainly because it did not compete that well. It came out around the time Nicki Minaj’s singles came out, so that surely overshadowed Tinashe’s gift. However, I know Tinashe is just happy to have finally let it go so she could move on. Now, T has been on snapchat and Instagram showing out for this rumored #Nashe mixtape, so hopefully we get to hear another full project from her soon! Peace!

Favorite Tracks: "Ohh La La", "Faded Love", "He Don't Want It"

"Ohh La La"

"No Drama"

"Faded Love"

#2018 #RB #Music #pop #alternativerb #tinashe #joyride