On the surface, being a pop star may look like glitz and glamour, but for Tinashe her career has been a long journey full of struggles towards stardom despite seemingly having the skills for success. All this has come to light with her latest project, “Popstar”, released on September 25th, 2026.
Tinashe is no stranger to the pop industry. During her teens, she was part of the girl group The Stunners. She later made her solo debut with her mixtape in 2012, getting signed to RCA Records soon after. After years of mismanagement, Tinashe created her own label in 2018 – Tinashe Music – and later on, partnered with Nice Life and Atlantic Records.
For “Popstar”, Tinashe put a lot of effort into the storytelling, posting on X to encourage fans to listen to the album in the order which captures her journey.
For the opener, “Sunglasses” the addictive instrumental and an eerie vibe seemingly dive into the state of being overwhelmed and turning to music, while bringing up her independence.
What follows are two singles, “Too Easy” and “Melatonin.” “Too Easy” details how she makes things look effortless, attracting attention. While “Melatonin” – perfect for the club with an infectious beat and a jam-packed verse – expresses how the general public sleeps on her career.
Right after, “Empty Stadium” – through the use of strings to make an emotional piece – has lyrics that seemingly paint how she hopes to not regret being herself, and the work she has done in hopes of it paying off. “Flashbacks” contrasts with a sensual vibe. Meanwhile, “Overdramatic,” with the jazz elements, works as an interlude and transition into “I’d Rather Be Alone,” with the inclusion of guitars in this R&B track as Tinashe sings about not being able to bear the pain of another person and leaving them instead of staying, being one of the most notable tracks on the album.
“Crash out”, with a catchy beat and chorus, is a statement on her being fed up with the industry, while breaking away from the good girl image placed on female celebrities.
“Pillowtalk” has a soothing piano loop and bass, continuing on the sensual content of the project. With “Nobody Wants to Dance Anymore,” it appears to call out modern club culture and the lack of fun. “Twenty Five Eight” brings back that eerie vibe in a heavenly wayvoice distortion that brings up the idea of working constantly, but also maintaining a sense of self while trying to reach the top.
This transitions into yet another well-structured interlude, “The Show Must Go On,” before going into “Popstar,” a reflection of a life as a popstar and the struggle that comes with trying to make a name for herself in a society where others just want fame.
Nearing the end is “Brainrot,” calling out fake support with appealing vocal production. “Cloud 9” is another standout song – with buildups in the instrumental – describes being in paradise and finally being able to feel joy. Closing the project off is “Heavy Weight,” showing the pain and struggles after giving so much energy into what she does.
Throughout it all, Popstar is a musical story of Tinashe’s experience that can resonate with fans and listeners. Ashley, a fourth-year Psychology major, is no stranger to Tinashe; she said “As a teenager, it helped a lot to see Tinashe be comfortable and fluid in her sexuality, especially as a black girl.” When asked her favorite song, she replied with “Too Easy” and “Cloud 9,” pointing out that the instrumentals really make you want to move your body alongside the beats.
Renestaya Louis, an alumnus under Drama & Theater and Psychology, has been happy for this era stating how Tinashe has “grown stronger in her identity.” Along with pointing out how she has been a major influence in genres such as KPOP, with how “her music influenced many shifts in Kpop. But she never herself got the recognition she deserved.”
In more recent developments, with this project rollout fans have started an Uplift Tinashe trend, originating on X with Tinashe acknowledging it via a post. Along with receiving critical acclaim and scoring her highest Billboard 200 debut, in an interview with The New York Times Tinashe commented, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a response so positive for my work right out the gate,” she added, “and it’s kind of funnnnn.”
Perhaps being a pop star was worth it for Tinashe, producing a body of work that conveys her life and hardships while receiving the support and success that she fully deserves as an artist who continues to raise the bar for herself.
