Tinashe Kachingwe is a multi-talented American actress-singer-songwriter with Zimbabwean roots. Although she debuted her first solo album Aquarius last October, the singer has already garnered global attention with her hit singles “2 On” featuring Schoolboy Q and “Pretend” featuring A$AP Rocky. Aquarius is a mix of fluttery vocals and slinking tempos that received wide critical acclaim, earning the 22-year-old Tinashe fans all over the world—and especially in the Middle East, where she has performed multiple times including Dubai’s Redfest and Abu Dhabi’s Formula One weekend.
We caught up with Tinashe on a private island in Abu Dhabi for a chat and an exclusive photoshoot, shot by Style.com/Arabia VOICES contributor Tinko Czetwertynski and styled by Osvaldo Costa. We predict a bright future for this hard-working talent, who is about to join Nicki Minaj on her U.S. tour.
SOFIA GUELLATY: You’re really making a mark on the music scene, but for up-and-comers like you, style is especially important. What style legacy would you like to put out there?
TINASHE: As far as my style goes, I would like to have a legacy that reflects my music. I have a multi-faceted personality and a lot of sides to me; I like to embrace that. When I am dressing, I like to be able to have different sides to my wardrobe. Sometimes I like to be comfortable and just wear jeans and a T-shirt and still be confident; other times, it’s more fun to be a little bit sexier and feminine so I throw on a pair of heels. But at the end of the day, I’m definitely a pants rather than skirt girl. I like to wear things that make me comfortable, because I feel you are the most beautiful and confident when you are comfortable.
Who’s your style icon?
Gwen Stefani. I love how she can balance between being so feminine and having that tomboy edge. As far as my favorite brands, I’m the kind of girl who doesn’t like to stick to one brand in particular, so I’m always trying new things. I love Alexander Wang, Hood by Air—stuff that has a masculine edge but is feminine at the same time.
As you know, here in the Middle East our skin is olive-toned and our complexion kind of resembles yours. What is your beauty routine?
I start with a great exfoliator. It’s always good to keep the skin fresh and get rid of dead skin. Secondly, I’m a huge advocate of using sunscreen, and I feel like it’s a critical way to stay beautiful and protect your skin. It prevents wrinkles from coming in and keeps you looking young. When I have my days off, I keep my makeup minimal to stay fresh for the days where I have to wear heavier makeup, such as photo shoots, so I try to just wear blush, mascara and keep it pretty simple.
Does Middle Eastern style inspire you?
I love the style of the Middle East. I’m a huge fan of the beautiful head wraps and stunning cloths and fabrics that the women wear. I love the intricacies that are woven into the clothing—the minor details and subtlety. If there’s anything that I would like to adopt from that, it would be the intricate details and the beautiful fabrics. I love a good flowing fabric. I think culture is important to incorporate into style; it’s more dynamic and unexpected, so I also like to incorporate my culture into what I wear.
What’s the best thing you’ve seen in the UAE so far?
Really, the most amazing thing that I’ve seen in the UAE so far is the incredible support I have from the fans here. To know that I have that kind of love and appreciation so far away from home is a tremendous feeling. It means so much to me when I’m doing shows and see people singing along to my songs and dancing. It’s an amazing and very humbling feeling. As far as my favorite spots: I love the Burj Khalifa, I think the beaches are amazing, and I love to spend time just laying out in the sun. I feel like it takes the work out of it a little bit and makes it all worth it at the end of the day.
Do you have any exciting “Tinashe” news for us?
The “All Hands On Deck” music video is coming out very soon, so definitely be on the lookout for that. It’s my second single and I’m really excited to share a sneak peek with you.
