It’s almost shocking to realize that Jill-of-all-trades Tinashe has been in the music and entertainment business for over 20 years. And Thursday night at the Greek Theatre, Los Angeles native’s biggest hometown show ever felt like a victory lap if there ever was one.
Some people may be unfamiliar with just how long Tinashe has been doing this. First a child actor with lots of credits, then a member of a girl group that opened for Justin Bieber that also included Hayley Kiyoko, it’s impossible for anyone that’s been paying attention to say she’s come out of nowhere when her hit single and legitimate Song of the Summer “Nasty” became an international phenomenon earlier this year. Tinashe Kachingwe has been busting her ass since she was barely out of diapers and it’s finally paying dividends.
I first became a big fan of Tinashe little more than 10 years ago when her debut album Aquarius dropped, spawning a couple hits in “2 On” and “All Hands on Deck” — the only two songs from that era to be performed live Thursday night. I saw her perform at one of those Red Bull Sound Select 30 Days in LA shows in 2015 at The Belasco and thought she was destined to be a massive star. My immediate thoughts were that she had the potential to be this generation’s Aaliyah-type multi-threat artist capable of dancing and singing and probably starring in movies too.
Unfortunately for Tinashe, years of label mismanagement seemed to be the one thing capable of preventing Tinashe from reaching the top. After finally becoming independent and seemingly having more control over her music and everything surrounding her brand, it seems as though she began to resonate again with the larger audience that would have always been a fan. She’s also had a hardcore following that’s rocked with her through all the ups and downs and many of them were at the Greek Theatre on Thursday.
Songs for You and 333 were excellent albums that didn’t get the notoriety they deserved. When Tinashe performed “Link Up” and “Save Room for Us” from the former and “Unconditional” and X” from the latter on Thursday night, they definitely got the love and attention they deserved from a wider audience.
The Greek Theatre show began with the debut of her latest music video for “No Broke Boys” from her landmark breakthrough record Quantum Baby, which dropped August 16 via her independent label Tinashe Music. The choreography for the music video was fun as hell with lead choreography done by Monica Giavanna, who I remember first seeing as a dancer for Tinashe several years ago and has gone on to dance with Karol G all over the world. Assistant choreographer was Kevin Sameski.
When Tinashe first took the stage, the vocals weren’t coming through very well on the opening to “Getting No Sleep” but once they got the levels right, the crowd was rocking. It would be the first of all seven Quantum Baby songs that would be played. The energy was extremely high and Tinashe showcased her amazing dance moves and ability to sing 90 percent of the vocals unlike many R&B performers that let a track do all the heavy lifting.
The only complaint I have about the show overall was that the side screens at the Greek Theatre should have been of Tinashe performing and not just the programmed back screen that fit the mood of the song. The Greek Theatre is a pretty big ass venue and if you’re in the middle section or further back, you’re probably having a hard time seeing what’s happening. Not only is there a lot of emphasis on the choregraphy so that it deserves to be highlighted on screen, but Tinashe also happens to be one of the most beautiful people on planet earth so why wouldn’t you put her on screen more? It was four songs in before we saw her on screen, and it just happened to be when she was twerking.
One of my favorite moments of the show was when she performed “Red Flags”, probably my favorite track from the new record. Two rows ahead of me, a young white dude and his female friend were going bar for bar singing the words to each other, which tells you just how much this record is resonating with her fans. The whole show seemed like a celebration of overcoming all of the odds and that hard work and undeniable star power will one day prove just how undeniable it is.
It was also a horny ass crowd. Most of the tracks from Tinashe’s last couple records have been highly sexual and you could feel that energy as she sang and thrust her hips while accompanied by four excellent male dancers, having to my knowledge performed on previous tours with female dancers mostly. The stripped down production of just an elevated stage put more emphasis on the vibes of the songs than the dancing, which seemed like a slight departure from her previous shows.
The one good thing about it taking ten plus years for Tinashe to finally get to where she always should have been is that she is a top-level performer. So many people in music pop off from one song before they ever had the opportunity to become a good performer in small clubs and on long tours, and you end up paying a lot of money to see someone who hasn’t earned that kind of stage yet. With Tinashe, the reverse is true. She put in the work and committed to the grind, playing hundreds of shows that always emphasized the performance, so now it feels credible that she’s playing beautiful large venues like the Greek Theatre. She’s earned it all the hard way and it’s in every step of choreo and every note she sings.
I’m convinced that Tinashe just continues to build and build off of this phenomenal year she’s had. Though Thursday night at the Greek Theatre felt like a victory lap, it also felt like it could be just the beginning of something.
The Match My Freak World Tour continues in the United States through the end of the year with final stops in San Francisco on Nov. 24 and Sacramento on Nov. 25 before going to Japan and Europe at the start of 2025.
Words by Mark Ortega
Photos by Sydney Jackson
CHECK OUT THE NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR “NO BROKE BOYS” BELOW:
