See Backstage Photos From Tinashe’s Wild Hometown Show
Tinashe is no stranger to life on the road: As a teenager, the now-22-year-old singer-producer toured with Justin Bieber as a member of the Stunners, a pop quintet. But it wasn't enough for her.
"When I was 18, I took it upon myself to create a home studio," she told Rolling Stone earlier this year. "That was when I started teaching myself how to record and mix my own stuff. I wrote and recorded it all there in my room."
Those early sessions eventually led to "2 On," one of the biggest R&B hits of 2014, and a headlining tour of her own. When that tour landed in the city where it all started, Tinashe let our cameras follow her through her preparations, then document the extra-hype set that closed the night. Later, she gave us her commentary on each of our shots. Photos by Theonepointeight
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Snack Time
"What can I say? I like to eat to animal crackers while my hairstylist, Sylvia does my hair!"
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Whip My Hair
"A moment for spritze and hair flips before I roll onstage."
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Powerpoint
"I'm a perfectionist, so everything must be right. Right before I got onstage, I made a few minor edits to my slideshow."
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Give the Drummer Some
"My drummer, DJ, is the dopest. Hands down."
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At Home
"Just sound-checking with my dancers, making sure that everything is just right for the show tonight. Honestly, being onstage is when I feel most at home."
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Solo Moment
"Overall, I would describe my show as moody and atmospheric mixed with moments of high energy. This particular moment, I was performing my track 'Bated Breath,' which I recorded in my home studio."
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Hometown Hero
"Seeing my name on a landmark marquee in my hometown is a 'Wow' moment for me."
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Meet and Greet
"I truly love and appreciate my fans because their support is unreal! So to be able to take photos with them before the show is my way of saying thanks."
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DIY
"I love my glam team, but sometimes I like to do my own makeup!"
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Tyra Banks
"Sometimes you get to meet some real life icons."
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Stretch It Out
"My dancers are nothing short of amazing!" Three of them – Xavier, Adrian and Denee (from left) – prepare in the green room, alongside manager Mike Nazzaro.
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Diamonds Are Forever
"I have to take a moment for myself before I hit the stage, just to say a prayer and take a few deep breaths."
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Here We Are Now
"I definitely consider myself more of a loner, but once I hit the stage that all changes and I become Tinashe 'the entertainer' – and she is far from that!"
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Snapchats
"When I'm serenading the crowd, I really like to connect with the fans and look them in their eyes."
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Dream On
"At the end of my set, I like to thank my fans for allowing me to fulfill my dreams of being an entertainer."
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New Kicks
Tinashe shows her dad and brother a pair of Jordans that she received from someone in the crowd: "The craziest thing about my fans is that they go real hard!"
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Triumph
"Earlier this year, I got the chance to work with RZA on the Dr. Pepper 'One of a Kind' collaboration and he had never seen me perform on stage. So to say that that I was excited to have him at my show would be an understatement."