Overview of Call Her Daddy with Tinashe
In this episode of Call Her Daddy, Alex Cooper sits down with Tinashe for a wide-ranging conversation about her evolution as an artist, her early start in the music industry, the pressure to fit into industry boxes, and how she’s learned to trust her instincts. They also dig into her dating standards, the realities of situationships, dealing with internet hate, and why her new album Pop Star feels like a full-circle moment.
Key Themes and Takeaways
Tinashe’s personality: low-key, curious, and self-contained
- Tinashe describes herself as naturally low-key, introverted, and happiest when she has time alone.
- She opens up about being a plant mom, loving her cat PJ, and being fascinated by conspiracy theories, aliens, and the Loch Ness Monster since childhood.
- Her social media and algorithm are carefully curated to stay calm, positive, and low-drama.
Early career pressure and learning to trust herself
- Tinashe started in a girl group at age 14, which gave her an early crash course in the music industry.
- She talks about how hard it was to navigate label expectations, especially as a young woman in rooms dominated by older men.
- One of the biggest challenges was being told to fit into a pre-existing “box” rather than being allowed to develop her own identity.
- She says leaving that environment helped her trust that her instincts and creative vision were the right path.
Vulnerability, confidence, and art as an outlet
- Tinashe explains that she uses music as the safest place to express vulnerability, confidence, sensuality, and sexuality.
- In real life, she’s more non-confrontational and has had to work on speaking her mind.
- She sees art as a vessel that lets her say things she might not say directly in relationships or everyday life.
The growth that comes with independence
- Going independent forced her to be more honest with herself and her creative decisions.
- She emphasizes that the best art comes from authenticity, not from trying to please other people.
- Her latest work reflects a stronger sense of self and less concern with outside approval.
Music, Identity, and Her New Album Pop Star
Why Pop Star matters
- Tinashe says the album is designed to reflect all sides of her: pop, R&B, dance, and hip-hop.
- She frames “pop star” as an umbrella term, not a narrow genre or image.
- The project is meant to challenge the idea that pop has to look or sound one specific way.
Creative approach to the album
- She wanted the process to feel playful and free.
- She intentionally experimented with contrast in production and vocals, like pairing heavy bass with floaty vocals or removing drums from dance-like tracks.
- She describes the album as the most confident, self-assured version of her artistry so far.
Career success on her own terms
- Tinashe says this is the first time she truly feels she’s “arrived,” but in a grounded way.
- Success for her now means continuing to make music, tour, and create visuals without compromising her freedom or peace of mind.
- She’s proud of building a career without conforming to industry pressure.
Dating, Standards, and Situationships
Her dating philosophy
- Tinashe says she is currently not really dating, mainly because she’s focused on her career and wants to be intentional.
- She’s starting to feel more open to making love and relationships a priority, but only now that her career feels stable.
Standards from “No Broke Boys”
Alex and Tinashe break down the standards referenced in the song:
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Not broke
- She’s very clear that she does not want to date someone financially unstable.
- She admits to having once helped pay for a broke boyfriend and says she learned her lesson.
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Under 1K followers = ideal
- She prefers men who are not overly active on social media.
- A low-profile online presence is attractive to her.
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Not a DJ / club promoter
- She says she’s done her research in that world and it hasn’t worked out well for her romantically.
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6'5" minimum
- She jokes about height, but makes it clear she prefers tall men and has dated a short king before.
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Good with his hands / sexual chemistry
- She says physical attraction matters immediately for her, but chemistry can deepen over time.
- She also notes that confidence, comfort, and even smell play a role in attraction.
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Emotionally available
- This is the most important point, and also the hardest to find.
- She reflects on how often people get stuck in situationships because of chemistry without true emotional depth.
Situationships and emotional distance
- Tinashe says she has definitely experienced situationships, including back-and-forth dynamics where one person wants more and the other doesn’t.
- She describes these situations as addictive but draining.
- Her song “I’d Rather Be Alone” is about realizing that emotional avoidance and inconsistency are not enough, even if the connection looks good on the outside.
Breakups, Healing, and Self-Deception
The pain of potential
- One of her major insights is that “potential is just potential.”
- She talks about how easy it is to stay in relationships because of what could be, rather than what actually is.
- She says the hardest part of some breakups is admitting that you were lying to yourself even when you knew better.
What really lingers after a breakup
- Tinashe says what she often mourns is not only the person, but the version of herself she thought she would become in the relationship.
- She’s learned that many of the qualities we hope a partner will bring out already exist within us.
Cycles, loneliness, and triggers
- She notes that healing is not linear; life and career cycles can bring old feelings back.
- Touring and spending time alone in hotel rooms can make loneliness resurface.
- She makes the important point that sometimes you don’t miss the person—you just miss having someone.
Public Image, Internet Hate, and Owning Her Voice
Dealing with online criticism
- Tinashe has experienced being mocked, misunderstood, and praised at different times online.
- She says she has developed a thicker skin over the years.
- The comments that bother her most are the ones that tap into her own insecurities, especially around performance and artistry.
“Good girl” expectations
- She pushes back on the pressure for women to be palatable, likable, and endlessly accommodating.
- She doesn’t want to shrink herself to fit expectations of what a “good girl” or “professional woman” should be.
- Her current mindset is much more about self-definition than external validation.
Notable Moments
- She recalls how pivotal “2 On” was in 2014 and how it became the soundtrack to feeling confident.
- Alex and Tinashe bond over being women who have had to build self-trust in industries that often try to define them.
- Tinashe’s car-smashing stunt for “Crash Out” was a playful, deliberately over-the-top pop-star moment meant to support the album rollout.
Final Takeaway
Tinashe comes across as an artist who has worked hard to protect her identity, refine her voice, and build a career without surrendering to industry pressure. This episode is part music conversation, part dating manifesto, and part reminder that self-worth gets a lot clearer when you stop chasing validation from the wrong people.
Her message is simple: trust your instincts, don’t settle for inconsistency, and build a life that lets you stay fully yourself.