Key Takeaways
- Tinashe’s most impactful collaborations span R&B, pop, and electronic genres, showing her range as a feature artist.
- Her post-label features reflect a new level of creative freedom and sonic experimentation.
- Collaborations like “So Much Better” and “Player” reveal unexpected chemistry.
Show us a well-versed artist and we’ll point you straight to Tinashe. Throughout her career, the “Nasty” hitmaker has resisted being boxed into one lane, and along the way, she’s delivered plenty of incredible collaborations that showcase just how versatile she really is.
In fact, it’s fair to say some of her biggest hits, whether they’re “2 On” with ScHoolboy Q, Kid Ink’s “Body Language,” or the Chris Brown-assisted “Player,” come from teaming up with artists who match her musical energy. That’s not to say Tinashe can’t hold her own (333 and BB/ANG3L certainly prove that), but there’s something especially fun about hearing her pop her ish next to another singer or a rapper who can keep up.
Ahead, REVOLT revisited 11 of Tinashe’s best collaborations over the years, in no particular order. Check them out below and let us know your favorite!
1. “2 On” with ScHoolboy Q
Starting with an obvious pick, Tinashe and ScHoolboy Q were operating on a different level on “2 On.” Should there ever be a roundup of the best duets of the 2010s, the Mustard-produced track would sit pretty high on that list. It was also her first RIAA-certified platinum single, which says a lot.
2. “Heaven (Remix)” with Shygirl
Though Shygirl and Tinashe ultimately had to scrap their co-headlining tour, we at least got “Heaven (Remix)” ahead of what should’ve been their time on the road together. “Don't be jealous when I give in too soon / It's the way that you look at me,” the Joyride singer croons in the opening verse, and by the third, she’s already wondering aloud if her ex might be down to “run it back” one more time.
3. “All My Friends” with Snakehips and Chance the Rapper
Both still relatively new to mainstream success at the time, Snakehips brought in Tinashe and Chance the Rapper for the electronic-leaning “All My Friends,” an anti-party party anthem. “All my friends are wasted / And I hate this club / Man, I drink too much,” she sings alongside the duo on what became their biggest single at the time. Experimentation paid off handsomely during the mid-2010s, with this record being a prime example.
4. “So Much Better” with G-Eazy
Even Tinashe admitted G-Eazy’s verse on “So Much Better” was a little “out of pocket.” For their very first collaboration, “So Much Better,” the pair traded increasingly explicit verses. “Tongue kissing, end up on the floor with it / Don't miss it, watch me, how I'm gon' flip it,” she sings, followed by G-Eazy letting the whole world know he’s head over heels: “When I leave the studio, I swear I'm f**king you / I mean for real, Tinashe, let's leave here right now, hey.”
Speaking with Billboard, Tinashe explained, “Lyrically, I feel like he’s pretty raunchy a lot. I was like, ‘Whoa.’ I was actually there when he recorded his verse, which is unusual. He was writing his verse, and goes in the booth, and saying his verse, and looking at me while he’s saying it.”
5. “Player” with Chris Brown
As much as Tinashe wasn’t thrilled about Chris Brown being added to “Player,” since it was originally meant to be a pop record, their chemistry on the song still turned out surprisingly well. At the very least, it also gave her the chance to work with Max Martin. We all had really high hopes for the record, even though it sadly didn't end up making the final cut of Joyride.
6. “Esther” with BAYNK
We wouldn’t be opposed to getting a full-blown electronic album from Tinashe, especially if it sounds anything like her BAYNK collaboration “Esther.” She complements the New Zealand artist’s vocals so well before stepping into the spotlight during the second verse. “Got my body, sweating, glistening, lights so low / Feeling your hands on my waist, we're face-to-face, don't let go,” Tinashe sings, which makes complete sense for a song inspired by a girl BAYNK dreamed up in his sleep.
7. “Pretend” with A$AP Rocky
Tinashe’s way of breathing life back into a fading romance on “Pretend” is acting like she and her special someone never did each other wrong in the first place. For the Aquarius cut, she enlisted A$AP Rocky to offer the much-needed male’s perspective, even if he admits he could “find another lover by the next week.”
8. “The Worst In Me” with KAYTRANADA
Tinashe and KAYTRANADA consistently bring out the best in each other, as proven by tracks like “Unconditional” and “More Than A Little Bit.” For our list, we’re spotlighting their first — and arguably best — collaboration “The Worst In Me,” from 2019’s BUBBA. Even more impressive is that Tinashe wrote the song in just 15 minutes and recorded it in a single take.
9. “X” with Jeremih
One of the best things about Jeremih is that he's never afraid to step back and let the R&B ladies shine on their own songs, which often results in infectious anthems like “X.” Fun fact: Tinashe originally sent the record to Ariana Grande and Rina Sawayama, both of whom we think would’ve crushed it too.
10. “Die a Little Bit” with Ms Banks
One of the greatest by-products of Tinashe reclaiming her independence after leaving RCA Records was how freely she moved on 2019’s Songs For You. Among the first releases following the split, the R&B singer linked up with South London rapper Ms Banks on “Die a Little Bit,” a track that sounded nothing like what she had been putting out before. With very little production underneath, the pair spend the song letting loose (“drink, smoke, dance, vibe a little bit”) and just existing on their own terms.
11. “Nasty Girl Remix” with Chlöe
Tinashe finally found someone who could match her freak on “Nasty Girl Remix” featuring Chlöe, who proudly announces she's down whenever, seven days a week, in her guest verse. While plenty of artists and DJs tried their hand at the TikTok-viral hit — with varying success — the two R&B songstresses made for a really great pairing on their rendition.