Tinashe gets real with her label-pressured collaborations with Chris Brown and R. Kelly during an interview with the Zach Sang Show. The discussion shed light on the challenges she faced while signed to RCA in 2015.

Reflecting on her song “Player” with Chris Brown and “Let’s Be Real Now” with R. Kelly, Tinashe expressed her embarrassment regarding her association with the latter.

“I literally block out that R. Kelly song from my mind. I forget that it even exists. That is so embarrassing.”

Tinashe also discussed the circumstances surrounding these collaborations, acknowledging that she was very young at the time. Sang pointed out the limited control artists often have when they initially sign with a label.

She also suggested it wasn't fair for her to face scrutiny for these releases.

Tinashe emphasized her label's pressure to create successful singles. At the time, RC A believed she needed strong support, especially in the case of her collaboration with Chris Brown, who was a prominent artist on rhythmic radio.

She noted her reservations about the collaboration due to the song's pop nature.

Both Chris Brown and R. Kelly have faced controversies related to the alleged mistreatment of women. Chris Brown's history includes a 2009 assault on Rihanna. While R. Kelly was found guilty in 2021 on multiple charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking, during a federal trial in New York.

Tinashe has since parted ways with RCA in 2019 and signed with the Nice Life Recording Company earlier this year, citing artistic freedom and control over her career.

This shift marks a new chapter in Tinashe's career, hopefully, no more label-pressured collabs with sketchy artists.