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Home · Celebrity

Tinashe’s Colorism Comments Land The Singer In Hot Water

During a recent interview, the singer talked about the struggles she faces in the industry because of her race.
Tinashe’s Colorism Comments Land The Singer In Hot Water
Jerritt Clark
By Sydney Scott · Updated October 26, 2020

A recent interview has landed Tinashe in hot water.

The singer spoke to The Guardian about race and working in the entertainment industry, but there’s one moment in the interview that folks weren’t to happy about. 

The singer expressed her disappointment with the way the industry handles female entertainers, saying, “It felt like they almost had to sacrifice someone because there wasn’t enough room, which isn’t true. Ciara’s an amazing artist, Beyoncé’s an amazing artist, Rihanna’s an amazing artist, and they’re all very different!”

She went on to add that being biracial has often be difficult as well because “there’s colourism involved in the black community, which is very apparent.”

“It’s about trying to find a balance where I’m a mixed woman, and sometimes I feel like I don’t fully fit into the Black community; they don’t fully accept me, even though I see myself as a Black woman. That disconnect is confusing sometimes.”

Social media was quick to take nuggets from the interview went viral. 

Tinashe: I'm not really accepted by the black community bc i'm mixed.
Black folks: You're mixed?

— How do you spell "qwinsidense"? (@VirgoJ24) June 13, 2017

 

Tinashe's remarks about colorism were dense. I wish she had used that time to talk about her privilege as a light skinned, mixed woman.

— 🍒 (@delafro_) June 13, 2017

 

Tinashe's issue is her image. All she gotta do is switch it up and fire everyone in charge of her marketing and PR. Hire from the TL. Lol

— Fire Lord Mav (@TChalla_Fett) June 13, 2017

 

Dear Tinashe,
It's not a colorism issue. That fact is, we just don't see it for u sis.
Sincerely,
Everybody pic.twitter.com/nDuUJ8SyXB

— ❣️Mae❣️ (@Prettyy_THICK) June 13, 2017

 

Tinashe not getting sympathy. being light skinned is an advantage in entertainment. Don't blame the black community, blame your management

— Hak33m 🇳🇬 (@PrinceHAK33M) June 13, 2017

 

https://twitter.com/SzaKyd/status/874606299979403264

 

Tinashe is entitled to her feelings and her experiences are her own. It is her *structural analysis* of those experiences that is flawed.

— 🆃🆁🆄🅳🆈 (@thetrudz) June 13, 2017

The singer has responded to the blacklash on Twitter, telling one user, “things are completely taken out of context.”

...because things are completely taken out of context. As they have been here.

— TINASHE (@Tinashe) June 13, 2017

 

I was not talking about colorism in the industry. This is taken out of context.

— TINASHE (@Tinashe) June 13, 2017

She went on to clarify that the chunk of the interview going viral had been taken out of context and that the interview was about life in general. 

“The article framed it as such, about success in music, where as the conversation we had was about my experiences growing up in general.”

TOPICS:  Tinashe
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