My First Time: Tinashe on Drinking Blueberry Vodka and Being Bossy

We get California’s R&B princess to spill the beans on some all-important firsts.

May 22, 2014



In our new column My First Time, we ask some of our favorite artists to share some of the all-important firsts that have helped shape their lives. Today, Cali's R&B princess Tinashe spills the beans on underage drinking, bossing around childhood friends and reworking Britney Spears' tracks. For more on how growing up in the '90s has influenced her sound, read her FADER 90 feature.


My first memory: I think I was three, playing with my friends in preschool.

My first show: Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics Tour.

My first instrument: The piano. I started playing when I was four.

My first friend: My neighbor, Amanda. She was two years older than me but I was so bossy as a kid that she would just do whatever I said.

My first goal: Around age eight or so, my goal was to be famous when I was 16, like Britney Spears. I missed it but oh well.

My first crush: Chad Michael Murray! He was in Freaky Friday. I really liked that movie. It’s so embarrassing!

My first drink: My first real drink was Blueberry Smirnoff. It was Fourth of July, I was like 15, and my friend and I had a hobo buy it because we were underage. We didn’t know how much you’re supposed to drink and I was chugging it like, “Oh, this is easy!” Before I knew it I’m like, BLERGH, puking everywhere. It was the worst.

My first apartment: I actually don't have my own place as of yet.

My first release: It was called “Can’t Say No." I used Britney Spears’ "Blur" instrumental and wrote my own song over it.

My first regret: I don't have any.

My First Time: Tinashe on Drinking Blueberry Vodka and Being Bossy