Tink

If there is one thing to know about Tink, it’s that she’s consistent. 

After dropping an impressive eight mixtapes since 2012, the singer and rapper from Calumet City, Illinois, has been on a roll with her studio albums. Following 2020’s Hopeless Romantic, Tink has put out an album every year and has no plans to slow down her run of releases, unleashing her fourth LP, Thanks 4 Nothing, only six months after the previous one.

Joining the likes of SZA, Summer Walker, Cleo Sol, Muni Long, and Ella Mai, Tink is too one of the fierce females at the center of the huge R&B movement that is currently taking over the world. And honestly, long may it continue. 

In an interview with EUPHORIA., Tink discussed the new record, its collaborations, and when Winter’s Diary 5 will finally come.

You have released your fourth studio album, Thanks 4 Nothing, so soon after your previous one, Pillow Talk. How would you say this record differs from the last?

I would tell them that this album is me being in my independent bag. I wanted to make an aggressive album. I feel like my other recent projects have been really sultry and seductive and more soft. And this time around, I’m just flipping a switch. I’m really trying to empower us women by giving single lady anthems.

I agree, I feel like this album is far more savage and feisty than the others.

Absolutely. I wanted to take myself back to my roots with this album. You know, a lot of my fans, they’ve been in love with a lot of the songs that are aggressive and more sassy and bossy. So this album, I wanted to bring that element back knowing that the fans are looking for more of a stronger feeling. I wanted to give them that savage mode.

The last time we spoke was quite soon after Pillow Talk dropped. Was the plan to always put out another album so soon after?

I wanted to release Thanks 4 Nothing before Christmas. I wanted to release it even earlier but because we needed time to really plan and prep, we pushed it to Valentine’s or, you know, February, which makes sense as well. If I could have come back quicker, I would’ve, I’m always recording. I love to be in the studio. I just feel like my fans are always looking for more music. I wouldn’t have minded coming back for Christmas, but of course, we wanted to put a marketing plan behind it and give it as much promo as we could. So, Valentine’s is perfect.

The lead single, “Toxic,” which has been out for a few weeks now was chosen to be the lead single. It’s easily one of my favorites on the record. How did you decide it was the right song to welcome a new era?

Wow, thank you! I think for me, I wanted to really just kind of release something that was totally different from anything else we had dropped. As I said, Pillow Talk was so soft and almost cuddly. I wanted to come with a new energy, a fresh direction. And I feel like “Toxic” was so bold, we were like, this should be like an introduction to what you’re about to say. I was actually nervous about that record because the opening line is just so vulgar. I care about the listeners and want them to understand that I didn’t want it to come off too raunchy. But they were like, you know, people need to hear that, you’re living and speaking your truth. So, we went with it and that’s why I’m glad to hear you’re receptive to it. It’s really dope.

There are two collaborations on the album. First up is “Let Down My Guard” with Ty Dolla $ign. How was that experience? I feel like he’s the type of artist who always adds so much to a song he’s a part of.

Absolutely. Man, just working with him with so impactful for me because I’ve been a fan of his since forever and he’s really, really talented. Ty’s one of the greats. He’s actually one of the greatest vocalists in the game. So, just to work with him going back and forth on a record was crazy. And a lot of people don’t know, I had kinda reached out to Ty maybe a couple of years ago. I wanted him to be on Heat Of The Moment but it just kind of fell short and I didn’t get the chance to work with him for that album. When he came back around and he was responsive and he was excited, I was like, man, I had been waiting so long to work with him. So, we really got the feature done this time and I was just grateful for that.

“Stingy” is the other collab with Yung Bleu. How did that experience differ for that track?

That record actually came about very quickly. I think. It was written by Hitmakas team, so when they presented it, it was already kind of recorded and I kind of just added my own twist to it. Working with Bleu is always fun. We’re gonna shoot the video for the song in a couple of weeks. We kind of came up together in the music world and I’ve seen Bleu grow into the amazing artist he is now. It’s always love and very easy to work with Bleu.

You’ve worked with so many incredible artists over the years, are there still some acts you’re keen to collaborate with that are on your wish list?

Summer Walker. I feel like I always see people making comparisons and I always see people saying we should do a Verzuz. I feel like we come from similar backgrounds and just coming through with the urban twist that we have on R&B would sound really sound nice together. Also, Jhene Aiko. To me, she’s one of my biggest inspirations, I was actually crying to her music when I was a teen. I’m also gonna say SZA, I just love how she’s just so unique in her own lane and her music to me is just so timeless. That would really, really be crazy too.

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On the last record, you teamed up with Muni Long on “Mine.” Seeing her recent Grammy win in a category with legends feels like such a huge underdog moment. Has it given you hope that anything is possible?

Of course! Man, it’s so motivating to see someone that’s been through a lot in the industry. And as you said, the category had some legendary artists were in that category, so, that gave me a lot of hope and faith in the Grammys. It’s possible for any of us at any moment, it can happen. I was very happy to see that. Muni has been in the industry for so long working as a songwriter. She’s been on labels and been dropped, similar to my story. It does give us hope and faith that this can happen for all of us. I’m so proud and excited for her too. She represents for a lot of us that have been working hard and I can relate to her story so much. 

You’re clearly in a creative space right now. Is the plan to keep the releases coming?

I am. I think, as you said, I’ve been really recording nonstop for a while, dropping albums every year. I do feel like after I release this project, I have to take a little time to just center myself and do a lot of living because I wanna have another approach and something new to say on the next album. I need to experience more life and I feel like I write from such a personal viewpoint that every time I write I’m trying to really tell someone’s story or give someone my story. I wanna do some living maybe for a month or two without the pressure of making an album. I’m definitely gonna take a little time after Thanks 4 Nothing and after the tour throughout the summer to just be still. I just wanna do a little soul-searching and really dig into my next album. I just wanna experience life without any stress or any pressure to write down an album, you know?

And lastly, I’ve been reading a lot of the comments on your posts, therefore, I feel this is a question fans want you to answer. How soon are we to a Winter’s Diary 5?

That’s a great question because that’s the sole reason that I want to just live is that I am gonna create Winter’s Diary 5 this year. It will happen! I’ve been talking about it a little bit but I wanna focus on Thanks 4 Nothing right now. But, by the winter, I want to have that album done and ready. When I give them this album, I really want it to touch the heart and that it feels like a diary.

I feel like when you announce it everyone’s gonna freak out.

I’m excited just to even feel that energy because it’s been since 2015. The last one, Winter’s Diary 4, was about seven years ago. The series is just so special to people and the fans. I think a lot of people were introduced to me through Winter’s Diary and people always come to me and say, ‘Hey girl, I was playing that album when I was in, high school and now I’m going into my 28th year.’ I wanna have that same nostalgic feeling, but it has to feel elevated. Also, the viewpoint of a now 28-year-old in their late twenties, telling the story for the girls in their twenties is gonna be crazy.