“I like to write, think, and go back. It takes me a while to get records finished”

– TINK

Hitmaka, the musician behind songs for Nicki Minaj, Big Sean, and Tinashe, and the CEO of her distributing team, has played a big part in Tink’s career over the past couple of years, serving as executive producer on both her most recent albums – Heat of the Moment and Pillow Talk. With her vast experience working with a variety of producers, Tink realised early on that Hitmaka was able to get the best out of her in a short stretch of time. Upon meeting him in Los Angeles for the first time, the duo managed to make five records during their debut studio session. “That’s the biggest thing about working with Hitmaka, he moves so quickly,” Tink says. “I love that because, for me, it takes me quite some time. I like to write, think, and go back. It takes me a while to get records finished. Working with Hitmaka, he has that team behind him that helps speed up that process. We could do 10 records a day if we really wanted to.”

This isn’t the first time the R&B scene has seen a partnership work this well. Past examples include Janet Jackson with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Toni Braxton and Babyface, and Brandy and Rodney Jerkins. While Tink and Hitmaka working closely together has noticeably paid off and benefited one another, she has no desire to limit herself this early in the game. And just like the other artists just mentioned, she is keen to explore further. “I will always want to get in a lab with him, you’re going to see more records but I’m not sure if he’ll executive produce my next album,” Tink says. “We have two albums to complete and this was the final one. But, that doesn’t mean we’re not going to work together.”

Pillow Talk is being hailed as Tink’s most vulnerable and honest record thus far. Even though you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, the artwork is a good indication of what the project has to offer: confident and strong songs with a seductive flavour. With that theme running through, listeners are also treated to a couple of nostalgic moments for longtime R&B fans. The campaign’s lead single, “Cater,” with rapper 2 Chainz, samples Destiny’s Child’s 2005 hit, “Cater 2 U.”

“Before we started the album, Hitmaka asked me what were some songs that I really loved and wanted to kind of like reference, and ‘Cater 2 U’ was the first one on my list,” Tink says about how she came to choosing the sample. She would receive the beat first and be left to supply the lyrics in the studio the following day. “I wrote this song while I was at the mic and I kind of went in and just cut it. The words weren’t fully there but I knew I wanted it to be close to Beyonce’s verse. I used that as a reference and went back in and worked on the lyrics. I was just pouring out on a mic and fixing it as we went,” she explains.

Another dose of nostalgia Pillow Talk presents itself with is “Mine,” a remake of the legendary Brandy and Monica song – “The Boy Is Mine.” With the recent revival of R&B and the late ‘90s and early 2000s becoming the newest throwback trend, the iconic duet from 1998 has been covered, remixed, and sampled more than enough times. With that being said, Tink’s version with fellow singer Muni Long is in fact one of the album’s finest moments. “That was definitely one of those records that I was nervous about before we got permission to release it. It was a big deal,” she confesses.

The idea to put her own spin on the song sparked when Tink wanted a song to sound like she was having a conversation with one of her female friends. “It’s not like so heavily thought out to the point where we were literally like overthinking it. I’m just being a woman and talking about how a girl wants to go off with my man. I think that’s why it hits home because it feels like a conversation you would have with your girl or a real woman,” Tink continues.

Collaborating with Long – who recently scored a global hit of her own with “Hrs and Hrs” after writing a stack of songs for the likes of Rihanna, Ariana Grande, and Mariah Carey – was said to be “effortless.” Despite the elite duo not being able to record the track together under one roof, Tink insisted it was nothing but an easy process. “She’s a real joy, her spirit is really nice and that’s kind of hard to say sometimes in our industry, but she was a very nice person to work with,” she says. “I relate to her story too, being signed and having to step away and find other ways to do your music. We really just kind of connected through that story too.” If you’re itching for more songs from the pair, then watch this space as Long has already told Tink that she is open to doing more.

As for Brandy and Monica’s reaction to the song, Tink informs us that they have not reached out since its release. However, she did have a conversation with Brandy before putting it out and was given the seal of approval from the vocal bible queen herself, which she states is more than she could have wished for.

These two collaborations aside, one particular track Tink is most proud of among the 16 songs on the LP is “Ghetto Luv” with G Herbo, who she considers one of her favourite artists from her native Chicago. “We came up together, we grew up together in Chicago,” Tink reveals. “When we work together, it always hits different because we both understand each other. When I wrote the record, it was like writing for Chicago and his verse felt the same. It felt like 10 years ago when we were in the basement and doing records with no budgets. That song just really resonates with me.”

Every gifted musician has a special power that separates them from the crowd. Lyrics have always been at the forefront of Tink’s songs, no matter what. Her ability to tell stories through music is what has kept fans hungry for more all these years. Now that she’s a pro at her craft, you would assume that it comes naturally for Tink to wear her heart on her sleeve. However, it’s actually the complete opposite. “I think in the beginning it was easier,” she shares. “When I started making music, I was making it for the people around me, and then it became something for just my city and I guess the attention wasn’t as big as it is now.”

“Back then, I felt like I was telling stories and it was just so honest because I knew I wasn’t going to be judged wrong or I could say things and people would understand where I was coming from,” Tink continues. On top of that, she admits that she now finds herself holding back due to the bigger amount of attention she receives, expressing that she is more aware that the messages she is sending across really matter. “I guess back then I was a little freer in the way that I wrote. That is a note that I’ve made as I’m maturing and I’m learning, it’s just a different level and I have to approach these songs sometimes differently,” Tink adds.

Maturity is exactly what Tink hopes fans will recognise when delving into Pillow Talk. “I really want this music to show a lot of growth in me. When people listen to it, I want them to hear a grown-up woman,” Tink says. “I’ve been making music since I was a teen. I want people to know that I don’t live in a box anymore.”

Putting three full-length studio albums out into the world within the space of three years is rather generous, don’t you think? For that reason, Tink is contemplating taking a step back for a second to experience life so that her fourth album can benefit from taking time out. “I want my next album to again say something that I haven’t said before. I don’t know if it’s going to be an album next year, but at the same time, I’m always creating music so it’s hard not to release,” she explains. “I just have so much music stacked up and letting it sit sometimes doesn’t help, so we’ll see.”

The fifth instalment from the series of Winter’s Diary mixtapes is always a topic of conversation surrounding Tink. Therefore, it only made sense to ask where the project currently stands. “I’ve always mentioned that ‘Winter’s Diary 5’ is coming. I was supposed to start on it in ‘21 but plans got shifted when I started working with Hitmaka. It’s still on my list,” Tink shares. “That series is very like personal to me and if I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna make sure that it’s the best ‘Winter’s Diary’ yet. Do you know what I mean? So it may take a little bit of time before I release another one because it’s just too personal for me to just make it and drop it.”

Tink may be over 10 years deep into her music career, but as far as she is concerned, this is just the beginning of what she craves to be an even longer ride. “I know that for sure because I’ve rebranded and changed not just my sound but also image-wise and the ways I’m approaching the albums. I do feel like I’m kind of starting fresh because a lot of people don’t even know that I was making ‘Winter’s Diary’ mixtapes in my basement,” she says. “I really like it because it’s like everything is set fresh again and I can almost keep branding to something I’ve never been before. I like it this way, it feels good to have a rebirth.”

Stream ‘Pillow Talk’ below –

Watch the visual for ‘Choose Me’

Credits:

Photographer: Alex Harper

Stylist: Von Ford

MUA: Jerlicia Hobson

Art Design: Lazy Goat Club

Words: Fabio Magnocavallo