It turns out no one can match Tinashe’s freak when she’s on stage.
The singer-songwriter – who was born in Kentucky but hails from Pasadena – returned to Los Angeles for the third stop of her “Match My Freak World Tour” on Thursday night at the Greek Theatre. The tour kicked off earlier this week in Anaheim and follows the viral sensation “Nasty” and release of her seventh studio album “Quantum Baby” in August. In a compact set through about an hour and 15 minutes, Tinashe brought lithe choreography and sultry vocals to the stage that complimented her discography-spanning set of R&B jams.
After a serene opening set from R&B and soul singer-songwriter Raveena, the world premiere of Tinashe’s “No Broke Boys” music video shone from the stage’s screens around 8:30 p.m. The cheerleader-inspired visuals – reminiscent of the film “Bring It On” – were followed by contrast-edited images of the artist that flashed alongside “Match My Freak Intro.” With the audience vivified by this extended introduction, deep pink lighting filled the stage as Tinashe strutted out in an oversized leather jacket, open-middle black stringed top and belted miniskirt adorned with gray fringes. She opened the show with “Getting No Sleep,” the second single off her latest album, alongside four backup dancers dressed in all black.
Tinashe began to tap into her dance artistry as she twisted around in the next song, “When I Get You Alone.” A dancer met her from behind, leading to the two rocking their hips against each other and earning cheers from the audience. The crowd’s excitement extended into the opening notes of “Needs.” With fans singing along, Tinashe performed a choreographed piece on a platform above her dancers, highlighted by smoothly executed side stepping and body rolling. The singer ensured the momentum was maintained in the following song – the hip hop-infused “Link Up” – with a commanding, “Bad bitches link up,” repeated throughout the performance.
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The lively spirit of the show continued into her club hit “Bouncin’” as Tinashe popped and gyrated around the stage. She and her dancers came together once again for a jumpy routine that highlighted the song’s repetitive lyric, “Bouncin’ on the ground.” The high energy was soon dialed down in the introduction of the low-tempo companion song, “Bouncin’, Pt. 2.” In soft purple spotlights, Tinashe performed more intimate routines with her dancers individually, accentuated by the cameraman’s close proximity to capture the performance on screen.
The following tracks “Thirsty” and “Red Flags” showcased Tinashe as a balanced artist by including more vocal-focused performances. Tinashe’s soft, yearning vocals in the former were accompanied by rhythmic, swaying moves with her dancers and a water-splashing screen behind. The latter featured no choreography, allowing the audience to concentrate on the singer’s mellow voice as she reflected on toxic relationship patterns under bright and fitting red spotlights.
The singer continued to illuminate her aptitude for dancing in sitting choreography for her KAYTRANADA collaboration “The Worst In Me” and lively, arm-extending movements in a new setlist addition, “Save Room For Us.” Thrilled by the song’s inclusion in the show, the audience readily sang along upon Tinashe’s invitation.
The trend of suave and steady full-body choreography followed Tinashe and her dancers through songs such as “Throw A Fit,” “Talk To Me Nice” and “X.” The electronic beats of the songs paired well with Tinashe’s ad-libs and kept her audience engaged and bobbing along to the rhythm. The artist was able to turn the energy back up in her hip-thrusting performance of “All Hands on Deck” along with her body-popping and twisting execution of her most popular hit, “2 On.” The spirit Tinashe embodied on stage was enthusiastically reciprocated by fans who danced and chanted along.
Sporting a black “Get Tough” snapback hat, Tinashe delivered another intimate performance with “Cross That Line,” this time directed at her fans. In soft blush light that spilled across the venue, the camera shifted to capture the singer from behind, displaying a view of her and the crowd as she crooned lyrics including, “I don’t wanna miss it if it’s right there,” and, “You could be the love of my life,” to attendees. At the end of the song, Tinashe crouched down and formed a heart with her arms to get a picture with the crowd.
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Tinashe followed with melodic performances of the slower tunes “Uh Huh” under a light green glow and “Gravity” in front of a green fogged screen. Despite an awkward sound cut that lasted about 20 seconds during a vocal-centered moment of the latter song, the audience supported the artist and briefly carried the track until the sound was recovered. Tinashe finished the song by gliding on the stage platform with her dancers.
Tinashe delivered a more playful performance of the song that had its video premiere open the show, with the confident “No Broke Boys” taking attendees into the final stretch of the night. Following her absence on stage and her dancers performing the viral “Nasty” dance during “Nasty (Match My Chic Remix),” Tinashe reappeared for her final performance of the night. She thanked the audience for attending the show – citing it as a special show concert because of her hometown being close by – and for supporting her throughout her career, whether they were newer or longtime fans. Tinashe then executed her most dynamic performance of the night with “Nasty.” In front of an intentionally glitching screen under blue-green colors, the artist filled the performance with popping, twerking and breakdancing as the audience and dancers hyped her to the end. Tinashe and her dancers thanked the audience once again before closing the show promptly at 9:45 p.m.
Tinashe’s “Match My Freak World Tour” show successfully capitalized on the unexpected triumph of “Nasty” this year and committed to the viral song’s sultry and sexually inviting brand. However, the hour-and-15-minute show was underwhelmingly short and felt in need of more setlist material, especially considering the breadth of Tinashe’s extensive seven-album discography over the past decade. That said, the performances Tinashe gave – both energetic and toned down – helped fill in what the concert’s abbreviated setlist lacked and provided a well-rounded, spirited experience for attendees.
After a night of lusty lyrics and sensual presentations, Tinashe’s showmanship manifested her as an R&B diva in the making.
