Alex Harper 
By Akili King ·Updated July 12, 2024
It’s been 10 years since R&B singer Tink blessed us with the viral song “Treat Me Like Somebody.”
“I was just recording with my dad and we kept going. Every day we would just try new songs,” she tells ESSENCE. She’s in the midst of her The Magic Hour tour with Jhené Aiko, but found time to talk to us by phone. “I feel like I owe a lot to Chicago because, early on, I was rapping. By the time I got to high school, I already had a fan base,” thanks to performing in popular venues like Club Adrianna’s and getting her music spun by DJ Pharris. In 2015, she was signed to Timbaland’s record label before they created her second big hit, “Million,” together.
But she reminds us how impactful pausing and taking time for self-care have been throughout her journey, too. “I felt like we made progress, but I didn’t feel like I got the rightful push that I needed,” she explains. “I took a break for about two years just to work on myself, find myself and grow. I needed some time to get back to my roots in Chicago.” She came back better than ever in 2019 with Voicemails, A Gift and A Curse, Thanks 4 Nothing and more. And the momentum keeps going, as, today, she’s dropping her new album Winter’s Diary 5.
“This album coming in is so important because it’s just a testament to everything I’ve been through over the years. It’s really me going back to my roots,” says the singer, who lists Destiny’s Child, SWV and Brandy among her biggest musical inspirations. The album includes songs that will have you wanting to sing in the shower, like Tink’s favorite “Lows & Highs.” “The song is about how every day is not going to be sunny,” she says, adding, “There are going to be days where it’s raining, that are not the best, but life keeps going.”
The music business is all about collaboration, and on this album there’s “Songs About U,” which features Summer Walker. “I was really excited to finally get a record with her. I just love her vocals,” Tink says. “It’s really important to have two Black girls on a record. A lot of people always compare us, and people Tweet asking, ‘Who’s better?’ I was just so happy that we were able to come together and show people there’s unity and room for all to shine.”
The intentional tracks aren’t the only things that will draw you in either. The album art also reflects the vibe of the entire project, thanks to its icy cover. Meanwhile, the cover art for one of the project’s single’s, “Charged Up,” includes Tink’s profile topped with white, frosted lashes. “We really wanted to overkill the winter theme. Even though it’s summer, I wanted people to feel like we were in the middle of December when they saw the album or when they put the music on,” Tink says. “When we did the photo shoot, we had this idea to soak my lashes in ‘snow.’’’ To that end, they coated them in white cotton that was creatively stuck on to mascara.
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“It was really fun. We were trying a lot of different things. As you can see, I put on this white fuzzy hat. We just really played up the theme,” Tink says. Over the years, in terms of beauty, she’s been drawn to “a lot of Brown skin ladies from the 90s and early 2000s. I was in love with Kelly Rowland and Gabrielle Union. I was like, Oh, wow, this is somebody that looks like me, has my skin texture, and is so beautiful,” she states. “They’ve given me so much motivation;” be it to find inner confidence or to try daring beauty looks.
Meanwhile, in her day-to-day life the artist likes to keep it very natural. “I try not to overdo anything,” she says. That means, keeping a good spray on hand, like her favorite from Mario Badescu, for hydration. “Drinking a lot of water is my best friend, too. I also swear by washing that makeup off every night, that’s important. And micellar water, that’s another good one. The last thing I have to have is coconut oil for my face.”
According to Tink, she is “really into health and fitness now.” “My life changed when I became a gym girl and started doing yoga. Sometimes I just do it in my bedroom, to take a moment to decompress,” she says. “I feel like that’s helped my mental health so much. Plus, when you look good, you feel good.”
Aside from making time for these well-deserved self-care moments, Tink also hints that this is only the beginning of a new chapter for her. “Even though the album’s here, there’s so much more music that I want to release,” she says. “But, I’m going to take a season after the tour to just live and figure out what I am going to give the world in 2025. It would also be really special to get another session with my father.”
After all, for Tink, what really keeps her going is the good people in her life. “You need people around you that can pick you up when you’re having a moment,” she says. “I think confidence comes from within, but it’s also great to have people around you that are cheering for you, too, especially as Black girls.” She adds, “I’m definitely one of those girls. I’m going to tell you every time you look amazing. I’m going to give you your flowers. That really goes a long way.”
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