Born in Brooklyn, New York Tinu (shortened from Tinuola) spent most of her formative years in Nigeria, West Africa where her parents raised their children according to strong family and cultural traditions. Tinu became deeply committed to her heritage and imbued with its vivid colors, uplifting energy, sounds and powerful rhythms that continue to influence every facet of her life and art.
“My father wanted me to become a doctor, but like Fela who was sent to London to study medicine, I chose my own independent path as a creative artist.” Tinu obtained a degree in Finance and Marketing at New York University but also pursued an international modeling career during which time she strutted the runway for some of the top fashion houses in Europe while simultaneously landing high profile advertising campaigns. A global traveler and jet setter Tinu is multilingual, fluent in two African languages and also dabbles in Arabic, Hebrew, French, Italian and Hindi. Her love of culture, aesthetics and fashion created a passion for design, which accompanied by a strong entrepreneurial spirit, led to the launch of her highly successful accessory collection. The beautifully crafted and bejeweled “Tinu Shoebag” has been worn at the Academy Awards and is currently a highly successful seller at numerous high-end boutiques and stores. Tinu’s exquisite beauty and sense of style have been noted by Essence and Vogue Magazine while Bill Cunningham regularly features her in the social pages of the New York Times. Whether sitting in the front row of Christian Dior and Chanel shows in Paris decked out in ornate stilettos or ethnic print headwraps Tinu, much like Alek Wek is well known for her multi-cultural fashion flare.
Tinu nurtures a deep love for music that provides a further outlet for her artistry. Her voice has an unabashed sensuous quality that excites, woes and seduces. Her debut album Rhythm of Love was an instant success in 2003, debuting on the Billboard R&B charts and capturing the hearts of a broad and loyal fan base in the United States, Europe and Africa. Tinu’s sonic art is her own but she readily acknowledges the influence of such great musicians as Grace Jones, Nina Simone and George Michael “who gets into my head when I dance and just makes me think about anything and everything erotic.” Like Tinu, her music refuses to be pigeonholed or typecast into a single genre. This is exemplified on her latest sophomore project Addicted, the name inspired by what she says, "all things I 'm addicted to in general". Tinu’s music is a richly woven tapestry that is raw in sensuality, electrifying and exuberant. It beats to a drum that is older than antiquity but newer than today, making the music a timeless collection of hits.
Addicted is an eclectic anthology of tracks, each song unique with rock, pop, funk and soul induced vibes. While many contemporary female vocalists turn to the help of ghostwriters Tinu chose to compose the lyrics on her own so listeners inherit a direct look into the singer’s laid-back sense of humor and insightful worldviews. “The album is about my main addictions which are love, sex, dancing and of course, shoes - what is a girl to do?!.” Tinu explains that the lyrics came to her without warning allowing her to express unadulterated feelings straight from the heart. She describes the warm glow of her man on the sensual track “In Love” then flips it to the bling of a new pair of shoes which inspired “Shoeholic,” a song she says “every girl can relate to.” Much like Carrie Bradshaw Tinu often finds herself wandering the streets of SOHO and Tribeca picking up the latest pair of Manolo Blahniks, Christian Louboutin, Guiseppe Zanotti, and in Europe Gianmarco Lorenzi. Although for the most part Tinu remains laid back, listeners get a glimpse into a slightly more hostile side on the track “Not the Devil,” a song that urges others not to judge, written after a fraught conversation with a close family member while the eccentric single “Wild Things” encourages fans to enjoy life without drug use. The dazzling 12 track composition is a perfect balance of genuine, intoxicatingly erotic slow burners and feel-good vocal confections that are full of life.
On Addicted Tinu was joined by a cast of wonderful guest musicians and artists who put their heart and souls into the project. She says, "Addicted was probably one of the greatest challenges of my career and I spent a lot of time deciding who should be on the team." Talented vocalist Lalou did backup vocals on almost all of the tracks, adding additional color and depth. Renee Grant, a superbly gifted guitarist and sound engineer infused the recording studio with abundant creative energy and humor. Percussionist Victor Williams appears on "You Want Me" and "Get Up" and brings a sense of imagination and ingenuity to the musical tapestry. Tinu sums it up, “At the end of the day, the success of an album is the result of an intricate collaboration between the song writer and a host of other talented people that make up the finely tuned ecosystem needed to translate the new sounds in our heads into music for everybody to hear.”
Having made trips around the world to spectacular places like the Islands of Fiji and Zurich, Switzerland, Tinu has also visited Morrocco, Turkey, Thailand, Africa, Cambodia and India where she has become very conscious of global suffering. Inspired by Barack Obama’s new presidency, Tinu celebrated her feeling of American freedom in “My Beloved Country,” a powerful and poignant patriotic piece of music that speaks a universal language. Filled with joy Tinu leaked the track online where it was applauded by thousands of people from around the world. "I was inspired by President Obama's historical win in November 2008. The air was filled with a patriotic vibe and it was hard to miss. As a dual citizen (of Nigeria and the US) I had to write the song free of regional attachment. The song spoke of freedom and pride and I released it as a free download because I couldn’t put it up for sale. It’s for audiences who feel a similar connection and pride to their origin or adopted dwellings. Our "country" lies within ourselves. This is a good time to be proud, shine and to sing it out without any fear."
Fashion designer, entrepreneur, songwriter and singer, Tinu is both fearless and relentless in pursuit of new artistic outlets but it is her music most of all that lets us understand who she really is. She expresses her thoughts and feelings through her music hence allowing her listeners a window into her world. Tinu provides her listeners with catchy grooves that create an alternative soulful sound uniquely her own. She effortlessly manifests an eclectic and harmonious vibe and transports her fans with her honey-tongued voice and melodic beats. She possesses an indistinguishable reverence to the soul divas of yesteryears by encompassing invigorating vocals with thought-induced messages that silhouette charismatic, rhythmically charged production that simultaneously blazes a trail for her brand of melodic funk. She fluently takes her listeners on a journey of finger snapping and head gyrating wondrous grooves laced with an electric blend of instruments that ride each beat with finesse.
