TENADINA TALKS PARTNERS IN CRIME

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

What is 'Partners in Crime' really about?

It’s really about partners in crime in a relationship but on the crime side where the relationship falls apart and dies. It’s about losing the closest people around you. I wanted to write this song for a while but struggled to put the feelings into words. So after re-experiencing it, it hit me way too hard so I wrote it all in one sitting, then finished and recorded it in a day with my amazing producer Vizi. This was the first time I used third person writing kinda “society judging” where I call them "soul pretties", the ones who feel too much and end up in these situations way too quickly.

What's Vizi Imre like as a artistic partner?

Working with him was one of the best and fastest decisions I made after quitting my band and going solo. He is an amazing, caring person who truly gives a home to projects. He helped me shape my style the easiest way and focuses on my vision, so working with him goes really smooth. Also, he constantly helps me. I’m so grateful I ended up in the right hands at the right time.

Why did you decide leave the band behind?

I left because we all had different priorities and I always knew that I wanted to make music on my own. Since we only played covers and never wrote our own songs I knew I needed to step away to create my own music. I love songwriting and creating, so made it solo.

How do you look back at your time with them?

My first band will always have a place in my heart. If I hadn’t joined it I am not sure I’d be making music today. I had a really bad relationship with myself and music at the time and being in the band helped me find my voice again, it taught me so much in such a short time. I wish it had lasted longer, but I’ll always be grateful for every single band member. It was a little family and performing with them helped me find my personal style because we all had such different music tastes. (Laughs) Sometimes chaotic, but always fun.

How early did you see yourself being on stage?

I’ve been on stage ever since I let go of my fear both as a solo artist and with my band, but it wasn’t always like this. I have always been a creative soul and wished I could express myself freely, but growing up in a small town in Romania, that wasn’t seen as a good thing. People expected you to “grow out of it”, creativity was treated as just a hobby, so I was afraid to show my love for singing and music until I turned twelve. Since then, I’ve worked to break away from others’ influence and truly accept myself as an artist. I felt like the rat in the society I grew up in, but really, I was just surrounded by the wrong people.

You have referred to your own music as black mirror beauty?

I love using black mirror beauty as a metaphor for what we show versus what we hide, both sides feel beautifully powerful to me, and I write about them constantly. I want my heavy hearted listeners to feel the light and power after the dark, because I know that becoming this gentle took a long road so adding just enough depth to it makes it feel like a “black mirror beauty” to me. I hope this makes sense.

Which influences have been significant along the way of finding and shaping your own specific sound?

Imma be honest, I have no idea who my biggest influence is because artists steal whatever they like. I’m the most messed-up person when it comes to this question. I mainly listen to what no one else listens to, really. But to name bigger artists, I love jazzy sarcasm, Marilyn Monroe, Jo Stafford, but I am also a huge Muse and Led Zeppelin fan. RnB and soul has been there since day one and that soul-type hip-hop like Erykah Badu, ahh, it's just wow. I grew up singing Ariana Grande’s songs when I was around twelve, her songs were such a challenge, I loved it. Around 2020, I got into underrated, unknown artists, the ones who prove the best music doesn’t always play the industry game. I’ve always loved dark pop, alternative RnB, modern rock, and anything with cinematic elements. Massive Attack, Flying Lotus, Melanie Martinez, Nessa Barrett, Daniel Caesar, Mac Miller, obviously Frank, Lana and Sofia Isella, I love her so much! The list hardly ends. For real, I could talk about this all day. These are just a few bigger names, but oh my, there are so many artists who deserve to be recognized like them.

If this was a song you wrote, finished and recorded in a day, do you have more songs like it we can look forward to?

I write a ton of songs but they need to wait for the right moment. At the time I was working with other collaborators, then I came home and unexpectedly wrote 'Partners in Crime'. It just felt right to release that one. My previous song, 'Right Before', was actually the first finished song I ever wrote, more then a year ago, so my latest single is definitely different. I’ve grown a lot as a songwriter since then and I’m excited to share more music like 'Partners in Crime'. There’s definitely more to come.