Rascal (Superstar)
"Rascal (Superstar)" is a song by American singer Tinashe. It was released on July 13, 2020 as part of her upcoming fifth studio album. The song was written by Tinashe and her brother, Thulani Kachingwe, alongside co-writer Alex King, and was produced by Sage the Gemini.
| "Rascal (Superstar)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Tinashe | ||||
| Released | July 13, 2020 | |||
| Recorded | 2018 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:40 | |||
| Label | Tinashe Music | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| Tinashe singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Rascal (Superstar)" on YouTube | ||||
Background
The song was conceived during Tinashe's Songs for You era.[1] The song was first previewed on Instagram live several months prior to release.[2]
"The vibes and energy were so infectious that It felt right to share, spontaneously. Since that day, my fans have been asking me to release the record nonstop! In the spirit of Songs For You I knew I had to drop it for my fans. Thanks to Sage the Gemini for producing – we are on some West Coast braggadocios vibes that, frankly, we all deserve."[3]
Tinashe released a string of remixes from her previous studio album Songs for You, including "Hopscotch", "Die a Little Bit", "Touch & Go", and "Save Room For Us".
Critical reception
Meredith Kile for Kare11 praised the songs sonic qualities, calling it "an expensive-sounding track".[6] Brooklyn Vegan's Andrew Sacher called "Rascal" overall "a great dose of air, moody R&B".[7]
Criticism drew from the song's lyrical content in context of the time of its release of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Joan Summers from Jezebel put it, the lyircs "[are] a perfectly fine sentiment, I guess, if we weren't currently living through these modern times".[8]
Music video
The music video for the song accompanied its release the same day as the song, premiering on Tinashe's YouTube channel.[9] It was directed by Jasper Soloff.[10] The only feature in the music video is a Phantom 4 Pro drone.[11]
Synopsis
The music video follows a socialite trapped in her home while live streaming to her fans.[12]
Release history
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Various | July 17, 2020 | Tinashe Music
via Equity Distribution and Roc Nation | |
References
- Wass, Mike (July 17, 2020). "Tinashe Rolls Out Slinky Bop "Rascal (Superstar)"". Idolator.
- Cossich, Guilherme (July 19, 2020). "Tinashe ostenta no luxuoso clipe de "Rascal (Superstar)"". Nação da Música (in Portuguese). Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- Rashed, Ayana (July 17, 2020). "Tinashe Releases New Single and Quarantine-Inspired Music Video, "Rascal (Superstar)"". RESPECT. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- Powell, Jon (July 19, 2020). "Tinashe is a "Rascal" in new visual". REVOLT. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- Gonsalves, Jennifer. "Friday Features: Doja Cat, Kygo, HER, Troye Sivan, Kyle and more turn the summer heat up a notch this week". meaww.com. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- Kile, Meredith (July 17, 2020). "New Music Friday: Drake, Keith Urban, The Chicks & More of the Hottest Songs and Albums of the Week". Kare. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- Sacher, Andrew. "27 New Rap and R&B Songs Out This Week". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- Juzwiak, Rich; Hope, Clover; Summers, Joan (July 17, 2020). "Jhené Aiko's Summer Anthem Makes Room for Joy". The Muse. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- Addesso, Valentina (July 18, 2020). "Una sensuale Tinashe nel video di Rascal (Superstar) ispirato al periodo di lockdown". Wonder Channel (in Italian). Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- Bloom, Madison (July 17, 2020). "Tinashe Shares Video for New Song "Rascal (Superstar)"". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- Aswad, Jem (July 17, 2020). "Drake & DJ Khaled, Tinashe, Anne-Marie and More Top Songs of the Week". Variety. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- Peters, Mitchell (July 17, 2020). "Tinashe Explores Surreal Quarantine Life in 'Rascal (Superstar)' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2020.