Tink

In the early 2010s, it almost became a rap industry standard for artists to sing as well—but few women did both as skilfully as Tink. Born Trinity Laure'Ale Home in Cook County, Illinois, in 1995, Tink began honing her vocal gifts in the church at age seven, influenced by her gospel-singing mother and music-producing father. By her teens, she was delivering sultry, longing R&B and edgy, sharp-tongued feminist raps on self-released mixtapes like the steamy underground classic Winter’s Diary 2: Forever Yours. Borrowing from music influences like Lauryn Hill, Tink displayed a chameleonic artistry that made her a perfect pupil for legendarily versatile producer Timbaland, who signed the budding star to his Mosley Music Group/Epic Records imprint in 2014. A year later, Tink released a skittery remake of Aaliyah’s “One in a Million” titled “Million”, unfurling her own velvety raps over a spacey soundbed—it struck the delicate balance of paying homage while leaving a lasting impression of its own. The song went viral, but an official album never materialised, fuelling a split from Mosley Music to go indie. Since, she’s released several EPs and her studio debut, the Valentine’s Day 2020 drop Hopeless Romantic, which departs from showy producers, guest features and viral covers to catch headlines—her self-assured sound is more than enough.