It’s a journey day for TiaCorine, who’s using on a tour bus from Salt Lake Metropolis to Seattle for her subsequent cease as a supporting act on Key Glock’s Glockoma Tour when she talks to Billboard over Zoom. She turns her digital camera to point out that the bus goes by means of the mountains — making for an sometimes uneven dialog, however demonstrating the form of new terrain that Tia’s promising profession is now repeatedly visiting.
Hailing from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Tia (born Tia Shultz) takes satisfaction in her hometown and nonetheless lives there together with her 7-year-old daughter. However the rising rapper has been out and about much more not too long ago — for tour, in fact, however due to her rising recognition she’s additionally discovered herself at New York Style Week, in Los Angeles for Grammy occasions and most not too long ago, performing alongside Latto at Coachella.
TiaCorine has been a product of virality ever since her 2018 music “Lotto” discovered its option to TikTok in 2020. Fittingly, she seems like an anime character rapping on the music, as her love for the animation model closely informs her vibrant wardrobe and visuals. Final fall, she launched her third venture I Can’t Wait, on which she weaves collectively hip-hop, rage rap and various rock. Tia took inspiration from The Wizard of Oz, Closing Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts for the album’s art work (video video games are one other massive affect) and earned one other viral second by way of standout monitor “FreakyT.”
Produced by Honorable C.N.O.T.E., the music sees Tia rhyming over a beat that reminded her of Memphis rap staples Venture Pat and Three 6 Mafia, whom she’s an enormous fan of. (“Take a look at me, the place she wanna be, name me Freaky T/ Off the leash, I really feel like a canine, I get hella flee,” she opens in a staccato move.) “FreakyT” has been utilized in over 23,000 TikTok movies, and reached a No. 22 excessive on Billboard’s Rap Airplay chart in March. She even launched an official sped-up model in addition to the primary remix of the music that includes Latto final Friday (April 21).
“It acquired somewhat doubt from the start, however I knew it was a great music,” she says. “I knew individuals would really like it, however I didn’t understand it was going to go this far.”
TiaCorine is simply getting began. Billboard spoke with April’s R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month about balancing motherhood and newfound fame, her dream collab and the freakiest factor she’s ever stated.
It’s good to be speaking once more since we met just a few months in the past within the workplace. How’ve you been since then?
Good! Simply on tour. Working, working!
What’s been essentially the most lit metropolis up to now?
I feel it was Kansas Metropolis, [Missouri]. Kansas Metropolis was actual, actual lit.
How do you stability motherhood together with your newfound stardom and touring?
Being on tour, [my daughter and I] have sure occasions that we FaceTime all through the day – we play Roblox collectively, we discuss, we textual content. She simply calls me each time she seems like speaking. Generally it makes her unhappy the extra that she talks to me, as a result of she doesn’t actually perceive the time — like, April twenty eighth [the last day of tour], she doesn’t know the way lengthy [from now] that’s. She doesn’t perceive how lengthy I’m gonna be gone. Nevertheless it’s been good, although. My mother’s staying at my home so [my daughter’s] at residence.
Do you discover it exhausting to say “no” to alternatives?
No. I normally simply say “no” after I don’t wish to do one thing, as a result of on the finish of the day, I’m the boss and it’s all about me. That is my face, my model — so if I don’t wanna do one thing, I simply say “no.” I might care much less how you’re feeling. I say “no” on a regular basis.
Inform me about your childhood and your beginnings in music.
I’m from Winston-Salem, North Carolina and my mother and father simply actually love music. My mother performed music on a regular basis. I simply naturally favored music, I assume. After which I picked up my first instrument in sixth grade, which was the flute, and I fell in love with the sounds — studying a physique of music and the behind-the-scenes of music. I began listening to issues in songs that I usually didn’t hear at first. My mother would take me to symphonies and orchestras, as a result of for those who had been part of the band, you’ll get tickets to go there for those who wished to after faculty.
I began expertise reveals in third grade the place I began off singing. [As I got older], it kinda morphed into rapping, as a result of I used to hang around with guys and they’d be rapping. I simply tried it sooner or later, and the primary time I did it, I used to be like “Oh s–t. D–n, I sound fairly good.” I had enjoyable doing it and I simply stored working towards and “Lotto” was the second music I made and it went viral.
Do you write your raps or freestyle?
It’s a combination of each. I don’t have a sure means that I do it — each time I report it’s kinda totally different. I’d get on the mic and discover a tune, or I may need one thing to begin me off in my telephone as a result of I’ve little bars that I write all through the day. It’s kinda [like] how I gown, I simply do it relying on how I’m feeling that day.
Who’s somebody that you just actually wish to work with?
I actually wanna work with Tyler, the Creator, I look as much as him quite a bit. I feel he’s a genius. I really like a number of the issues that he does, and I kinda see myself being like him.
Did you anticipate “FreakyT” to take off the best way it did? I noticed Rick Owens used it in a TikTok.
Yeah, that was loopy! My brother despatched me that TikTok and I used to be like, “What the f–ok, it’s Rick Owens! He must ship me some Rick’s.” [Laughs.] However nah, I didn’t — as a result of I positively was instructed that it wasn’t one among my greatest songs and so they weren’t attempting to place it on the venture, so I needed to battle to get that on and maintain it on there.
I do know you might have just a few remixes of the music popping out.
I’ve a boy model and a lady model, and we’re dropping one quickly.
What’s the freakiest factor you’ve ever finished or stated?
It needed to be one thing I stated on Twitter. I don’t know if it’s the freakiest, however I posted a photo of Lois Griffin. She was within the mattress with massive muscular tissues and I used to be like, “That is me after I make myself [nut].” And everyone was like, “What the f–ok.” [Laughs.] I didn’t suppose it was that freaky on the time, however I assume so — everyone stated I used to be out of pocket.
I noticed in one other interview you stated once you make it massive you wish to transfer to Japan. Why is that?
I simply suppose Japan is so cool-looking. It’s so futuristic and I really like cherry blossom timber. The surroundings out there may be so loopy and magical. When individuals ship me footage, I simply see myself being there.
What anime reveals do you suggest for individuals who wish to get into it?
I’ll at all times suggest Hunter x Hunter, I similar to the best way that it began off. Anyone that’s by no means watched anime or doesn’t prefer it, after I put them on to that, they’re like “D–n, that is really actually good.” Parasyte is nice, even Dying Be aware is basically good to begin off with. Or you can begin off with one thing smaller like Inuyasha, however that’s extra of a romantic sort [and] it’s form of humorous.
It looks like your bubbly character is mirrored in your model and movies. How do you keep such brilliant power?
As a result of I find it irresistible. I’m actually captivated with [making music] and having enjoyable. Like, if I’m not having enjoyable, then what am I doing this for? It’s a combination of naturally having the like to do it and I discuss to my supporters quite a bit on-line, and so they at all times give me good phrases of recommendation and say actually encouraging issues. That simply makes me extra excited and conjures up me to make extra music.
And simply having individuals round me — like Kyra, she does my hair, however that’s a childhood buddy of mine. So lots of people that I maintain round me are precise, actual true mates that had been right here from the start. I feel having that pure, uncooked power round [me] retains me grounded. Additionally, I nonetheless reside in North Carolina the place the whole lot began for me. [That’s] what retains me going and aligns me.
