Flame (Tinashe song)

Last updated

"Flame"
Tinashe - Flame.png
Single by Tinashe
ReleasedMarch 16, 2017 (2017-03-16)
Length3:06
Label RCA
Songwriters
Producer Sir Nolan
Tinashe singles chronology
"Quit You"
(2017)
"Flame"
(2017)
"No Drama"
(2018)
Music video
"Flame" on YouTube

"Flame" is a song recorded by American singer Tinashe. It was released on March 16, 2017 through RCA Records. Produced by Sir Nolan who wrote the track with Tinashe alongside Simon Wilcox, Ilsey Juber and Nasri Atweh, the song is a midtempo eighties-styled track which incorporates the singer's signature sound with pop components. Lyrically, the song talks about the relationship between her companion.

Contents

Tinashe started to tease "Flame" three days before the song's release, citing part of the lyrics in her Instagram post. On April 21, the music video for "Flame" was released. A month later, May 19, American singer Kaskade remixed the song. Commercially, it peaked at number 9 on New Zealand Heatseekers chart.

Background

"Flame" marks a departure from previous singles that she released in 2016, namely "Superlove" and "Company". [1] Speaking backstage prior to headlining Sony's Lost in Music showcase at SXSW, she explained her shift in attitude regarding the Joyride's timeline, noting that she did it last year, so she's not putting "any limits" on herself even when the album had to come out. [2]

Release

Tinashe announced "Flame" on March 13, 2017, alongside the single's release date and cover art. In her Instagram post, she quoted part of the lyrics: "Tell me that you've still got the flame for me". [3] On May 19, a remix version of the song by American producer Kaskade was released. [4]

Composition

"Flame" is a midtempo eighties-styled [1] track described as "slow burning", [5] incorporating fluffy synthesizers and pounding drums. [1] It shows Tinashe desperately wants to hold on to her companion even though their fiery love ends chilly. [5] Produced by Sir Nolan, [6] the song's instrumentation was compared to "Style" by Taylor Swift. [1] Lyrically, "Flame" talks about trying to save a relationship. [6] [1]

Music video

The music video for "Flame" was released on April 21, 2017. [7] The video starts off with Tinashe glowing in relationship bliss, but as it continues, things get progressively darker. [8] [9] It concludes with a house completely up in flames, [10] featuring photographs and memories melting in the fire. [9]

Reception

Rated R&B noted "Flame" as "infectious track", stating that the song encompasses Tinashe's "signature sound with pop elements". [11] On March 31, 2017, the song was chosen as a theme song for WWE's WrestleMania 33. [12]

Live performance

On March 30, 2017, Tinashe performed "Flame" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon . [13]

Charts

Chart (2017)Peak
position
New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ) [14] 9

Release history

CountryDateFormatVersionLabelRef.
VariousMarch 16, 2017Original RCA [15]
United StatesApril 11, 2017 Contemporary hit radio [16]
VariousMay 19, 2017
  • Digital download
  • streaming
Kaskade remix [4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Leight, Elias (March 16, 2017). "Hear Tinashe Channel Eighties on Upbeat New Song 'Flame'" . Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on March 16, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  2. Lockett, Dee (March 13, 2017). "Tinashe Switches Lanes With Her New Pop Single 'Flame'". Vulture . Archived from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  3. Samuels, Keithan (March 13, 2017). "Tinashe Readies New Single 'Flame'". Rated R&B . Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Flame (Kaskade Remix) - Single". Tinashe & Kaskade. Apple Music. May 19, 2017. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. 1 2 Lamarre, Carl (March 16, 2017). "Tinashe Fights For Love on 'Flame,' Takes Steamy Photo with Travis Scott for 'GQ Style'". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  6. 1 2 Craighead, Olivia (March 16, 2017). "Listen To Tinashe's New Song "Flame"". The Fader . Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  7. Devin (April 21, 2017). "Video: Tinashe - 'Flame'". Rap-Up . Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  8. Kreps, Daniel (April 22, 2017). "See Tinashe Burn Down the House in 'Flame' Video". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  9. 1 2 Rettig, James (April 21, 2017). "Tinashe – "Flame" Video". Stereogum . Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  10. Augustin, Camille (April 22, 2017). "Tinashe Sparks A Passionate Inferno In "Flame" Video". Vibe . Archived from the original on December 12, 2025. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  11. Samuels, Keithan (March 16, 2017). "Tinashe Releases Hot New Single 'Flame'". Rated R&B . Archived from the original on August 12, 2025. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  12. "Get the music of WrestleMania 33". WWE. March 31, 2017. Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  13. Tom, Lauren (March 31, 2017). "Tinashe Delivers Fiery Performance of 'Flame' on 'The Tonight Show': Watch". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 12, 2025. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  14. "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. March 27, 2017. Archived from the original on September 4, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  15. "Flame - Single". Tinashe. iTunes Store. Archived from the original on September 5, 2025. Retrieved March 16, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. "Top 40/Mainstream > Future Releases". All Access. April 4, 2017. Archived from the original on April 4, 2017.