Being a popstar in the internet age has never been easy. You have your success stories like Charli XCX who embraced the chaos of fan commentary and turned it into high art, whereas Lorde retreated from social media, rediscovered nature through her music while getting stoned at the nail salon. Equally, some attempts at engagement have fell flat; whether it be Kim Petras chasing TikTok trends in her Feed The Beast era or the ambivalent response to Halsey’s video explaining her record label demanded a viral moment so she could release a song.

While others play chess with internet critics, on her latest record Tinashe flips the board. Slick West-Coast inflected number Crash Out is her ode to the keyboard trolls who have criticised her commercial performance and compared her to other stars. With blunt admissions like “The American dream is outdated / Now they are sitting on the Internet hating” her frustration is palpable throughout in a rare moment where she hits back.

As her era of reckoning goes, its never sounded so good. While this has all the makings of a club record, it feels reductive to call it that when she can switch up so easily. In the noughties R&B inspired Too Easy, fame is effortless to her as she shrugs “I can’t help that I make it look so easy” in a neat 2-minute package. The antidote to this cool tonic is the wonderfully glitchy Melatonin. The dark hyperpop anthem subverts the sleepy title with jittery techno designed for strobe lights and manic 3am sessions.

There are moments of respite, an unexpectedly luscious brass interlude emerges through Overdramatic in the first third of the album. Her ability to change pace from the lightning rap of Melatonin just a few tracks earlier showcase her versatility. Yet even the slower parts are undeniably infectious – the sensual trap-funk of Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore possesses all the strut and verve of a diva on the edge. With a groove that brings Thundercat to mind, it’s the most commanding cut.

Standing as the core thesis of the record, the title track Popstar features all the common tropes of partying all night, lipstick on dresses and ending up on TMZ. With a large serving of autotune dolloped onto the chorus, it could be lifted straight from 2007. However, it’s grounded by the repeated chant of “Don’t fall in love with a popstar / Didn’t know it’d get so far /Tell me is it everything you thought it would be” that reminds us of the glamour comes with a price.

The closer feels apt, Heavy Weight is a breathy acoustic ballad that confronts the reality of the pressure that comes with success. “So, I just work harder, I’m the oldest daughter” is sang with the resignation of someone who knows the cost of what it takes to make it. And it feels like the truth, especially the mantra of just working harder to get through it. Tinashe has soaked up every ounce of what has challenged her as an artist and flipped the narrative.

Public scrutiny, mental & physical exhaustion and internet trolls have ultimately had a positive effect, fuelling a record that is liberatingly chaotic and fun. Facing criticism can force some popstars to retreat from the spotlight, only to ultimately return to tease a comeback of something that seems exciting but ends up being more algorithm fodder. The brilliance of Popstar shows she doesn’t need to follow this formula as Tinashe isn’t chasing fame anymore, fame is finally catching up to her.