Between 2007 and 2011, Tinashe was a member of the girl group the Stunners. Following their disbandment, she released the positively-reviewed self-recorded mixtapes In Case We Die (2012) and Reverie (2012). Following their success, Tinashe signed with RCA Records and released her third mixtape, Black Water (2013). Her debut single, "2 On" (featuring Schoolboy Q; produced by Mustard), reached number one on the Rhythmic airplay chart, and peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4] Her debut studio album, Aquarius (2014), was noted by music critics as one of the most "solid" debuts by a new female artist in years. The album garnered her nominations for Soul Train and BET Awards.[5] Her collaboration with Snakehips and Chance the Rapper, "All My Friends", won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song in 2016.[6] The same year, Tinashe appeared on Britney Spears' single "Slumber Party", which topped Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart. Tinashe's second studio album, Nightride (2016), reached number eight on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the US. Joyride (2018), her third studio album, peaked at number 58 on the Billboard 200 chart and reached number six on the UK R&B Albums chart. After departing RCA, Tinashe independently released the albums Songs for You (2019), 333 (2021) and BB/Ang3l (2023).
Wanna
Tinashe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, I hear the voice of a preacher from the back room
Calling my name and I follow just to find you
I trace the faith to a broken down television
And put on the weather
And I've trained myself to give up on the past 'cause
I frozen time between hearses and caskets
I wanna get better
While my friends were getting high and chasing guys down parkway lines
I was losing my mind
'Cause the love, the love, the love, the love, the love
That I gave wasted on a nice face
In a blaze of fear I put a helmet on a helmet
Counting seconds through the night and got carried away
So now I'm standing on the overpass screaming at the cars
(Hey, I wanna get better)
I didn't know I was lonely 'til I saw your face
I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
I go up to my room and there's guys on the ceiling
Cut out their pictures and I chase that feeling
Of an eighteen year old who didn't know what loss was
Now I'm a stranger
And I miss the days of a life still permanent
Mourn the years before I got carried away
So now I'm standin' on the overpass, screaming at the cars
(Hey, I wanna get better)
I didn't know I was lonely 'til I saw your face
I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
Better, 'cause I'm sleeping in the back of a taxi
I'm screaming out my bedroom window
Even if its gonna kill me, whoa-oh
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
I woke up early this morning before my family
From this dream where she was trying to show me
How a life can move from the darkness
She said to get better
So I put a bullet where I shoulda put a helmet
And I crash my car 'cause I wanna get carried away
So now I'm standing on the overpass screaming at the cars
(Hey, I wanna get better)
I didn't know I was lonely 'til I saw your face
I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
(Get, get, get, get, I wanna get)
The song "I Wanna Get Better" by Tinashe Bleachers is a story of the artist's journey towards self-improvement. The singer hears the voice of a preacher calling his name and follows it to find a broken-down television. He tries to move on from his painful past and lost control when he panicked at the acid test. The chorus of the song, "I wanna get better," underscores the artist's desire to transform himself for the better.
The artist goes on to describe how he felt alone and broken, realizing he was chasing the wrong things in life. He puts up a brave face but eventually realizes that he was putting on a façade to hide his true feelings. The line "I woke up early this morning before my family, from this dream where she was trying to show me how a life can move from the darkness" is an indication of the artist's longing for something more in his life. He wants to improve his living conditions and become a better person.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, I hear the voice of a preacher from the back room
Tinashe hears a preacher speaking in the background
Calling my name and I follow just to find you
Tinashe follows the voice of the preacher to find a person she wants to connect with
I trace the faith to a broken down television
Tinashe connects her faith to a broken television set
And put on the weather
Tinashe puts on the weather channel on the broken television
And I've trained myself to give up on the past 'cause
Tinashe has taught herself to move on from her past
I frozen time between hearses and caskets
Tinashe is stuck in a cycle of mourning
Lost control when I panicked at the acid test
Tinashe lost control during a difficult situation
While my friends were getting high and chasing guys down parkway lines
Tinashe's friends are exploring and having fun
I was losing my mind
Tinashe is struggling with her mental health
'Cause the love, the love, the love, the love, the love
Tinashe is obsessed with love
That I gave wasted on a nice face
Tinashe gave her love to someone who didn't deserve it
In a blaze of fear I put a helmet on a helmet
Tinashe is trying to protect herself from harm
Counting seconds through the night and got carried away
Tinashe is obsessing over time
So now I'm standing on the overpass screaming at the cars
Tinashe is expressing her frustration and anger
(Hey, I wanna get better)
Tinashe wants to improve herself
I didn't know I was lonely 'til I saw your face
Tinashe didn't realize she was lonely until she met someone new
I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change
Tinashe realizes she was broken once she decided to improve herself
Better, 'cause I'm sleeping in the back of a taxi
Tinashe is determined to improve herself even if it means she has to sleep in a taxi
I'm screaming out my bedroom window
Tinashe is expressing her emotions loudly
Even if its gonna kill me, whoa-oh
Tinashe is willing to risk everything to improve herself
I woke up early this morning before my family
Tinashe woke up before her family did
From this dream where she was trying to show me
Tinashe had a dream where someone was trying to teach her something
How a life can move from the darkness
Tinashe learns how to move from a dark place
She said to get better
Tinashe is urged to improve herself
So I put a bullet where I shoulda put a helmet
Tinashe made a dangerous decision
And I crash my car 'cause I wanna get carried away
Tinashe wants to be reckless and impulsive
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jack Antonoff, John Graham Hill
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chemari Norwood
I could see Little mix singing this tbh
Angelo Alejos
Can I make this song mine ? Lol if she and Zara won’t realized never
Svna
0:37
Mundo Aleatório
It's demo by Zara Larsson.
MelonPeach
@soap AH Check actual sites like dbree for leaks, not terrible youtube quality. Videos can also be removed here it's better to check leaking sites.
Abysslinde. (ZssPrime)
@George Freeman tinashe wrote the song. Dont know why the poster of this vid is so butthurt though. Zara is an excellent singer and so is tinashe. They have different strengths though. No need to compare them..
soap AH
@Adam Karlsson OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH! Literally crying
Adam Karlsson
@soap AH a youtube channel called Zluts leaked Zaras version of wanna including the remastered version for poster girl which is by far the best version. there is a link for the whole song under their video
Michelle Blanco
Tinashe's voice doesn't fit this song at all. Zara's is better but Tinashe is still an excellent singer!
Michelle Blanco
@Benley Agree to disagree, but in my opinion and the majority of the comment section believe Zara's is better.