We recently connected with Mariah Tinkshell Allen and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Mariah, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
My song Tinkshell Saying Goodbye. This is the first song I wrote with my mother. It’s about my parents relationship, at the time I was young and didn’t have anything to talk about so I asked if I could write about what I saw with my parents and my mother agreed to help me write it. The song got lost after my mother passed but I remember the words and melody, it’s been 10 years but I finally got it rerecorded. Thanks to @lilplentiful for helping me complete the vision.
Studio: @mello_368
In Love & Memory of Shemetra Tinkshell Stewart
Mariah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a Singer/Songwriter/Actress, I perform live R&B and soul music all over Texas. My Facebook: Mariah Tinkshell
Twitter: MTinkshell
Email: gabriellatinkshell17@gmail
I was born on Fort Cavazos ps: Fort Hood, raised in Killeen. I’ve been singing Professionally since high school, I performed at a college woman’s basketball A&M game. I’ve always stated to my family and people who were around me that I was going to be a singer, since I was in elementary singing at talent shows.
My mother passed away my freshman year of high school. She was the person who taught me how to write a song and the love of music. I was grieving for a while until I realized my senior year that my dream was more obtainable than I believed. It’s not about being famous but making things happen for yourself. I feel like that’s the difference between other artists and me. It’s not about an image. It’s about the music and creativity with me but this is my career so compensation is needed, especially when im getting asked. I understood quickly that it being about the music, in this industry is not what people want to hear. Everyone wants you to gain a huge following and do a feature with a major artists for people to pay attention to you. People wasn’t viewing or listening and I felt unappreciated. My health started to decline. I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. I almost died, i had 6 ulcers in my small intestine. I found out i had Crohn’s Disease. While im recovering my grandmother passed. That was my rock, and I felt like I didn’t accomplish my goals of taking her to the red carpet with me. I quit music for a year and worked at Amazon but hated every minute of it. I understood that I couldn’t punish myself or music because its my calling and gift that I want to share with the world. Just because most people are sleep doesn’t mean there isn’t people that are woke in and out the industry.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I didn’t like having my phone out while I was at any event. I always thought of being in the moment and living your life. That didn’t work for my brand and promotion. I didn’t post when i would perform and not take pictures, videos or anything so people wouldn’t remember right away how long and what all work I’ve put into this. Now I take pictures, videos and I post. Unlearned that lesson.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I stopped performing, at one point. I am a nice person, when people would ask me to perform they only wanted to give promotion no payment. After a while, with singing being my career, promotion can’t pay not even one bill. I made a promise to see the worth in myself before anyone else. I started stating my rates upfront. I decided rather I want to do a show free or not.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Tinkshell210244
- Facebook: Mariah Tinkshell
- Linkedin: https://linkr.bio/-Tinkshell-
- Twitter: MTinkshell
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGZ1xogjDOftE3HyJRTT49g?si=kXFCioKnXnefhW45
- Other: Second YouTube: https://youtube.com/@tinkshell278?si=QSwwsBRoM8MTIjpL
Image Credits
Lil Plenty
Mellogettinrowdy