On Tuesday, singer Tiara Thomas shared the video for “I Need,” the first song on her new EP FWMM (F–kin With My Mind).
The follow-up to 2017’s Don’t Mention My Name, the new EP is an intimate, moody ride of highs and lows. In an interview with ESSENCE, Thomas revealed that FWMM was recorded over a three-year period, “It’s a bunch of different moods because I’m like that. I’m like that and I try to cover a lot of topics.”
Explaining how the EP came together, Thomas said, “‘I Need,’ that was the first song I had for the project. I had ‘Ride You Like A Wave,’ too. I did those in the same week. I liked those songs a lot, but I didn’t just want to throw them out as throw-away songs because, you know, they get lost in the sauce. So I wanted to put them on a project. I actually had those songs when I put out my acoustic project. I was trying to save them for the right project so when I did F–kin With My Mind, I was able to put those on there, finally. I like the way the project came together.”
“I Need” sees Thomas listing the things she needs to live life on her own terms with the video showing the singer lounging in bed, pacing around her apartment, and, possibly, thinking about the woman she shares her bed with.
I Need (Explicit) by Tiara Thomas on VEVO.
However, Thomas’ sexuality is not something she wants to label. The singer told Billboard, “Somebody comes out and then [the media] makes everything about that. All the sudden, it’s like their sexuality becomes bigger than the music and I don’t like that. I don’t like that at all. I don’t want anything to be bigger than my music.”
While the personal lives of celebrities sometimes overshadow their work, for fans of Thomas, the music is the only thing they need.
The singer explains that she likes to connect with fans at shows by “looking dead at people” and will often meet fans after shows.
“When we were overseas, I wanted to meet people,” Thomas told ESSENCE. “I wanted to gain new fans. After I got off stage, I went out and I took pictures. Like, whoever wanted to take a picture, I hugged and talked to. I was talking about random shit with people. And, they would DM me after like, ‘Yeah. You seemed like you liked me.’ You know? But that’s because I appreciate people. I appreciate them.”