Say It With Your Chest: An Interview With Amindi

Image via Amindi/Instagram

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If it wasn’t for Instagram, Pete Tosiello would never know which former co-workers, semi-retired indie musicians, and lingerie models from 2014 support apartheid settlements.

With slinky melodies and roomy, unassuming grooves, Amindi’s music sneaks up on you. Her 2021 breakthrough nice was an effortless blend of neo-soul and atmospheric R&B, her slow-burn confessionals spiked with cool tenacity. She quickly became a sought-after collaborator among hip-hop’s avant-garde, lending her textured vocals to such landmarks as Isaiah Rashad’s The House Is Burning and Mavi’s Laughing So Hard, It Hurts. Her new mixtape Take What You Need explores an audacious range of moods and tempos, featuring collaborations with Kenny Mason, monte booker, and Jordan Ward.

Born in Inglewood to West Indian parents, Amindi found her voice recording DIY tapes as a teenager. In 2017 she landed a viral hit with the dancehall-inflected “Pine & Ginger,” leading to her first record deal. In the years since, her sound has both focused and expanded, with conversational verse structures underscoring visceral phrasing and rich, hazy ambience — a fertile middle ground between Badu and SZA. This month she’s headed on her first headline tour, culminating in her native L.A. on the 24th. We caught up by phone to discuss Take What You Need, producer placements, and trusting your instincts.