CREDIT: Tenadina
After making a striking debut with “Right Before,” Tenadina returns with her second single, “Partners in Crime,” a cinematic dark pop anthem that explores the messy aftermath of toxic love and broken bonds. Following the success of her first track, Tenadina continues to push the boundaries of her sound, blending experimental electronic, dance, and melancholic pop into something uniquely her own. “Partners in Crime” is for the soul pretties who have held on to something already gone.
Singular Culture: How did your journey as a singer-songwriter begin, and what inspired you to start writing and performing your own music?
Tenadina: Music has always been part of my life, but hell, not like this. I spent so much time trying to be loved by everyone, only to realize I was wasting time instead of creating the music I truly wanted.
Growing up around critical people left me with little self-worth, so I never really got to express myself. Making music in secret became my safe space, something no one could take away if they didn’t know it existed. Eventually, I overcame what I thought I couldn’t and started sharing more and more.
I started in a cover band with friends, which helped me find my style since we played so many genres. I knew I wanted to write and perform my own songs, or at least write for the band, but everyone had different priorities. So I went solo, found a producer, and started releasing my own music.
Being an artist from Romania, do you feel like your roots influence your music? How does the culture and music scene around you shape your art?
My home country has a pretty strong music industry with great artists, but it didn’t really shape my sound. I mean, I’m Hungarian from Romania, but I never felt connected to either side musically. I did concerts and shows with bands, but nothing that really tied into the Romanian or Hungarian music scene.
Can you walk us through your writing process for “Partners in Crime”? What inspired the track?
I started this song with no plan, just messing around with a demo. I knew I wanted to write about trust issues, fake people, and toxic connections. At some point, I got distracted (as usual) scrolling through my gallery and found a photo from the Agatha Christie Memorial in Tenerife. The stairs had all her book titles, and “Partners in Crime” stood out right away. I knew I’d use it for something. So when I started writing the chorus, “Partners in Crime” just made sense. The title had a perfect dual meaning, so I built the lyrics around that.
I began with a personal monologue, then switched to third person in the chorus (never done that before) to show that it’s not just my story or yours, but something a lot of people go through. I wrote it for the “soul pretties” who keep falling into the wrong hands while just trying to be loved. The chorus is super simple, but that’s the point. It’s a “keep the message on repeat” kind of mindset.
The third verse, or outro, is my favorite. It was the only part I didn’t have to rewrite, which is rare for me since I’m a perfectionist with words. That one just came naturally. Spoiler: it’s not a happy ending. It’s more like a quiet realization of how easily we leave each other behind.
I finished the song and later showed the demo to my producer. We ended up keeping the pads from my original version. Fun fact: mine was way more emotional and sad, but my producer took it to the next level. He added the picture to it so effortlessly, gave it the power it needed, and it all came together naturally.
CREDIT: Tenadina
You’ve mentioned that you hope your music can be a “home for heavy hearts.” Does songwriting serve as therapy for you, helping you process difficult emotions and navigate inner conflicts?
I think songwriting is such a powerful form of expression that sometimes it scares me, like wondering what I should or shouldn’t say. I usually keep things inside, so when I write, it all just pours out. Songwriting definitely helps me process things I didn’t even know were there. But I’m also aware of how triggering a song can be, so I try to balance the darkness with power and light. When I say a home for heavy hearts, I mean I want my music to be a space where people don’t feel alone in what they’re going through. While helping myself, I hope to help others, not in a comforting way, but in a “wake up, open your eyes, and don’t be afraid to find yourself away from other people’s influence” kind of way.
What was it like working with Vizi Imre, and what led both of you to choose this dark and haunting pop sound?
Working with Vizi on my second project felt much more natural than the first. He immediately understood the vision, even though it was his first time hearing the song. It was exciting to see how much he liked it. My demo already had emotional depth, and he took it to the next level, making it feel like a true crime scene.
I always ask for cinematic, haunting elements (I’m just obsessed with them). When I produce for myself, I sometimes push beyond pop limits because I lean heavily into dark, cinematic sounds. I’ve loved horror films and thrillers since I was a kid, so if my future songs have that vibe, don’t be surprised.
Since you also produce your own tracks, what’s the most challenging part of the production process?
The hardest part is knowing when to stop. I get lost in the details easily, especially with vocals. It’s frustrating. I’ll redo them a hundred times before realizing the first take was perfect. Sometimes, I definitely overwork a track. Balancing simplicity and complexity is tough, which is why collaborations and feedback help so much.
Looking ahead, what new directions or experiments do you hope to explore with your music in the future?
I want to create a clearer sonic vision and get better at producing my own sound, releasing something I’ve fully produced myself. Lyrically, I want to keep pushing myself, embracing more rawness and authenticity. Even though I’m not really a movie person, I’d love for my music to create that cinematic space.
“Partners in Crime” is an emotionally charged track, built on gritty basslines, haunting industrial synths, and thunderous drums. With this release, Tenadina cements her distinct voice in the alt-pop landscape, blending dark, cinematic textures with the raw vulnerability of her storytelling. For those who have loved and lost, “Partners in Crime” offers a poignant reminder that sometimes the hardest part is letting go, and that the real crime was ever believing it could last.