Tsunaina
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Singer-songwriter
- Model
Tsunaina | |
|---|---|
 Tsunaina performing live in London 2023 | |
| Born | Kowloon, Hong Kong |
| Alma mater | SOAS, University of the Arts London |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Website | tsunaina |
Tsunaina (Nepali pronunciation: [(t)suːˈnʌɪːna])[a] is a British–Nepali singer-songwriter, visual artist, and fashion model.[1][2][3][4][5] She is known for her emotionally evocative music and "hauntingly powerful" voice, alongside her distinctive features and visual style.[6][2][7][8] In 2020, she released her debut single "Waterways", followed by "UnEarth", "Fanned Out Fingers" and "A Dam on the Eve of Breaking".[3][9][10][11] Tsunaina has also created music for Iris van Herpen, McQ, and Robert Wun.[2][12]
Tsunaina was born in Kowloon. Tsunaina also has a younger brother.[6][13] She grew up in Lalitpur, Nepal, and spent her childhood there until moving to Kent, England, to join her family.[2][3] At age 18, Tsunaina moved to London to attend SOAS University, where she studied History and Politics; she later studied Sound art at University of the Arts London, where she would begin to write for other artists and meet a number of future collaborators.[2]
Tsunaina was raised by her mother who is a Limbu, Yakthung (ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤱ), a Tibeto-Burman indigenous tribe of the Himalayan region of eastern Nepal, Sikkim, and western Bhutan.[2] She is fluent in Nepali, English, and Hindi.[2][3]
Career
After being scouted for modelling, Tsunaina initially gained recognition for her visual storytelling on Instagram and as the muse of Pat McGrath.[1][6][14][15] Shortly after gracing the cover of Harper's Bazaar, she went on to be shot by Paolo Roversi, Tim Walker, Zhong Lin, and Frank Lebon.[1] Tsunaina has also appeared in numerous notable publications such as British Vogue, Vogue Italia, W Magazine, Dazed, I-D, Paper Magazine, System, and Numero France.[1][6][16][17][18]
In 2020 she released her debut single "Waterways", accompanied by a music video of her performing a live arrangement version in a waterfall.[3][19] This was followed by "UnEarth", "A Dam on the Eve of Breaking", and in 2021, she released "Fanned Out Fingers".[9][10][11] co-composed and co-produced by Bon Music Vision
Tsunaina has created music for Iris van Herpen Haute couture FW21 "Earthrise", McQ 2021 "Breathe", and Robert Wun Haute couture SS23 "Fear"; she also performed live to open for London designer, Asai Tai, SS23 during London Fashion Week.[2][20][12]