Inayah finds herself at a pivotal moment with her fourth studio album, Therapy Wasn’t Enough, reflecting a significant shift in both her career and personal life. During our Zoom call, I asked about what’s shifted in her life since releasing Wait, There’s More in 2024, an anthemic ode to reclaiming self-confidence and accepting every part of herself — flaws and all.
Pausing for a few moments to reflect on what changed, she said, “I evolved in my womanhood. I started digesting and caring to learn what it really means to share your life with somebody. The capacity of that is so heavy. It’s very small things that gave me the bravery to change my mindset and what it’s like to be somebody’s partner. I’m proud of the mindset that I have now versus two years ago.”
Known for empowering women to break away from toxic relationships with her anti-love anthems, like her Fantasia “When I See You” remake called “For the Streets,” the songstress sings a different tune in Therapy Wasn’t Enough that may take her dedicated fanbase — whom she calls “Inayah-aters” — by surprise, but in a good way.
In an era where having a boyfriend can feel embarrassing, and marriage is no longer viewed as the ultimate prize, Therapy Wasn’t Enough challenges the notion that love and commitment are no longer worth pursuing —especially in a culture that increasingly treats romantic relationships as more casual than serious. With her latest project, Inayah is aiming to clear up that misconception.
“People need to know that just because love is beautiful does not mean that it’s without flaw, ” she said. “Whoever said that finding the love of your life was all peaches and roses, it isn’t. If anything, it takes more intention, focus, and love when you know that you have found the one or when the one has found you. As cliché as this phrase is, I stand on it. Anything worth having is truly worth fighting for. People don’t voice the actual fight enough.”
Throughout the 11-track project, Inayah takes listeners on an emotional rollercoaster that captures the many stages of a relationship.
“I was in the emotional trenches,” she told EBONY. “Anytime something impacts my life, I always write it down and make a song out of it. This particular journey hurt like hell. But because of where it took me emotionally and mentally, I knew that there was an assignment to talk and write about it and to share. Although it’s my journey, it’s not just for me.”
From heartache to healing, Therapy Wasn’t Enough explores the nuances and complexities that many couples prefer to keep private. For Inayah, however, exposing that vulnerability is the point.
By removing the fantasy of love, the singer-songwriter seeks to normalize sharing the difficult moments that come with rebuilding a healthy relationship and emphasizes that therapy alone isn’t enough for a lasting partnership.
While anchored in relationships, the album isn’t solely based on her putting the pieces of her love life back together. Known for putting her own signature twist on R&B classics, Inayah’s expected feel-good, catchy bop is highlighted in “Outside.” Sampling Lil Mo’s 2003 single “4Ever” and an interpolation of Usher’s 2001 hit, “You Don’t Have To Call,” she delivers another empowering hot girl anthem just in time for the summer.
Influenced by the early 2000s music scene, Inayah was intentional with bringing back bridges — an art form that has been lost throughout the evolution of music. “I’ve always wanted to do that in my artistry,” she said. “When I got signed, my mindset was younger. I was in the studio having fun, exploring my gift, and doing so many different things with music. This time, I wanted to portray the things that I wanted to make sure people felt.”
She continued, “The last time I can remember feeling like that is the 90s and early 2000s, when we had bridges and artists outside singing in the rain. I wanted to feel that, and I want the people to feel that. We need it again.”
Five years in the making, each song is reflective of her past relationships leading up to her current lifetime partner. Her pained vocals on the lead single, “Choose,” invite listeners into the most vulnerable parts of her journey as she finds herself at a crossroads between choosing music or love.
A moment where Inayah candidly speaks about feeling defeated by the ultimatum; in the same breath, she restores hope by choosing her God-given talent and is rewarded with a partner greater than who she could’ve imagined, as revealed in her outro: “I felt so privileged that God not only confirmed that he’s gifting me a new thing, but he’s also doing a new thing in a man that’s going to be my husband.”
“We went through some tests to get to where we are,” she said. “We both had to grow through this in order to see that the grass really is greener on the other side of all of those emotions. That new thing was a gift for the both of us.”
A 2027 bride, Inayah, is deep into planning for her destination wedding in Jamaica. As her relationship journey comes full circle in the coming months, she hopes Therapy Wasn’t Enough serves as a reminder that true love requires intentional effort and a willingness to work through challenging seasons rather than being quick to walk away.
“You’re in love, and that’s beautiful, but it’s not going to always be beautiful,” she said. “Try therapy, but don’t forget you have to put in the work after you log out of that session. If it’s something that you want for your life and you believe that it adds value to every part of you, then it’s worth fighting for.”