On July 23rd, 1996, Tidal was released. This was a collection of 10 songs written solely by Fiona Apple between the ages of 13-17 and produced by Andrew Slater.

When she was 17, she moved from NYC to LA to record a 3-track demo tape with the help of her father. The first one she passed out to a friend made its way to a publicist she was babysitting for and then to Sony exec Andrew Slater and the rest is history.

Supported by six singles, Tidal remains her biggest commercial success. When she released the album, Apple said that it was written as an honest explanation of who she was a person in the hopes that it would make it easier for her to make friends. However, her messages were lost in the controversy that ensued from the music video for Criminal:

Fed up with the culture of the music industry and the hit-pieces written about her by lame-ass dudes, she delivered this speech at the MTV awards after winning Best Music Video:

Tidal is a notable influence for Kanye West. In 2006, they sat down for Interview Magazine where he said:

KW: Now, when I listen to your s***, I hear similarities. I actually wanted to work with Brion so I could be like the rap version of you. That was one of my main goals. The albums that inspired me for Late Registration were your first one, Tidal 1996 and Portishead’s Dummy 1994, but especially your lyrics and how you sing. How is your vocabulary so ill? Were you tight in vocabulary in your school?
...
KW: Well, I want to know. You don’t understand. I hold you higher than Lauryn Hill in my eyes.

FA: Oh, s***.

KW: Seriously. I see similarities, because of the distinctive deep voice and the level of wordplay.

FA: When I was 17 or 18, doing my first tours, we did so many road shows, and the Fugees were part of it for a while. I remember that I would watch Lauryn Hill, and it was so hard not to just quit, because she’s just so … Thanks for putting me in the same sentence.

KW: No, seriously. You’re like possibly my favorite.

She took 3 years off before releasing her follow-up album in 1999, titled as a poem she wrote for herself to deal with a Spin article that misrepresented her during her press run for Tidal.

@Soupvillain @Goo @MrIndigo96 @pneumonia @AmoryBlain

CLASSIC

solid album

Every song like a minute too long tho tbh. She figures it out on when the pawn

Young!

Ban

I'll forever cherish this album. Amazing production and storytelling.. Fiona def one of the greatest to ever do it 🔥🔥

Nice

@KamauTheAbstract

only Tidal we care about is the streaming service

Dont f***ing care

She’s so bad and pretty 😫

Who's we??

Eat a d*** troll

Fiona Apple marry me challenge

Legend

Found the Roc Nation shill

That extra minute hits in the dead of winter tbh. But I like Pawn more too

One of the best debuts

good album