At 21 years old, Hope Tala is already making waves in the UK music industry and internationally. She released her first EP, Starry Ache, while still a student at the University of Bristol (from which she graduated with honors in English). Her second EP, Sensitive Soul was released in August of last year.
Her newest EP, Girl Eats Sun features a distinct mixture of Bossa nova, R&B, and neo-soul. Her breathy vocals blend in well with the rhythmic plucking of a Spanish-style guitar on "Mulholland", "Cherries", and "All My Girls Like To Fight". It's rare that I find an EP or album that I can play on repeat without a single skip. The first track, "Mulholland", like all of her tracks is dreamy and tinged with melancholy. She sings about navigating her life while trying to get over a lost love that she still finds burrowed in her heart. The track features sky, a lesser known singer whose soft, ethereal style of singing is very similar to Tala's.
My personal favorite, "Cherries" features Amine, a break-out hip-hop artist (of whom I am a huge fan). The song is driven by an up-beat acoustic guitar which underscores the playfulness and sensuality of the song's lyrics. Tala really displays her poetic skills as she uses different objects, like sunlight and cherry stones to describe the meshing of sexual and emotional love.
"Cherries" is followed by "All My Girls Like to Fight", another favorite of mine (though to be honest I love every single song on this EP). The slow sultry Bossa nova vibes in this song are so seductive. The music video visuals pair well with the Spanish-influenced music, with Tala riding atop a small sedan that revs past a woman waving a red tarp, very ala matador.
Skipping ahead, the most poignant and memorable track, in my opinion, is the last one. "Easy to Love Me" tells the story of a cliche romance triangle, with Tala posing as the other woman. The sweet, pleading nature of the lyrics is heart-breaking. As I listen to Tala softly goad on her lover to leave their aother partner, I can't help but empathize with her. Longing is universal.
Hope Tala is definitely only beginning, and I look forward to hearing more from this budding starlet. I can't wait to see what she brings to the table when she finally releases a full-length album.
