Hope Tala is a singer-songwriter from London who effortlessly blends bossa nova and Latin American influences with R&B and soul. Inspired by artists such as Brandy, Mariah Carey and Lauryn Hill, she taught herself to play guitar and began writing her own songs. While studying English literature at the University of Bristol, she discovered new musical influences, such as the Brazilian bossa nova of Astrud Gilberto and the jazzy, electronic pop of Everything But the Girl.
With a series of EPs and much-discussed singles such as “Party Sickness” and “Leave It on the Dancefloor,” Tala has been steadily building her sound over the past few years. This development is fully reflected on ‘Hope Handwritten,’ her long-awaited debut album. On it, she interweaves organic live instrumentation with reflections on heartbreak, new love, origins, humanity and community. Singles like “I Can’t Even Cry,” “Thank Goodness,” “Bad Love God” and “Phoenix” solidify her position as one of the most intriguing and innovative voices within R&B and neo-soul. Even Barack Obama is a fan: for the third time, one of her tracks landed on his annual summer playlist.