Hope Tala

Last updated

Hope Tala
Born
Hope Natasha McDonald [1]

(1997-11-18) 18 November 1997 (age 26) [2]
London, England [3]
Academic background
Education University of Bristol (BA)
Musical career
Genres Bossa nova, R&B, neo soul [4]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2018–present
Labels Republic Records
Website Official website

Hope Natasha McDonald (born 18 November 1997), known professionally as Hope Tala, is a British singer-songwriter. Her musical style has been described as pulling from R&B, Latin, neo soul, and bossa nova. Tala is working on her first album, Hope Handwritten.

Contents

Early life

Tala was born in West London to a Jamaican-descended Black father and a mother of British and Irish heritage. [5] She learned to play various musical instruments during her childhood. [1] [5] Tala first started to sing at the age of 15 and wrote her first compositions during her study of music AS-Level. [6] At home, she experimented with Logic Pro, producing demos which she published on SoundCloud. [5] [7] [8] Tala describes her favourite instrument as the guitar, with a preference for nylon guitars but also enjoying acoustic and electric guitars. [9] [10] Tala's moniker is derived from her birth name. Tala is a diminutive form of her middle name Natasha. [1]

Career

2018–2019: Studies, Starry Ache, Sensitive Soul

Tala studied English literature at the University of Bristol. [3] graduating with first-class honours in 2019. [4] [11] [12] [10] Tala turned down the chance to pursue a master's degree at the University of Cambridge in favor of pursuing a career in music. [4] [5] [7] [11] [10] Tala finished her first and second EPs, Starry Ache and Sensitive Soul, while she was at university. [11] She finished her single Lovestained as she was finishing her dissertation. [11] [13]

Tala's first single was "Blue", [14] released in 2018 which was later included on the EP Starry Ache. [15] She would proceed to release her singles "Lovestained" and "D.T.M." in 2019. "Lovestained" was written as Tala was working towards her degree in English literature. [16] [6] Tala's "Lovestained" would later be placed on Rolling Stone's "50 Best songs of 2019" list at #8. [17] The two singles would be compiled into her EP Sensitive Soul. [18]

2020–present: Girl Eats Sun and other singles

Tala's "All My Girls Like To Fight" was her first song in 2020. [19] It was around this time that Tala had declined pursuing a master's degree in favour of a career in music. [20] Speaking to Wonderland, Tala described music as a "one-shot career" [20] and that she would have "regretted continuing her studies" when there was the opportunity to continue on later in life. [20] Tala described writing "All My Girls Like To Fight" as "constructing an expansive narrative in a song" [20] and she "wanted to portray women having strength and agency in the narrative". [21] The song would be included in her EP Girl Eats Sun. [20]

Critical reception

Tala's All My Girls Like To Fight was listed as one of Barack Obama's favourite songs of 2020. [4] [22] Her song Tiptoeing was chosen by Clara Amfo as BBC Radio One's "Hottest Record in the World" on 19 October 2021. [23] [24]

Personal life

Tala identifies as gay and as "black or mixed race". [5] [11]

Discography

Studio albums

TitleDescription
Hope Handwritten

Extended plays

List of extended-plays, with selected details, chart positions
TitleDetailsPeak chart positions
UK
DL
Starry Ache
  • Released: 3 October 2018
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
Sensitive Soul
  • Released: 14 July 2019
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
Girl Eats Sun
  • Released: 13 November 2020
  • Label: EMI Records
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Singles

TitleYearAlbum
"Blue" [14] 2018Starry Ache [15] [25]
"Moontime"
"Lovestained" [16] 2019Sensitive Soul
"D.T.M." [18]
"All My Girls Like To Fight" [19] 2020Girl Eats Sun
"Cherries"
(featuring Aminé) [26]
"Crazy" [27] [28]
"Mad" [29] 2021Non-album singles
"Tiptoeing" [30]
"Party Sickness" [31] 2022
"Is It Enough" [32]
"Leave It On The Dancefloor"
"Stayed at the Party"
"I Can't Even Cry"2024Hope Handwritten
"Bad Love God"
"Thank Goodness"
"Shiver"
"Jumping the Gun"

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References

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  2. McDonald, Hope. "it's my birthday 🤠🥴 can you pls tell me ur favourite song off Girl Eats Sun for my bday present? i really wanna know. and then i have an announcement shaped present for YOU later. tit for tat ok!!!". Instagram. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
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