T – is for the remarkable Tanita Tikaram

Thursday 25th May

Tanita emerged in the late eighties, around the same time as another great singer Julia Fordham.  From the first hearing I was hooked.  Something in that deep and sultry voice, and the intelligent quirky lyrics and great melodies just clicked.  At that time I was in my CD single collecting phase.  A promotional tool at the time was to often release two or maybe more CD singles of the same song, but with rare and demo and live versions as the other, and there were often 4 or 5, tracks.  At one time I had far more CD singles than actual CDs, and quite a few were by Tanita.  She was actually born in Germany of an Indian-Fijian father and a Malaysian mother and has the most beautiful features, and living in England most of her life is as English as tuppence.  Her brother was actually in ‘This Life’ the hit modern life drama on BBC2 in the early Nineties.

Her first album Ancient Heart sold very well and had two huge singles ‘Twist in my Sobriety’ and ‘Good Tradition’.  Since then her albums have sold less well, but she has managed, unlike many female singers, to continue in the music industry releasing albums occasionally.  They have all been interesting, and as she has matured so has her style; a lot more sad songs, slower and her voice seems even huskier and sexier.  I think she is one of those artists who really don’t care what her audience thinks of her at all.  I don’t think she ever tours or sings live but concentrates on recording her albums just the ways she wants to.

I continue buying her records and am never really disappointed.  In fact of late her songs seem to be even better.  And she has one of those voices that draw you in and it seems she is singing just for you.  I must admit that it does help that she is incredibly beautiful too.  One of my all-time favourites.

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