Tanita Tikaram
- Born
- Aug 12, 1969age 56
- nationality
- British
Biography
About Tanita Tikaram
Tanita Tikaram made her name as a British singer-songwriter with a debut that few artists ever match. Ancient Heart, released in September 1988 when she was 19, sold around four million copies worldwide. Its first two singles, "Good Tradition" and "Twist in My Sobriety," became top 10 hits across Europe. In 1989, both the single "Twist in My Sobriety" and Tikaram herself were nominated at the Brit Awards, for Best British Single and Best Female Artist respectively.
Her time with WEA saw a string of albums: The Sweet Keeper (1990), Everybody's Angel (1991), and Eleven Kinds of Loneliness (1992). Each sold fewer than the last, and Eleven Kinds of Loneliness, her first fully self-produced album, did not chart at all. She took a break from music and moved to San Francisco, then returned in 1995 with Lovers in the City. That album earned better reviews and improved sales, but it was her final studio release for WEA; her contract ended in 1996 with The Best of Tanita Tikaram compilation.
She signed to Mother Records for The Cappuccino Songs in 1998. Then came several years away from the industry, followed by a reappearance in 2005 with Sentimental on a French label. Can't Go Back arrived in 2012 after a seven-year gap, and she continued touring the UK and Europe after 2013. On 11 March 2016, she released Closer to the People. The single "Glass Love Train" came out on 22 January 2016, following a December 2015 video for "Food On My Table," which she stressed was not the album's first single. In September 2021, she performed as a special guest at Glastonbury Festival's Abbey Extravaganza. Born in Münster, Germany, and of mixed-race (primarily Asian) ethnicity, she is British and identifies as lesbian. She has black hair and brown eyes. She is 56 years old.
Record
Profile details
Personal
- Birthplace
- Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Ethnicity
- Mixed-race (primarily Asian)
- Sexuality
- Lesbian
Body
- Hair Color
- Black
- Eye Color
- Brown
Extra
- Instagram Followers
- 24k (as of May 2026)
Frequently asked
How did Tanita Tikaram start her career at such a young age?
Tikaram released her debut album Ancient Heart in September 1988 when she was just 19 years old. The album was produced by Rod Argent and Peter Van Hooke and became a massive commercial success, selling around four million copies worldwide.
What was notable about the album Eleven Kinds of Loneliness?
Released in 1992, Eleven Kinds of Loneliness was the first album Tikaram fully produced herself. Despite this milestone, it did not chart at all, and it marked the end of her commercial peak with WEA.
Why did Tikaram take a break from music in the mid-1990s?
Following the declining sales of her early 1990s albums, Tikaram took a break from the music industry and moved to San Francisco. She returned in 1995 with Lovers in the City, which received better reviews and improved sales compared to her recent releases.
How long was her hiatus before releasing Sentimental?
After releasing The Cappuccino Songs in 1998, Tikaram retired from music for several years and did not reappear until the 2005 album Sentimental, which came out on a French label. That hiatus lasted about seven years.
What preceded the release of Closer to the People?
In December 2015, Tikaram released a video for "Food On My Table," though she stated it was not the album's first single. The official first single, "Glass Love Train," was released on 22 January 2016, followed by the album Closer to the People on 11 March 2016.
When did Tikaram perform at Glastonbury Festival?
She performed as a special guest at Glastonbury Festival's Abbey Extravaganza in September 2021.
Did you know
- Tikaram's debut album Ancient Heart was produced by Rod Argent and Peter Van Hooke, and its first two singles both made the top 10 in Europe.
- In 1989, she received two Brit Award nominations: Best British Single for "Twist in My Sobriety" and Best Female Artist.
- Her 1992 album Eleven Kinds of Loneliness was her first fully self-produced work, yet it failed to chart.
- After leaving WEA in 1996, she returned with The Cappuccino Songs on Mother Records in 1998.
- She took a break from the industry after The Cappuccino Songs, reappearing in 2005 with Sentimental on a French label.
- In December 2015, she released a video for "Food On My Table," clarifying that it was not the first single from her 2016 album Closer to the People.
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