Hope Tala  - Hope Handwritten

Hope Tala first made her name blending R&B with neo soul and a sprinkle of bossa nova, and her debut full-length ‘Hope Handwritten’ delivers more of the same. Across its 16 tracks, Hope takes listeners on a journey as she uses her songs to explore themes of love, heartache, and, well, hope. Bossa nova inspired opener ‘Growing Pains’ takes on the passage of time and personal growth within it, while ‘Lights Camera Action’, with its upbeat R&B and groovy bassline, questions what’s truly essential for a good time. Then there’s the summery ‘Thank Goodness’, on which Hope expresses her gratitude for “dodging a bullet” after the end of a romantic entanglement - a relatable track about trusting your gut when it comes to matters of the heart. Another highlight comes with ‘Breaking Isn’t What a Heart Is For’, in which Hope’s voice takes on a breathy quality as she sighs: “I knew it might get messy / When we both felt so intensely”. Full of heart and introspective, candid lyricism, ‘Hope Handwritten’ is an overall uplifting offering, an ode to navigating the joys and messiness of falling in and out of love, and finding one’s inner strength through the chaos.