After Dinner Speakers: Tanita Tikaram, David Lloyd, Selina Scott

b. 12 August 1969, Munster, Germany. Tikaram's intense lyrics brought her instant commercial success at the age of 19. She spent her early years in Germany where her Fijian-born father was serving with the British army. In 1982 the family moved to England, settling in Basingstoke, Hampshire. Tikaram began writing songs and in November 1987 played her first gig at London's Mean Fiddler, after sending a cassette of her songs to the venue. By the time of her fourth gig she was supporting Warren Zevon at the Hammersmith Odeon. Following an appearance on a local London television show, she was signed to Warner Brothers Records and recorded Ancient Heart in 1988. The producers were Rod Argent (ex-Zombies) and experienced session musician Peter Van Hooke. "Good Tradition" and "Twist In My Sobriety" were immediate hits in the UK and across Europe. The album was a huge success and Tikaram became a late 80s role model of late 60s bedsitter singer/songwriters. She spent most of 1989 on tour before releasing her second album which included "We Almost Got It Together" and "Thursday's Child". Although not as consistent as her debut it reached the same position in the UK album chart, number 3. Everybody's Angel, at Bearsville Studio in Woodstock, was co-produced with Van Hooke and Argent. Former Emerald Express violinist Helen O'Hara was among the backing musicians. "Only The Ones We Love" with harmony vocals by Jennifer Warnes was issued in 1991, and in the same year she made her second world tour. In 1992 the self-produced Eleven Kinds Of Loneliness was released to a muted reaction, and although her 1995 release had a much bigger publicity campaign it seemed that her highly commercial days were in the past. Following a three year sabbatical during which she acted and travelled, Tikaram returned with a different image and an atmospheric new album, The Cappuccino Songs.