Hope Tala is prepared to bear her soul. Now, before the release of her long-awaited debut album, Hope Handwritten, on February 28, she shares “Phoenix,” her latest glimpse into her most vulnerable era to date.
In its spare yet deeply emotive sonic palette, “Phoenix” is centered on the bucolic plucking of an acoustic guitar, with a hauntingly beautiful violin filling out its layers of warmth and depth. But at its heart, Hope’s soft, melodic, and effortlessly intimate voice drives “Phoenix” to great heights. Laced with traces of her British accent, she sings a message of resilience that reminds her and you to bend but not break.
The strength of “Phoenix” lies in its simplicity. “Don’t break, just bend,” she pleads, an accusation that recalls Pink’s “Just Give Me A Reason,” but while “Phoenix” dealt in romantic disassembly, “Phoenix” zeroes in on something much broader our tumultuous relationship with life itself. It’s an anthem for anyone who’s felt overwhelmed, a gentle shove to take a breath, let go of the world's weight, and keep going.
As “Phoenix” builds quietly to a climax, Hope drops a vital reminder in hard times “Take a breath in and let yourself shout.” In a world that does not often come to a halt, these words are like a lifeline, an invitation to stop, feel, and lean on those we love.
With "Hope Handwritten," Hope Tala is giving us something that feels entirely personal, and “Phoenix” is the evidence that what she’s putting out there is something we’ll take with us well after “Phoenix” has faded.