Recording and performing career
She started her career in 2000. Throughout her twenties, she played in indie bands including Elia Drew and Tomoko, and focused on songwriting, as well as performing with members of the fledgling Fence Collective including work in the Skuobhie Dubh Orchestra with King Creosote, who recently supported her UK tour. She also lived with Gordon Anderson (The Beta Band and The Aliens), whom the song Funnyman, on the album Drastic Fantastic, is about. She toured with the Klezmer band Oi Va Voi, and guested on their album, Laughter Through Tears.
Music career
Eye to the Telescope (2004–2006)
Her debut album, Eye to the Telescope, was released in late 2004. Tunstall's style of music varies from folk to pop. In Edinburgh and St Andrews, she played in a band called Red Light Stylus, which was regarded as one of the better bands to emerge from the limited Fife scene.
Tunstall's first appearance of note was a solo performance of her famed blues song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland.[10] The performance was notable as she had only 24 hours to prepare after scheduled performer Nas cancelled. Her performance caught the eye of many viewers, although she had previously performed it on French television only some weeks before, upstaging more established acts such as The Cure, Embrace, and The Futureheads; she then went on to top the post-show poll on the website for that episode.
Shortly after the "Later" appearance, Eye to the Telescope was re-released and shot up the UK charts, eventually peaking at #3 (on its first release it had entered at #73); it was nominated for the 2005 Mercury Music Prize. It was released in the U.S. on 7 February 2006.
Tunstall's North American break came when American Idol contestant Katharine McPhee contacted her asking to use "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" as her choice for a Billboard-themed week. At the time, the song was #79 on the Billboard charts. Tunstall had not been shy with her opinions regarding shows like Idol saying "The major problem I have is that it's completely controlled... they're told what to say. They're told how to sing." She chose to license the song as she felt that "no one on that show told Katharine McPhee to sing my song because no one knew it" Tunstall's belief was correct—the song was suggested to McPhee by Billboard columnist and author Fred Bronson. The song immediately jumped to #23 on the Billboard charts the week following McPhee's performance. She has later said "My status as a musician in America is pretty much cemented by Katharine McPhee, which is really interesting and funny for me because I've never been polite about how I feel about shows like that."
KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza (2006–2007)
Tunstall released a new acoustic album in May 2006, KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza, which was first only available via mail order from her website. The album was re-released in stores worldwide in October 2006.
Tunstall sang with Scottish band Travis on their 2007 album "The Boy With No Name", on the track "Under The Moonlight", a song written by Susie Hug (late of Katydids).
Drastic Fantastic (2007–2008)
Tunstall's third album, Drastic Fantastic, premiered on 3 September 2007 in Scotland, followed a week later on 10 September 2007 with the London release for the UK and 18 September 2007, in the US. In its first week, Drastic Fantastic reached #1 on the Scottish Album Charts, #3 on the UK Charts, and #9 on the U.S. Charts. The album's lead single "Hold On" was released in August 2007, debuting at #34 in the UK, before peaking at #21 in the United Kingdom. The song was also very successful in certain European nations peaking at #19 in Italy, #19 in Norway, #26 in Switzerland and #39 in Ireland. The album's second single "Saving My Face" was released in December 2007. The song did not make the UK Top 40 Singles Charts, but however did managed to peak at #50 on the UK Singles Charts, managing 3 weeks on the UK Charts. Despite missing the UK Top 40, the song made the Top 40 in Italy, making #23 and in Switzerland peaking at #93. The album's third single, and final worldwide single, "If Only" was released in March 2008, becoming the second single from the album not to make the UK Top 40, it managed #45 in audition.
On 5 October 2007 the U.S. discount department store chain Target, in association with NBC, released a special KT Tunstall Christmas EP on CD. Sounds of the Season: The KT Tunstall Holiday Collection contains six exclusive tracks:
* "2000 Miles"
* "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
* "Mele Kalikimaka (Christmas In Hawaii)"
* "Sleigh Ride"
* "Fairytale of New York"
* "Lonely This Christmas"
On 10 December 2007 it was released in Europe through Relentless Records as a digital download only, under the title Have Yourself A Very KT Christmas.
In 2008 KT Tunstall recorded a song for the album Songs for Survival, in support of the indigenous rights organization Survival International. In a video for Survival International, she speaks of music as being a force for good, and about what she has learned about tribal people on this project. She also discusses various issues concerning our culture of consumption and greed, our relation to the earth and the importance of indigenous rights in the world today.
Tunstall also worked with Suzanne Vega on her 2007 album Beauty & Crime, singing backup on songs "Zephyr and I" and "Frank and Ava". It was revealed in the booklet by Vega that the two had never met during the process of making the album.
Tiger Suit (2009-present)
On February 11, 2010 The Daily Record reported that, " 'KT TUNSTALL has recorded her new album in Berlin's famous Hansa studio. The studio, beside the site of the Berlin Wall, was used to make legendary albums including David Bowie's Heroes and U2's Achtung Baby. Kt said: "I had an amazing three weeks recording in Hansa in Berlin in January and am finishing it all off in London." The Scots singer, who has been quiet of late, reassured fans she has been busy. She added: "I am still very much alive and have every music-making limb and muscle working in my laboratory of fierce-new-album-ness." Before her album comes out, KT will be playing a stripped-down set at the Haiti fundraising gig at the Roundhouse in Camden on Thursday February 25. She hopes to jump up with her old pal Seasick Steve for a song or two. Kt added: "My shizzle will feature some new faces and definitely some new songs, so come and have a listen and chuck some dough at a good cause." '
According to her website, Tunstall has finished recording her third studio album. The album has been titled Tiger Suit.
Hopeless
KT Tunstall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody says it's just another decay
Of the soul But I know
I'm hopeless
Follower of anything to take me away
From this hole in the ground
I find it hopeless
Clinging to a feeling like a fish on a line
Hopeless
No more saying that there's no more time
I was trying far too hard
To be what I felt I should be
I was playing wild cards
Seeing things that weren't in front of me
Like a little tiger play fighting
I was hurting myself
Again, and again
Because I'm hopeless
Everybody says it's just another decay
Of the soul But I know
I'm hopeless
Follower of anything to take me away,
From this hole in the ground
I find it hopeless
Clinging to a feeling like a fish on a line
It's sublime to find it lately
Hopeless
No more saying that there's no more time
That there's no more time
Well,
I'm just discovering
I'm living in a different body
Got a little insight into
Everything that's happening to me
Like a little spider, I'm climbing the insurmountable
But I never hold myself accountable
No oooh
Because I'm hopeless
Everybody says I'm hopeless
But I got a bit of hopeless
In this
Oh and you could never bring me down
Even though I got solid ground
Oh because I love it so
And I think you should know
That I'm hopeless
Everybody says it's just another decay
Of the soul But I know
I'm hopeless
Follower of anything to take me away,
From this hole in the ground
I find it hopeless
Clinging to a feeling like a fish on a line
It's sublime to find it lately
Hopeless , hopeless, hopeless
No more saying that there's no more time
The lyrics of "Hopeless" by KT Tunstall explore the concept of feeling trapped in a rut and struggling to break free. The singer feels hopeless and stuck, searching for anything that can take them away from their current situation. They portray themselves as a follower, willing to cling to anything that may temporarily ease their pain.
The singer is aware that people are telling them that they are decaying, but they cannot help the way they feel. They see themselves as a little tiger play fighting, hurting themselves time and time again. However, in the last verse, they discover that they are living in a different body and can see what is happening to them. They are climbing the insurmountable like a little spider but never hold themselves accountable.
Overall, the song seems to be about recognizing that one's life is stuck, and feels hopeless. It's about trying to break free and find new ways to live – to climb the insurmountable – but knowing that it's a long and hard journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody says it's just another decay of the soul, But I know I'm hopeless
People around me say that feeling hopeless is just another sign of losing hope, but I am aware of the fact that I feel completely lost and without hope.
Follower of anything to take me away from this hole in the ground, I find it hopeless
I am willing to follow anyone or anything that can take me away from this current situation or state of mind, but I feel like it's a hopeless case.
Clinging to a feeling like a fish on a line, It's sublime to find it lately, Hopeless
I am holding onto a certain feeling or idea with all my might, but I realize it's a futile effort. However, I find it beautiful to experience this feeling lately, even if it's hopeless.
No more saying that there's no more time
I refuse to believe that it's too late for me to change or improve my situation. I still have time.
Well, I'm just discovering, I'm living in a different body, Got a little insight into everything that's happening to me
I am currently going through a transformative phase where I'm realizing and accepting my true self, which has given me an entirely new perspective on my life.
Like a little spider, I'm climbing the insurmountable, But I never hold myself accountable
I am trying to overcome obstacles that seem impossible to overcome, but I still have a tendency to blame external factors instead of taking responsibility for my own actions.
But I got a bit of hopeless in this, Oh and you could never bring me down, Even though I got solid ground, Oh because I love it so, And I think you should know
Despite feeling hopeless, it is a part of me that I can't escape from, and I won't let anyone bring me down because of it. Even though I may be in a stable position, I still feel this way because I love it, and I want others to understand that about me.
Hopeless, hopeless, hopeless, No more saying that there's no more time
I keep feeling lost and without hope, but I refuse to believe that it's too late for me to make a change or find my way out of this situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KATIE TUNSTALL, KT TUNSTALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind