Growing up in South London as part of a British + South Asian family has given Tara Lily a unique perspective on music and global culture. She has spent her life absorbing a multitude of sounds and genres from her surroundings, ranging from jazz, electronica + dance, RnB + Indian Soundscape. 

It was this intriguing blend of sounds and her deep understanding of the worlds they come from which caught the attention of the likes of Virgil Abloh, Gilles Peterson, Iggy Pop, Jamie Cullum and Motown Records UK, who signed Tara as their first British artist.

Tara is a musical anomaly. South London, British-Bengali musician Tara Lily’s debut album, ‘Speak In The Dark’, is a record about “things that go unsaid-secrets, desires and our connection to our ancestors. Transgressing jazz, electronica, trip-hop, and alternative R&B with Indian soundscape. ‘Speak In The Dark’ is an artistic representation of Tara’s emotional highs and lows with ADHD.

A formidable talent who celebrates strength and power in her music, 2024 marks the start of this new chapter for the rising star.

“Authenticity personified!” – Ezra Collective (Femi Koleoso) 

“Tara makes something glow in the darkness” – King Krule 

“She’s something else” – Iggy Pop |

“Spellbinding” – The Guardian (Tara Joshi) 

“Beautiful, melancholic…”  – Jamie Cullum

 ‘“Powerful…’’ – NME

“Incredible…I fucking adore it!” – RAYE

“Amazing voice, excited to see what she does next” – Virgil Abloh

“Soulful and heartfelt” – Jack Saunders (BBC Radio 1)

“One to watch, newly signed to Tru Thoughts” – Jamz Supernova (BBC Radio 6)

“Each song takes you on a journey” – Talvin Singh 

South London, British-Bengali musician Tara Lily presents her debut album, ‘Speak In The Dark’, a record about “speaking your truth – things that go unsaid—secrets and desires”. Transgressing jazz, electronica, trip-hop, and alternative R&B with Indian soundscape ‘Speak In The Dark’ is an artistic representation of Tara’s emotional highs and lows with ADHD. 

“I was diagnosed with ADHD at 15 when I was expelled from school. I often feel like every day is an emotional rollercoaster. This album is a representation of that. It’s a journey of high-energy, intense songs and deep, slow, mournful ballads”, Tara explains. 

The album, produced by Dom Valentino, includes collaborations with American jazz trumpeter Theo Croker and UK-Bengali lyricist Surya Sen. It also features a stellar lineup of guest musicians, including saxophonist Jazz Lee, Indian classical virtuoso Akash Parekah, Mei Kirby, and additional instrumentation from Archy Marshall.

‘Speak In The Dark’ is a true body of work, meandering through sonic landscapes and deep visceral storytelling. Often recorded in the nocturnal hours by wavey-improv-jams, the LP is also inspired by Tara’s travels through Asia and her journey of reconnecting to her roots in India: “from the wild nightlife of Mumbai to the stillness of nature in Goa” The whispery titular track is about speaking our truths; “things we say or don’t, secrets we keep and the foreboding of what is to come in the future”, Tara divulges. 

The video for title song “Speak in the Dark” was directed and produced by Aron Randhawa. Speaking on the video, director Aron Randhawa states: “The song beautifully expresses how dark energy comes from the thoughts and feelings we don’t speak or share. I wanted to create a world that merges elements of nature, darkness and surrealism… visually representing Tara’s unique fusion of traditional jazz and electronic music, as well as how this darkness can come to overpower us.”

The album is bookended by ‘Drone Speaks In The Dark’, the introduction to the record that mirrors the beginning of life itself. Ancient drones are synchronised to Tara’s vocals and keys, as feet stamping – symbolic of our walk through life – are heard throughout. “Untold”, the longest track on the LP that closes the album is a song about death and destruction while imagining life after death. “The very end features a secret code, all of the songs backwards with my footsteps walking into the next realm”, Tara adds.