T’Pau are set to return this spring with Be Wonderful, their first album of original material in more than a decade.
The record arrives April 10 and is available to pre-order now on LP and CD, with lead single Read My Lips landing on March 20. The band will mark the release with an extensive UK headline tour throughout April.
The chart-topping duo — Carol Decker and Ronnie Rogers — became one of the defining acts of the late ’80s thanks to global hits including China In Your Hand, which spent five weeks at No.1 in the UK, and Heart and Soul, a Top 5 single in both the UK and US. Their debut album, Bridge of Spies, went quadruple platinum, followed by further Top 10 success with Rage and The Promise.
After splitting in 1991, Decker and Rogers reunited in 2013 and have remained a fixture on the live circuit ever since, appearing at major festivals such as Isle of Wight, Rewind, Let’s Rock and Night of the Proms.
Reflecting on the long break between studio albums, Decker said she “hadn’t felt very motivated to write for the longest time,” having focused on family life, besides the ’80s nostalgia scene having kept the band busy on the road. With her children now grown, she finally found the “time and head space” to complete a new record with Rogers at his Monmouth studio, where the pair handled all recording and production themselves.
Read My Lips leans into the band’s signature mix of driving guitars, big drums and Decker’s unmistakable vocals, paired with lyrics centred on self-empowerment.
She said: “There’s so much noise out there. The song is about pushing back, overcoming self-doubt and doing what feels right for you.”
The album cover features a childhood photo of Decker taken by her late uncle, adding a personal touch to the project’s reflective tone. And while she’s excited to share new music, she admits to some nerves about stepping back into the spotlight.
She confessed: “It’s nerve-racking to put out new music, especially as the business is tougher than ever. I’m feeling a mixture of nerves, hope and excitement.”
