'Birthday Cake' is a glorious taste of what's to come on TMR-favourite TĀLĀ's upcoming debut album. Out on TĀLĀ's own label The Duchess Records, this latest offering treats us to another of her now-signature dark and sultry alt-RnB moments of female empowerment.

As a female producer, songwriter and artist, being liberated and being comfortable with her sexuality is something that's extremely important to TĀLĀ - “To me [Birthday Cake] was the female’s response to Lil Wayne’s ‘Lollipop’. There are still so many songs that objectify women heavily. From an early age we are told that it's most important to be sexy and stay young and beautiful. It’s a common theme, women as sexual objects”. Birthday Cake wonderfully flips the status quo, passing the power back to women.

The video serves to heighten the powerful sensuality of the track, creating a feeling of intrigue, tension and unease. It explores the relationship between food and sex, whilst purposefully avoiding the cliché connotations all-too-often associated with female leads in RnB videos. TĀLĀ and her team (including Creative Director Carolina Mizrahi, and Movement Director Mikey Boats) expertly use image and choreography to ensure her commanding presence as a female lead, fully in control. Combined with cake-layer-like textures and a strikingly simple colour palette, it's a feast for the eyes and ears.

TĀLĀ's debut album 'Libertine' is due out in April this year. Mark your diaries, don't miss the party at TĀLĀ's palace. - Julz Baldwin