In the latest episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Carol Decker for a candid, funny and revealing conversation about T’Pau’s return with the new album Be Wonderful. You can watch the full video version on the XS Noize YouTube channel below.
Best known as the voice behind classic hits including “China In Your Hand” and “Heart and Soul”, Carol reflects on the long road back to making new music, the freedom and frustration of working independently, and the life experience that shaped this latest chapter.
T’Pau’s new album, Be Wonderful, is the band’s first album of original material since 2015’s Pleasure and Pain. In this episode, Carol talks about why the gap between records was so long, how family life and years on the 80s live circuit changed her creative rhythm, and what finally brought her back into the right headspace to write again with Ronnie Rogers.
The conversation also goes well beyond the new record. Carol looks back on the rise of T’Pau in the late ’80s, the success of Bridge of Spies, their breakthrough in America with “Heart and Soul”, and the darker meaning behind “China In Your Hand”. She also speaks openly about the difficult years after the band’s first chapter ended — a period marked by personal loss, heartbreak and uncertainty — and how she eventually found her way back.
It’s a warm, open and insightful conversation about songwriting, survival, reinvention, and what it means to keep going when life changes everything.
“When it all ended, it was awful… everything that could go wrong did go wrong.”
In this episode, Carol Decker talks about:
– The making of Be Wonderful
– Why it took so long for T’Pau to make another studio album
– Writing and recording again with Ronnie Rogers
– The difference between major label backing and doing everything in-house
– The stories behind “Read My Lips”, “Stupid Love Song” and “Casual Remark”
– The real meaning behind “China In Your Hand”
– T’Pau’s breakthrough in the UK and America
– The personal and professional fallout of the early ’90s
– The 80s revival and why those songs still connect today
Prefer audio? Stream the full episode below.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Podcasts | YouTube
Follow T’Pau HERE.
About The XS Noize Podcast
With more than 270 episodes, the XS Noize Podcast has become a trusted home for music’s legends, innovators, and trailblazers — a place where real conversations meet real stories.
Hosted by Mark Millar, the show has featured an extraordinary lineup including Courtney Taylor-Taylor, Scouting For Girls, The Twilight Sad, Steve Lillywhite, Paul Draper, Sleaford Mods, The Charlatans, Gary “Mani” Mounfield, Glen Matlock, Miles Kane, Matt Berninger, Saint Etienne, D:Ream, Gavin Rossdale, The Farm, Snow Patrol, John Lydon, Will Sergeant, Ocean Colour Scene, Gary Kemp, Doves, Gavin Friday, David Gray, Anton Newcombe, Peter Hook, Razorlight, Sananda Maitreya, James, Crowded House, Elbow, Cast, Kula Shaker, Shed Seven, Future Islands, Peter Frampton, Bernard Butler, Steven Wilson, Travis, New Order, The Killers, Tito Jackson, Simple Minds, The Divine Comedy, Shaun Ryder, Gary Numan, and Michael Head — among many more.
Explore the complete XS Noize Podcast archive.
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