Multi-million-selling rock duo T’Pau make their long-awaited return with Be Wonderful, their first album of original material in 11 years, released April 10th 2026 on LP, CD and digital formats. The album follows 2015’s Pleasure and Pain and is led by the new single Read My Lips, released March 20th.
The release will be supported by a major UK headline tour throughout April 2026, including a highly anticipated stop at Liverpool’s Hangar 34 on April 24th — a particularly meaningful date for frontwoman Carol Decker, who was born in the city.
Rising to global prominence in the late ’80s, T’Pau achieved huge commercial success with hits including China in Your Hand — which spent five weeks at UK No.1 in 1987 — and Heart and Soul, a transatlantic hit that reached the Top 5 in both the UK and US. Their debut album Bridge of Spies went quadruple platinum, selling over 1.2 million copies in the UK alone, while follow-up albums Rage and The Promise continued their run of chart success.
After initially splitting in 1991, Carol Decker and Ronnie Rogers reunited the band in 2013, becoming a staple of the live circuit ever since, with appearances at major festivals across the UK and Europe. Now, with Be Wonderful, they return not just as a touring force — but with a fresh creative statement.
It’s been over a decade since the last T’Pau album. Why now?
I just hadn’t felt very motivated to write for quite a long time. I started a different chapter of my life — I got married, had a family, and naturally, my focus shifted. At the same time, the ’80s live circuit really took off again, and I’ve been constantly out performing ever since, which I absolutely love.
I would still have ideas here and there — I’d record little snippets on my phone — and Ronnie is always writing, always being creative. But it wasn’t until recently, with the kids now in their twenties, that I finally had the time and headspace to really commit to it. Once I did, everything flowed — and before long, we had an album.
Tell us about the new single, “Read My Lips.” What’s the message within? Is it from a personal experience?
It’s very much about pushing back and doing what feels right for you. There’s so much noise now — everyone has an opinion, especially online — and not all of it is kind. I’ve had people criticise everything from my appearance to my music to my opinions.
But the song is really about overcoming that self-doubt. You can’t let those voices define you. I always joke that I’m still waiting to feel wise, but in the meantime you just have to keep going — dust yourself off, stand up again, and keep your foot on the gas. It’s about resilience as much as anything.
How was the recording process for Be Wonderful?
We recorded it at Ronnie’s studio in Monmouth, in South Wales, and we handled everything ourselves. That meant total creative control — writing, recording, producing — all of it.
It actually reminded me a lot of the early days. Back in the late ’80s we had a big label and big budgets, but now it’s very different. Doing everything in-house forces you to be more inventive, more resourceful — and in a way, that brings out the best creativity. It felt very honest.
The album artwork is quite personal, isn’t it, a reflection on the past?
It really is. It’s a photo of me when I was about ten years old, taken by my late uncle in the late ’60s. I love that I’m clearly posing for it — it’s not just a candid snap. There’s a confidence there, but also a bit of curiosity… like I’m slightly distracted, thinking about something else.
If I could go back and talk to that little girl, I think I’d just reassure her — tell her everything’s going to be okay. ‘It’ll be wonderful… just relax.’ That sentiment really ties into the album as a whole.
After so many years, does releasing new music feel different now?
It does feel different — and if I’m honest, a bit nerve-racking. We’re incredibly lucky that people still come out to hear us play the classic songs, and that’s something I never take for granted. But putting out new material is a different kind of vulnerability.
The music industry is tougher than ever now, and I haven’t really put myself out there in this way for a while. So there’s definitely a mixture of nerves, hope and excitement. But ultimately, you have to be brave and just go for it.
You’ve had huge success over the years. Do live shows still feel special?
They really do. There’s nothing quite like it. When you hear thousands of people singing China in Your Hand back at you, it’s incredibly emotional. Those songs become part of people’s lives — their memories, their relationships.
That connection never gets old. Every audience is different, every night has its own energy, and that’s what keeps it exciting.
You’ve got a big Liverpool date coming up. What does that mean to you?
It means a great deal. Liverpool is where I was born, and that identity stays with you. My family are proper Scousers, and there’s a certain humour and strength that comes from that.
I haven’t done a full Liverpool show under my own name in quite a long time, so coming back now with new music feels really special. It’s a bit like coming home — there’s something very full-circle about it.
And we have to ask — the famous chart story…
(Carol laughs) It still feels surreal. But yes — I kept two Beatles at No.2. George Harrison and Paul McCartney, both stuck behind us at the same time.
At the time, everything was happening so fast you don’t fully take it in. But looking back, it’s quite an extraordinary moment to have been part of — and not something many people can say!
The Return of T’Pau
With a legacy built on era-defining hits and a powerful live reputation, T’Pau return with Be Wonderful not simply as a nostalgia act, but as a band with something new to say — and the confidence to say it loudly.
Tour & Release Info
Album: Be Wonderful — out April 10th 2026
Single: “Read My Lips” — out now
UK Tour Highlights:
Now to celebrate the release of their new album, T’Pau are very pleased to confirm a new UK headline tour for April 2026. Tickets for the following T’Pau ‘Be Wonderful’ UK Tour 2026 dates are on-sale here
April 10 Leeds City Varieties Music Hall
April 11 Basingstoke Haymarket Theatre
April 12 London Bush Hall
April 17 Holmfirth Picturedrome
April 18 Sunderland – The Fire Station
April 19 Glasgow Òran Mór
April 21 Chelmsford Theatre
April 23 Shrewsbury Theatre Severn
April 24 Liverpool Hangar 34
April 25 Sale Waterside Arts Centre
April 29 Milton Keynes – The Stables
Main Photo Credit: Carol Decker (T’Pau) © Richard Pinches 2026
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