KT Tunstall discusses the crippling illness that is threatening her career, fame loss, and finding unexpected love in the dog park as she approaches her 50th birthday.
KT Tunstall is going full steam ahead in her milestone 50th birthday year. Two decades on from her breakout debut album Eye To The Telescope, the Brit Award-winning singer-songwriter is embracing a whole new chapter.
Having written the songs for the new stage musical adaptation of Clueless , KT, who will hit the big 5-0 in June, has swapped pop tours for playbills, all while having found love and battling a debilitating illness. In an exclusive chat with OK! , the Suddenly I See singer opens up with us about her hearing loss and finding unexpected love – in a dog park…
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Hi, KT! How has life been lately? I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I moved to America about 10 years ago. I lived in LA for a while – first in Venice Beach, then Topanga – basically doing all the classic musician holy grails of where to live. But I’m just not a big city person. I love a smaller place, so we found Santa Fe in the mountains and moved a few years ago.
And we hear you’ve found love? Yes, my partner Chris and I met during lockdown. We both adopted dogs and met at the dog park. It was like something out of a John Hughes 80s movie. A love story! My rescue dog is called Mini, and his is Nova. Mini’s a miniature pinscher and has PTSD, she doesn’t play with other dogs. But that day, she started playing with Nova. I looked up, and there’s this 6ft 3in jiu-jitsu instructor and I thought, “Oh, hello!”
You’ve said you weren’t a natural pop star despite the fact that your debut album has been 20 years old. How come? Being a pop star was a complete failure. I’m great at touring and performing, but what about the shiny, hobnobbing side? I’m c**p at that.
You became famous almost overnight… Yes. I’m a bit of an introvert, a lot of artists are. When I first got big, I ended up pulling the “performer” lever, even in social situations. I’d have drinks after the show and was a bit of a party animal but I was actually pretty anxious. I had a lot of fun, but it was an unsustainable way to live. In my forties, I realised I was burning out.
What was your most surreal celebrity encounter from those early days? Definitely at the Q Awards. I turned up thinking I wasn’t going to win, had a few too many drinks, and then I won. I met Chris Martin, Noel Gallagher, Nick Cave… I went to the toilet and Björk was there, washing her hands. I introduced myself and said, “I just won Best Song,” she said, “I know… Who are you?” and I was like, “Björk, that’s too much of an existential question, I can’t answer that after a gin!”
Health-wise, you’re facing losing your hearing… About 15 years ago, I took a long-haul flight and went straight to a Spice Girls concert. I’m not blaming the Spice Girls, but I think it overloaded my nervous system. I woke up with ringing in my ear, like I’d gone underwater. I couldn’t hear the car indicator or a shower in another room. Then in 2018, I went deaf in my left ear overnight. It’s called sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). They don’t know why it happens. It was a huge shock.
I’m 97% deaf in that ear now and can’t use a hearing aid because it’s too far gone. But the worst part wasn’t the deafness, it was the vertigo. I lost my balance completely, for two or three months. That was really disabling. Thankfully it passed, and I can still write, record, perform – just in mono. I started seeing it as a message from the universe telling me to slow down, look after myself. I still tour, but I’m more careful now.
What impact has it had on your current attitude?
This year, I turn 50, and Eye To The Telescope is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It resembles the beginning of a new chapter. I pride myself on how old I am. I print “KT Tunstall 1975” on my merchandise because there aren’t many women in their fifties playing music in the UK. I want older women to know how empowered I am. In the first half of my career, I feel like I’m closing the door. I now have a new avenue in musical theater.
Did writing the songs for the musical Clueless transport you to your teen years?
Totally. Clueless is a classic. I didn’t grow up in a house of music. Mum and I didn’t listen to records but the first artist who made me want to do what she did was Kim Wilde. I was obsessed with Kids In America , and that’s on the Clueless soundtrack. So it became this crossover of wanting to be a rocker and loving this cult film.
What kind of a kid were you like?
a complete tomboy . I had a Grease party for my eleventh birthday. I dressed as Danny Zuko, and all of my friends dressed as Pink Ladies.
What comes next in this new chapter? Not knowing is a part of the joy. After 20 years as a solo artist, I’ve been a solo artist for a while; it’s wonderful to work in a team. Unreleased tracks I wrote at the time will be included in our upcoming September re-release of Eye To The Telescope. It resembles a time capsule. You might find some KT mugs in one day, so I also want to start making pottery!
The Trafalgar Theatre in London will host Clueless, The Musical until March 28th, 2026. Tickets purchased from cluelessonstage.com
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Source: Mirror
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