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Tamara Schlesinger has been making music for nearly 20 years, first as the leader of the acclaimed alt-folk collective 6 Day Riot and since 2014 as an artist under the name MALKA, releasing three brilliant solo records which garnered praise from BBC 6 Music and numerous respected magazines and blogs, and and its music being featured on Hollywood blockbusters and TV series such as 127 Hours, Scream IV and Skins, and across MTV and Netflix. MALKA has also featured on the lineups of festivals such as Bestival, Glastonbury and Green Man.

 

2023 saw the return of her solo project with an astonishing synth-based album - Anatomy of Sight - following a gap of over three years since her last MALKA record I’m Not Your Soldier. During her recording hiatus, she launched Hen Hoose, a groundbreaking female and non-binary songwriting and production collective that was shortlisted for the SAY Award. Recognised for her commitment to gender equality, Tamara was named one of Scotland’s key cultural figures by The List in 2024.

 

As MALKA she has gone on to release numerous collaborations over the last few year and further solo tracks which have all garnered huge support at BBC 6music.

 

The Hen Hoose project was, arguably, the catalyst for the change in direction of MALKA’s music. The idea behind Hen Hoose was to highlight the talented pool of songwriters in Scotland (and now beyond thanks to funding from John Lennon Foundation) and to upskill the writers to become more confident to produce their own music, and for producers to become more confident to mix themselves and others. However, Schlesinger also discovered that this gave her a boost in her own confidence in terms of production and music-making, and it led her to the conclusion that she could make music and that she could write, play and produce it all on her own.

 

In addition to her solo career, Tamara continues her work as the CEO of Hen Hoose where she regularly hosts panels, events, worksops and mentors up and coming artists. She also composes music for TV adverts and films, collaborating with advertising agencies and film directors to create bespoke soundtracks.

 

Schlesinger continues to perform live and release new music under MALKA, building on her reputation as a visionary artist and advocate for gender equality in the music industry.