"The Cappuccino Songs" is the sixth studio album by British singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram, released in 1998 by the label Mother.
In 1996, Tanita Tikaram left her long-time label WEA and took a break from music to explore other interests, including art and travel. When she returned to music, she signed with a new label, Mother Records, and sought to reinvent her sound and image. For her sixth studio album, The Cappuccino Songs, Tikaram collaborated with Italian musician Marco Sabiu, who produced the album and co-wrote seven tracks. Their previous collaboration included Tikaram’s version of "And I Think of You - E penso a te" for The Best of Tanita Tikaram.
The album features a poppier, more electronic sound compared to her earlier folk-rock releases. Tikaram appreciated Sabiu's approach, noting his blend of serious musicianship with a great sense of humor, which made the recording process enjoyable. The album includes a cover of ABBA's "The Day Before You Came," described by Tikaram as "a bit spooky, a bit weird, almost electro," and samples Finnish folk band Värttinä’s "Seelinnikoi" in "I Don't Want to Lose at Love."
Although Tikaram has referred to The Cappuccino Songs as her "poppiest album," she has expressed ambivalence about it, feeling some tracks were well-written but lacked personal connection. Despite this, she appreciates the album's European influence, variety, and Sabiu's arrangements.
