The Ting Tings

The duo known as the Ting Tings took their moniker from a Chinese acquaintance whose name sounded similar to the Mandarin word for "bandstand." This energetic, rhythm-focused pair—vocalist and guitarist Katie White alongside drummer Jules De Martino—came together in Manchester's Salford area during 2007.

Before establishing the band, White and De Martino collaborated in 2001; at that time White belonged to the all-female punk-pop outfit TKO, for which De Martino contributed songwriting. They later joined forces again, and alongside an additional companion, created the three-piece Eskimo Kiss that inked a deal with Mercury Records before splitting up, partly because of shifts in label staff.

After that, De Martino and White reconvened to develop material both for themselves and for other artists while based at Salford's The Islington Mill music collective. Soon after, the local indie imprint Switchflicker Records brought them on board, leading to the spring 2007 issuance of their first single, "That's Not My Name."

Subsequent to the limited-run single "Fruit Machine" produced exclusively for tour sales, Columbia Records signed the Ting Tings as a major label act toward the end of that year. Columbia issued "Great DJ," the B-side from the earlier Switchflicker release, as the group's initial single under the new label in March 2008, and followed it by re-releasing "That's Not My Name" paired with a fresh remix B-side.

In May 2008, "That's Not My Name" ascended to number one on the British singles chart just as the debut full-length We Started Nothing hit stores. Throughout the remainder of 2008 and much of 2009 the pair toured extensively behind the record, which went on to achieve multi-platinum status with over two million units sold globally, received the 2009 Ivor Novello Award for Best Album, and brought the Ting Tings a Best New Artist nomination at the Grammy Awards that December.

At the start of 2010 De Martino and White relocated to Berlin in order to craft songs intended for a follow-up album. The atmosphere and chilly climate of the city prompted them to pursue a moodier, synthesizer-driven approach on the new tracks.

Previewing their evolving sound, the Ting Tings introduced the track "Hands"—produced in a mix by Calvin Harris—via BBC Radio 1 in August 2010, with an official release coming in October. Following prolonged roadwork and more than eight months spent tracking in Germany along with Spain, the band delivered their second album Sounds from Nowheresville during March 2012; the collection drew from the spirited liberty exemplified by the Beastie Boys' landmark Paul's Boutique.

The third album Super Critical emerged two years afterward, featuring the single "Wrong Club" and reaching a position just beyond the top twenty on the U.K. indie albums chart. After maintaining a low profile for the subsequent four years, the group reappeared early in 2018. Their return single "Blacklight" dropped without warning that September, showcasing unexpected production touches rooted in drum'n'bass. The fourth studio album The Black Light arrived the following month.