Katie White and her life partner, Jules De Martino – the renowned duo known as ‘The Ting Tings’ – now cherish catching falling papayas in their Ibiza garden just as much as they once prized landing UK chart hits. Their breakout single, “That’s Not My Name,” sold over a million copies and hit No. 1 in 2008, boosted globally by its feature in Apple’s iconic mid-2000s iPod commercial.
Seventeen years on from that defining moment – and after countless pivotal points in their career – Katie and Jules have discovered something far more powerful than chart success: a personal space on the island that forms the heart of their family life and creative expression, reshaping both their music and their world.
Seated in their home studio, a world away from the Manchester artist scene where their paths first crossed, the couple radiate a grounded contentment – earned through years of hard graft and thoughtful reflection. Ready to share their story, Katie recalls, “We first came here to perform at Ibiza Rocks around 2009. But it was two years later, when we returned to rehearse at Sonic Vista, that we knew straight away this would be our forever home.”
Their journey to this point in 2009 had been anything but typical. After the whirlwind success of their debut, We Started Nothing, which went double platinum and earned nominations for Brits, Ivors, MTV, and NME Awards – most artists would have doubled down on the usual markers of fame: bigger venues, bigger budgets, bigger everything. But the duo, perhaps stirred by the quiet magic of Ibiza, began rejecting the intensity of acclaim. Instead, they leaned into vulnerability over validation, choosing adventure over approval, carving out a path entirely their own.
“We bought this little teardrop trailer,” Jules says with a nostalgic grin. “The dream was to drive up the American coast, calling venues and saying, ‘Hey, we’ll be in town next week – want us to play a show?’ Our agent had other ideas, mapping out polished tours in 5,000-seat venues. But we turned it down in favour of raw, unfiltered nights in unpretentious bars and modest pop-ups – playing to curious crowds who had no idea what was coming.”
This pattern of choosing authenticity over expectation came to define both their true selves and their career direction. After the trailer came a boat, inspired by YouTube adventurers Sailing La Vagabond. “We kept it up until after Meadow, our daughter, was born,” Katie laughs, “but early motherhood living on water wasn’t quite the dream I’d signed up for!”
When Meadow was just eleven weeks old, they finally packed up and moved to Ibiza – the place they’d long known would one day be home. They settled into a tired old house tucked away in the island’s interior, not far from Jules’s Spanish family roots. What they found wasn’t just a new base, but something they’d been chasing across continents: space to just be, and to live entirely free. “Ibiza is super laid back, a bit bohemian, easy breezy,” Katie describes. “You can be whatever version of yourself you want to be here. It’s got all sorts!”
Now, the island’s creative pulse beats through their latest album, Home – their first in seven years. Far from the all-night clubs and electronic scene that shape Ibiza’s global reputation, Katie and Jules found inspiration in something unexpected: the soft rock sounds of late-’70s icons like Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits, The Carpenters, and The Eagles. “We hear this kind of music a lot here,” Jules says. “It’s got a laid-back feel – a bit like California. That road trip energy guided our sound.”
The album’s origin story feels like a quiet rebellion of doing things their way. “We just didn’t know if we’d ever tour as The Ting Tings again after having Meadow,” Katie explains. “But we weren’t writing for anyone else – just for the joy of it.”
The couple recently ticked off a long-held dream by playing at Can Jordi Blues Station, a dusty, no-frills bar tucked away in San Josep. “We wanted to play there from the moment we arrived,” Katie says with a smile. “Performing on the porch at sunset was raw and intimate – exactly what we needed. But honestly, we’re itching to hit festivals next summer – these songs were made for that stage.”
Their idea of success has shifted since their early chart-topping days. “The real win is making it to our fifth album, embracing family, and building a life that’s healthy and sustainable,” Jules reflects. “Most artists burn out after years on the promo and touring treadmill. It’s not a normal way to live. We’ve kept each other grounded.”
Looking ahead, they’re committed to the slow burn they’ve carved out. “We’re fully independent now, so with the album out, the real work begins – growing it steadily and finding the right audience,” Katie explains. “We’ve learned one thing: when the songs come, you keep writing.”
One thing is clear: The Ting Tings aren’t here to chase old successes or follow trends. They’ve taken a different route – one defined by steady growth and quiet confidence. In a scene fixated on comebacks and reinvention, they’ve chosen simply to evolve on their own terms. They’re not trying to reclaim the past; they’re building something new, shaped by freedom. Living on an island that demands the same, they’ve learned that the best work comes without pressure – it just happens.
