We recently connected with Emily Hope and have shared our conversation below.
Emily , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
Growing up, I was a shy pre-teen who secretly loved to sing and write songs. Eventually, I felt led by God to take a step of faith, face my fear, and sing in front of people for the first time. So (even as frightened as I was) I went for it and sang a Taylor Swift song in my 8th-grade talent show back in 2009. I received a standing ovation, countless compliments, and even a word of encouragement from my principal, which really helped solidify the belief that I was actually good at this music stuff. 🙂 It was at this moment that I decided to pursue this dream.
Emily , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
After entering my college years in 2013, I picked up ukulele and guitar so I could begin accompanying myself. 2016 (my junior year of college) was when I started being asked to perform at a variety of coffee shops, restaurants, bars, community events, weddings, music festivals, etc. across the Midwest.
Between 2016 and 2020, I had the opportunity to open for famous artists, including country star, Eric Paslay (2016), Christian rock band, Stars Go Dim (2018), Christian duo, Love & The Outcome (2018), and singer-songwriter/mandolin prodigy, Sierra Hull (2020). These were definitely my proudest moments as a musician!
In 2017, I changed my stage name to “Emily Hope” (Hope is my middle name) and released a folksy/pop, 5-song, self-titled EP. Since then, I’ve released 7 singles that could be categorized within the indie pop, folk, and country genres, “Father’s Song,” “Lovely Thoughts,” “Can’t,” “Better,” “Got It From My Mama,” “Anyway,” and “Rearview.”
“Since then, I’ve released 7 singles that could be categorized within the indie pop, folk, and country genres, “Father’s Song,” “Lovely Thoughts,” “Can’t,” “Better,” “Got It From My Mama,” “Anyway,” “Rearview,” and “Notice.” And in 2022, I released a Christmas EP entitled “Hopeful Holidays.”
In 2020, one of my dreams became a reality when I started a four-piece band (Shawn Reischauer on bass/keys, Alec Troemel on electric guitar/keys, & Will Alexander on drums). Although it was fairly short-lived, it was one of the best musical experiences in my career thus far. We played shows up until July 2021, when I moved to Nashville, TN, after my husband (who I married in June 2021) got a job offer he just couldn’t pass up.
Since then, I’ve played occasional shows in the Nashville area and am working on recording more original songs to share with the world. Although I have not been able to do music full-time yet, I hope to do so in the near future!
Although my music taste spans multiple genres, my music is mainly inspired by a variety of pop, country, and folk influences. I believe wholeheartedly in music’s power to inspire, encourage, and enact change. Above all, I value music with a positive, hopeful message and strive to write songs that people can relate to.
I offer a variety of musical services, including live performances for various events, wedding music, and personalized songwriting (I write songs as gifts for people to give their loved ones).
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a singer-songwriter is when someone tells me that my song made a positive impact on them. Whether it helped them through a difficult time in their life, made them smile, or inspired them in some other way, it’s an incredible feeling knowing that I was part of that. I believe music is incredibly powerful and I want to use it to be a positive influence on my listeners.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I think a lot of people don’t understand that being a musician or creative is hard work. It’s truly a profession, whether or not you do it full-time as a big-name artist. In my experience as a part-time independent performer, it seems that many people think music is just a hobby. I think if more people really understood how much work it takes (preparing setlists, practicing, traveling, setting up equipment, performing, etc.), they’d be more willing to pay a better rate for gigs and have a stronger appreciation for musicians as a whole.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emilyhopemusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyhopestosing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilyhopemusic1995
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/emhopestosing
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/EMiLyHoPe1995
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4MZJ8zjxHMEtrGdghg6KnN https://music.apple.com/us/artist/emily-hope/1400912319 https://music.amazon.com/artists/B07B6GSHBM/emily-hope?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US
Image Credits
Erin B Jeremy Bassett Monica Zoss Nic Gundy Sheryl Clark