Hope Horner

Hope has been writing music for over 15 years. Her music is passionate, thought-provoking and melodic. Her deep, alto voice is simple and emotional, tinged with a haunting sadness that is able to poignantly convey the passion of issues like rejection, redemption, longing and loneliness. Her lyrics are usually direct - with a "cut you to the soul" vulnerability, but at times they can also be metaphorical - infusing common themes with fresh, vivid, poetic images. Hope writes her own music and lyrics and plays Martin and Parkwood acoustic guitars. She is currently working on her album, "Shadow of Me" and hopes to release it in Fall 2009. Many thanks to Andy Scott for his input, assistance, & technical expertise with the album. Visit his page at myspace.com/fireathighsea
Produced by Freakflag Studios, Santa Clarita, CA. Visit www.freakflagstudios.com

A few questions for Hope...
Why is music such an important part of your life?
"Music is one of my life's greatest joys - it is not just a hobby. There is no such thing as background music, atleast for me. With me, music is always in the foreground. When it comes on, no matter where I am, my ears perk up and I sing along. When I write it or sing it or play it - I am lost in it - it's therapeutic, calming, and exciting all at the same time. I truly cannot imagine life without it."

What inspires you to write music?
"My songs are about issues that affect me, feelings that haunt me, and people who inspire and perplex me. Each song on Shadow of Me represents my state of mind at a certain point in time. It may have been over 10 years ago, but at some point, I was feeling that way and needing to express it."

Why is your album called "Shadow of Me"?
"My album is titled "Shadow of Me" for two reasons. One, I have a song by that name on the album and also because I think it is a great metaphor for what this album represents. Just as a shadow is not the full picture of someone, this album is just a shadow of me...in other words, it is just one side of me and it tends to be a darker, less upbeat side. Each song is just a reflection of how I was feeling at the time, but does not give the full picture of who I was then, where I am now, or who I am striving to be. Most people know me as an very positive, upbeat and happy person - and I am. Maybe one of the reasons why I am so optimistic is because I use my music as a way to "get out" my anger, frustration and hurt. This album is jam packed with those types of issues, so it is called 'shadow' for that reason. In other words, it is not all of me on display here, just a shadow."

What type of music will be on the album?
"The music will be a mixture of folk, rock, pop, and country. I am a songwriter first and foremost, not a seasoned performer or entertainer so I don't really feel the need to stick to a particular style. Sometimes I will challenge myself to write a country or R&B song just to see if I can, but for the most part, I just write it as it comes. This particular album has a variety of sounds and genres."

Bottom line? Thought-provoking lyrics, melodic instrumentation, and Hope's alto voice all work together to make this a musical journey worth taking.