[Album Review: Fight A New Day 7½/10] One of the hardest-working independent artists in the country, Shannon Hope would deserve a degree of success based purely on the hours she puts in. But Fight A New Day subtly improves on the winning formula established with debut collection Still, underlining that Hope is about far more than just graft. Her big, expressive voice – more than ever, the “new Lesley Rae Dowling” tag fits the bill – is given acres of room to move by Tim Rankin’s sensitive production. And Hope’s songwriting has stepped up to keep pace. 'The Waiting Room' and 'Believe' differ in tone and intent (the first is introspective; the second inspiring) but are both beautifully written and performed. 'Why I Bother' is a touch more complex in terms of its arrangement, the down-the-line pop of 'Being Brave' has the album’s biggest hook in its chorus and 'Love Knot' is The Cardigan’s come-back hit waiting to happen. Hope’s technical strengths are matched by the passion in her performances, and when she leans into a note she’s singing, it’s easy to picture the front row at a concert having to lean towards her to avoid being flattened by the power of her voice.

 

Trying to manage musicians is like herding cats. They are difficult by nature and their artistic temperament means they often struggle to focus on the practical aspects of life. Shannon Hope, for all her passionate energy, is not one of those musicians. She books her own gigs, drives herself around the country, does her own sound engineering at gigs, runs her own website and basically manages her own career. This solo pianist and singer is dramatic, fearless, even ferocious on stage as she performs her emotional music. Off stage she is sweet but determined. The reality is that when Shannon Hope performs, she commands your attention by her sheer talent and emotion. (Read the rest of the interview here.)

 

[Live Review: Catalina Theatre, Durban] A Shannon Hope performance often starts and ends with the (electric) piano. This is a particularly strong point for the artist, and my eyes are invariably drawn to the measured, firm, yet delicate touches she displays with this instrument. A lot of styles are thrown in there, but musical excellence is the one constant that drives her compositions along. The voice is powerful, very powerful, and Shannon’s not afraid to show it off, constantly stretching her range and launching into powerful wails/roars/soulful pleas (I’m curiously reminded of the famous primal scream, trauma based psychotherapy in which repressed pain is resolved through dramatically reliving experiences. . . anyway, I’m sure that’s a huge stretch, but there are snaps, snarls and even wistful laughs thrown into the vocal performance). This is often when the emotion and honesty really takes off in her music, and looking around the theatre on the night of the Durban launch there were a good few misty eyes hanging on every word, spoken or sang.

While Shannon Hope often performs as a solo artist (due to cost, logistical constraints or artistic preference), she does also perform with a band, on occasion, and has used a full band on her new album Fight A New Day. While a second album has the habit of being rather tricky, from an artistic and marketing perspective, the material is strong, strong enough to grab the attention for a one-hour show, and I’m pleased to declare that the new album has some really powerful tracks on it. The title number Fight A New Day, Believe, which has been announced as the main single off the album, and I Want You stood out, as did the curious, Lily Allen-esque Happy Song. Just be prepared for an emotional journey. Shannon’s songs, while not necessarily sad, do tend to hit you where you feel it the most.
 

[Live Review: The Fugard Studio, Cape Town] The inside of the theatre in which the performance took place was as breathtaking a backdrop for Shannon's hauntingly beautiful music as is possible. It was a combination of old and new, a steel lighting rig against bare masonry and tall, arched church windows. A solitary baby grand piano sat highly polished on its own centre stage. The lights dimmed and the anticipation was palpable. Without any fanfare Shannon sat down and launched into her stellar set. I have mentioned before - on many an occasion - that I consider her to be a cut (or several) above the rest - and in this spectacular setting she was even more glorious. As humble and self effacing as she was all evening, reminding the appreciative audience that this was a dream come true for her, the music soared and her distinctively divine vocal captivated everyone in that auditorium and transported them far away. I found myself both moved beyond myself, and moved to my own inner self, so poised and poignant and powerful was her performance. She treated us to a wide repertoire off both of her albums, ending with the single 'Believe' off the cd 'Fight A New Day', for which this was the launch. A rapturous, standing ovation was rewarded with an encore song and after an hour and a half performance, that was that.

But that wasn't that, I realised. Even as I left to go home, this particular performance - punctuated as it was with entertaining anecdotes and moments of incredible sadness and strength - was replaying itself over and over in my head. I remembered, and re-felt, things I had felt at particular moments in the show, shivers down my spine for a particular crashing crescendo or finding myself sitting there grinning like an idiot at a quirky comment or sly turn of phrase. All in all a magical night and congratulations Shannon - not only was it everything you dreamed it would be - it was everything I did too. Bravo!

 

[Live Review: Alma Cafe, Cape Town] Fresh from her acclaimed participation at the recent Grahamstown National Arts Festival, I once again had the rare pleasure of watching Shannon Hope perform her collection of incredible songs. This pint-sized pixie with the voice of a goddess and a truly magical musical ability put on another stellar show at the little known Alma Cafe in Rosebank, Cape Town. She is a solo performer, playing the piano and singing her way through a stunning repertoire of material which is heartfelt, hurt, honest and, erm, full of hope... Her songs soar as she manages to create crashing crescendos of serene power and sincere poise interwoven with moments of sublime subtlety and aching introspection. But it's not all solemn and serious, as she laces her set of beautifully written songs with moments of sly, quirky, even impish humour that complete and complement the entire poignant performance. The audience sat literally in rapture and was enthralled throughout this virtuoso performance - as engaging, enigmatic and enjoyable as you're likely to see.

 

[Live Review: Alma Cafe, Cape Town] Shannon Hope has resurrected a kind of musical romance, through her light, whimsical tunes and re-labeled it in her solo album "STILL". It's haunting, powerful and totally encapsulating, just like her performance and personality. Her music is an odyssey of battles against her heart, and wars with love, neither of which she easily surrenders to. With so many sincere accounts, she certainly exposes a very vulnerable side of herself, which might explain why - from the outside - this tough-as-nails chick dresses like an extra from "This is Spinal Tap". Her music could be the soundtrack to her own movie, as her musical style has very theatrical elements: short, sharp keys, followed by complex flourishes. She reference "quitting my job two years ago" as "the best decision I have ever made," and she has clearly made the most of her time away from a desk. Writing lyrics like "the smoke from my cigarette touches your face and I wish it was me" - this is imagery that even non-smokers can empathise. And just like the smoke from a cigarette, her sound lingers, leaving a small imprint on your soul for the evening."

 

[Live Review: National Arts Festival] Shannon Hope's understated, quirky style complements her energetic playing and rich, powerful voice. Hope's songs are intensely personal, with brave and honest lyrics about both what she has experienced and her hopes for the future. Instantly likeable, Hope captivates the audience with her accessible melodies and beguiling stage presence.

 

If you EVER get a chance to go and see a young lady known as Shannon Hope, do yourself the hugest of favours and just go. She is simply spectacular, a singer songwriter of rare talent, and one who I am sure will make very large waves. Her clever concoction of heartfelt melancholy laced with a healthy dose of quirky quips make for a thoroughly entertaining evening. Her virtuosity as an instrumentalist is breathtaking and her voice is descendant straight from the heavens, a strong and emotive vehicle for her obviously intelligent lyrics. Artists of this quality don't come along every day - do NOT miss out - check out the link. And trust me, I should know...

 

[Live Review: Aardklop Nasionale Kunstefees] EINDELIK HET ONS REDE TOT HOPE - Shannon Hope is vanjaar die miesie wat Aarklop se laatnag gigs splinternuwe hoop gee. Want nie net is sy ‘n skrywer van sterk oorspronklike liedjies nie, maar sy doen haar ding heeltemal op eie houtjie. Vanjaar is Hope beslis die kunstenaar vir wie jy móét gaan kyk by die Snowflake. Dis nou een van daai mense vir wie jy vyf minute luister en sommer net weet dís nou ‘n miesie wat dit nog gaan groot maak. Shannon is iemand wat ‘n kamer se dak van sy mure af kan wegsing. Klein botteltjie, groot gif – in die ware sin. Dis iemand wie se musikale omvang ‘n antie soos Tori Amos onder die tafel kan insing, so jy is gewaarsku. Vat iemand soos Nianell, stroop haar van al die cheezy fronte wat sy voorhou en jy is nog nie eers naby aan die rou oorspronklike talent waarmee jy hier to doen het nie. En as jy praat van ‘n “true school”-musikant, dan is dit óók Shannon. “Ek is te stubborn om gat te kruip,” sȇ sy skaamteloos. Dis hoekom jy nie hierdie kaliber musikant in ‘n lang ry sal sien staan by Idols nie. En ook nie op haar knieë by ‘n platemaatskappy nie. Dit is onbestrede: Hope is Aardklop 2010 se nuwe stem van die jaar.

 

(read the article online)

HOPE'S HEART AND SOUL SHINE THROUGH - "One does not see many female pianists and she's refreshing. Her appeal is how she's able to make the keys take on her personality which is somewhat temperamental, strong and self-assured. What you see when you look at her is rock n roll, but what you hear when she plays is heart and soul. She calls her genre art pop because it is lyrically driven, making it more arty than pop. She plays classical to pop and complements that with her powerful voice. Hope is a Durban girl and has been playing the piano since she was six years old. Growing up she was influenced by music that paints a beautiful picture of the world, she says. But her approach to music is where the romantic and the real collide…She is heart and soul and she is onto something."

 

(read the article online)

LIVE IN GRAHAMSTOWN - "Shannon Hope manages to command the audience’s attention from the moment she sits behind her piano. The Durban singer-songwriter has been touring the country extensively over the past year, and is putting on no fewer than 12 shows at the National Arts Festival. The touring experience has clearly paid off: she’s a confident and appealing performer. Hope sports an emo black-and-red hairstyle, and sips intermittently from a hip flask during the show – but don’t let her edgy image fool you. She’s a self-confessed romantic, and her songs are tender and sensitive. She sings about falling in love, loneliness, depression and dreaming, in lyrics that are almost achingly honest. Her powerful voice conveys unabashed emotion through skilful dynamics and changes in tone: she roars out a line and then pulls back into a gentle whisper. Shannon Hope definitely won me, and the rest of the audience, over. I felt inspired and moved for having heard Shannon Hope sing; and that’s the highest endorsement of any artist, in my mind."

 

"With a sound charged with emotional intensity, Shannon Hope’s performance brought goose bumps to my skin. The powerful combination of her singing and song-writing is sure to leave any audience captured."

 

(read the article online)

"Shannon Hope is awesome! Her voice is amazing, and the way she puts her all into every melody is admirable. I especially loved how her voice is so powerful yet intimate at the same time. Her music really touches you and when you walk out of the performance some things just make sense. If you have no idea what I mean you must go and experience her for yourself. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!"

 

(read the article online)
IMPRESSIONS OF THE NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL - "...Guitarist extraordinaire Louis Mhlanga and Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz, singer Melanie Scholtz, both impress with their musical prowess, although the proverbial show is stolen by piano-playing singer Shannon Hope, who moves me to tears with her honest and powerful performance..."

 

THE MAGICAL GEM HIDDEN UP AT PJs - "As auditoriums of the more established artists fill up with audiences keen to experience their work, sometimes one happens upon a true gem in the relative unknowns of the Fringe. Shannon Hope has been hard at work promoting her shows this week, the power of her phenomenal voice drawing crowds at various venues around town. I caught one of her shows at the Cuervo Music Room, but as she started to sing, I instantly pictured her on a dark stage, lit by a single spotlight in an auditorium filled with thousands. PJs Basement may not have space for thousands, but this intimate venue certainly promises to provide a mood more suitable to her stores of the dreams, pursuit and pain of love that this up-and-coming piano-based vocal artist tells in her honest set. Touring furiously since she quit her day job a little over a year ago, Hope is slowly establishing a fan base across the country, and it’s easy to understand why."

 

(read the article online)

SHANNON HOPE BLOWS ONE AWAY - "…She dresses as you could expect a rock star to dress. A little bit grungy… But cool... But when she opens her mouth, it's not what I expect at all. I sit, breathless, forcing myself to break my reverie with half-hearted applause at the end of each song. She has me entranced. I'm a words chick. And blow me down if she doesn't make me think with the words of every song. Every one. Her online blurbs say her music will ‘make you think and feel'. And in spite of that created expectation - it really was true! And that speaks nothing of her performance... I think part of the reason I am not such a fan of live music, is that musicians are often really not great performers, and so I spend a lot of the time trying to stop myself from being irritated with the way their spare hand floats aimlessly in space, or the apologetic babble between songs. But none of that here. This woman knows her craft. Her voice is strong and gorgeous, and she manages it with expertise. As she does her body, which controls her keyboard with the same... And I am blown away. Shannon Hope calls what she plays ‘Art Pop'. She launched her fulltime musical career merely a year ago, and is ‘fast gaining a reputation as one of the hardest-touring self-managed artists on the national circuit'."

 

(read the article online)

HOPE IS WHERE THE HEART IS - "Music has the ability to take you to places that you can't always access in everyday life. This is why we need artists like Durban-based Shannon Hope. Her music is emotive, evocative, and delivered with such honesty that you can’t help believing every single word.

Hope is an exceptionally honest performer. She gets into those emotional places we often block out, with such ease and sincerity that you wonder if she doesn’t perhaps live there permanently. Watching her performance at the Corner Cafe in Durban the other night, her honesty was so obvious that it seemed at times as if she had stopped performing. There were moments where she forgot the audience, and became lost in the music itself; the effect was simply mesmerising.

In June this year she started her solo career with the debut album STILL, a collection of truthful and moving songs. Defining Hope's genre is slippery; sometimes folk, sometimes pop, sometimes jazz it seems to crossover to something new. Hope calls it 'art pop', since her music is strongly lyric-based, a genre chosen to fit each song's style rather than the other way around. Hope trained as a classical pianist so the music is technically tight. And while her lyrics are undoubtedly profound, Hope's true strength is the emotional states she creates especially through her voice control. Her interpretation of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" is clever, moving and simply the best I've ever heard.

Hope is no stranger to the music world, having been a member of the successful alternative rock band Ketamine when they were still around. But with her solo career, the sturm-und-drang rock persona has fallen away to show a more vulnerable side. She is not afraid to reveal herself and often just uses vocals and keyboards to do so. Her music is raw, uncompromising and penetrating. From the melancholic "Blue Skies" to the playful and lovesick "Oh boy", her album covers a wide range of human experiences honestly and intelligently. Hope is brave and real, and her outstanding performance took me places I hadn't been in years. Don't miss it."

A PASSION FOR MUSIC - "With two opening performances for Prime Circle, an intimate tête-a-tête at the Market restaurant and a performance at Snap Wine Bar to name but some, the past few months have been busy for local muso Shannon Hope. Whether it’s seated at a little table next to a fountain surrounded by fairy lights or at a wine bar sipping a glass or two – a cosy atmosphere is idyllic for Shannon’s acoustic and melodic sound. This Umhlanga girl who has recently released her début album ‘S T I L L’, has an intense enthusiasm for her music. So much so that she has devoted herself to promoting her career as a solo artist. Shannon’s voice is powerful and melodic, bringing an Alternative pop rock sound to her audience. Accompanied only by a keyboard, her passion for her music comes to the fore..."

GIMME HOPE - "Umhlanga has been hiding a funky and talented musician who could just be on the verge of stardom. Shannon Hope's no stranger to the stage. The singer with the powerful voice and superb piano skills oozes the confidence of someone completely comfortable in the limelight and with her instruments (voice & piano). We believe it's just a matter of time before she will take her message to a much wider audience."

"Hope is a powerful singer and when she opens you get the feeling you're in for something special... talented and brave, her music makes you feel. Her set was powerful, strong, and she sings with such conviction that you know she's not going anywhere for a while."

SHANNON HOPE GOES SOLO - "Brooding and magnetic, it's hard not to be intrigued by singer-songwriter Shannon Hope. The established artist has had her share of success in the South African music industry and abroad, playing keyboards and singing in the rock band Ketamine, but nowadays she shows an altogether more vulnerable side as she launches her solo career."