by abby crabill
photo by maggie friedman
Hope Vista, former lead vocalist of alt-rock band, VISTA, is continuing her music journey by consistently adding new songs to her music portfolio. Her single “Worst for You” is one of the newest additions to the list. The 2000s-inspired track combines with R&B to create a dark pop sound that defines Hope's unique style. She has also become more involved with demoing out and pre-producing her own songs, to ensure the sound is just right. It's safe to say that we can expect a lot of new music from Hope Vista throughout this year.
How did you first start getting interested in creating music?
Hope: “My dad was an incredible jazz guitarist. I used to observe him playing guitar at home, and he was truly a master of his craft. Jazz music was in his soul. I wasn’t interested in playing jazz music as a kid, but I knew music was something I also wanted to do just by watching him. He inspired me to explore this creative craft.”
For those who may not know, how would you describe your current sound?
Hope: “I’ve been calling it ‘phantom pop’ lately. Dark, eerie, rooted in pure pop. Some nostalgic Y2K production thrown in, but still synth based and following pop structures.”
What are some key similarities between your current music, and that of your former band, VISTA? What are some key differences?
Hope: “I don’t really think there are many similarities sonically. VISTA was very alt rock, my solo music is pop-based. VISTA did utilize a lot of synth elements towards the back half of our discography, but it was still established as a subgenre of rock. I don’t really lean that way as a solo artist.”
What is your favorite aspect of creating music/performing?
Hope: “I’ve only played one show since the COVID-19 pandemic, and I genuinely miss performing. I used to tour regularly with VISTA and it was freeing to expel my energy onstage in that capacity. I crave that kind of physical output. But writing, recording, and releasing music is a completely different beast. It’s a more tedious process, but one that’s truly rewarding on a release day when you throw your art into the world. I’ve always felt compelled to write lyrics, but I think experiencing the whole process from idea to release is fun in its entirety.”
Can you tell me a little bit about your newest single, “Worst for You?”
Hope: “It’s a very nostalgic-based kind of pop. I really live in the Y2K pop world, that era of music is one that I digest every day. I studied it growing up because it really defined pop as an entire genre. When I was piecing together the demo for this, I found myself gravitating towards different sonic elements that represented the R&B side of 2000’s pop. So I found my footing there, and tied that in with the story of a college relationship that went wayside. It packaged together really well, and the final product came out to be this super R&B leaning, guitar-driven pop track that’s held together by a strong narrative.”
How would you describe your writing/creating process?
Hope: “In the past year, I’ve started demoing out and producing my own songs. I don’t work on the final production from an engineering perspective, but I’ve been doing all of my own pre-production and songwriting. I’m finding all of these different sounds and piecing together the tracks, writing the melodies and lyrics. I used to write solely with either an acoustic guitar or just a cappella, but I found it incredibly difficult to explain to a producer what type of production I was hearing in my head when I’d write that way. Writing with a guitar or a cappella is incredibly bareboned. I needed to dig deeper than that to identify and solidify my sound now as an artist. So nowadays I sit and demo out the song in full instrumentally, and kind of hum different melodies out loud while I’m putting together those puzzles. The rest falls into place naturally.”
Currently, who are some of your favorite artists to listen to?
Hope: “JoJo, Fletcher, Tate McRae, Kacey Musgraves.”
When you're struggling to create new music, who, or what, motivates you to write?
Hope: “I like to listen to Broadway cast recordings to dig into some refreshing inspiration. Musicals are always written with such depth, and I find it motivating to pull a part the layers and find the root of the music.”
What is the most important thing that you hope your listeners will take away from your music?
Hope: “I’ve always said that I hope listeners find just a little piece of themselves in the music I write. Even if it’s a smidge — something small that connects them to one lyric in particular or the overarching story — that connection point is so important to me.”
Are there any projects/performances that we can look forward to from you in the future?
Hope: “I’m planning on releasing a lot of different music this year, aiming for one single a month to stay consistent!”