Shannon Hope

Press Reviews:

EINDELINK HET ONS REDE TOT HOPE
Angola Badprop, Spat (Aardklop Nasionale Kunstefees), Beeld
September 2010
“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. 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.”

LIVE IN GRAHAMSTOWN
Andrea Buchanan, Channel 24
July 2010
“…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 [it] has clearly paid off: she’s a confident and appealing performer. 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…”

THE MAGICAL GEM HIDDEN UP AT PJS
Fiona Gordon, Cue Ticket (National Arts Festival)
June 2010
“…as she started to sing, I instantly pictured her on a dark stage, lit by a single spotlight in an auditorium filled with thousands.”

HOPE’S HEART AND SOUL SHINE THROUGH
Kgomotso Moncho, Tonight
July 2010
“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.

IMPRESSIONS OF THE NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL
by Fiona Gordon, Artslink
June 2010
“…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...”

SHANNON HOPE IS AWESOME!
Kei-Ella, Artsblog (National Arts Festival)
June 2010
“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!”

SHANNON HOPE BLOWS ONE AWAY
Fiona Gordon, Artslink
May 2010
“…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. 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.”

50 REVIEWS
Isabel Rawlins, Cue Ticket (National Arts Festival)
June 2010
“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.”

HOPE IS WHERE THE HEART IS
Chantel Oosthuysen, Channel 24
October 2009
“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. 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. There were moments where she forgot the audience, and became lost in the music itself; the effect was simply mesmerising. Her music is raw, uncompromising and penetrating. Hope is brave and real, and her outstanding performance took me places I hadn't been in years. Don't miss it.”

Members:

Shannon Hope
Voice & Piano

It is an incredible privilege to work with these guest artists:

Dave McMillan
Acoustic Guitar

Ray Goodfellow
Bass Guitar

Tim Rankin
Drums & Percussion

Carl Wegelin
Acoustic Guitar

Anjulie Nock
Cello

Influences:

Erin McCarley, The Fray, The Hoosiers, Tori Amos, Sara Bereilles, Feist, Regina Spektor, Death Cab for Cutie, Mumford and Sons

Record Label:

Independent