Victoria, BC-Based Singer-Songwriter Frances Hope Mends an Injured Wing with Dreamy, Atmospheric “Broken Girls”
On her new single “Broken Girls,” Victoria, BC singer-songwriter Frances Hope compares a woman who’s been played and abused to a bird with a broken wing. The song is dreamy and haunting, with dark atmosphere and gauzy vocals that float and flutter over the gloomy haze.
“Broken girls can’t fly
That’s why they fell out of the sky
From grace where they lay
They fell prey to another’s game
You and you and you left them to decay“
“Broken Girls” is the first single off of Hope’s new EP Paradigm, which features dream-pop storytelling to fill a lonesome dusk, and to guide forlorn, shepherd hearts into the sparkle of an emerging dawn. In other words, it’s a record that found Hope facing vulnerability, and learning to forgive and move on.
“For me, this album speaks to how ‘I was broken but I’m not now,’” Hope explains.
Paradigm’s songs emerged after Hope had met someone new.
“I had trust issues and emotional exhaustion to work through to be present and give this love a chance,” she divulges. “In forgiving myself, making a conscious choice to rise from the ashes, move on from past heartbreaks, and to be receptive to a new truth, I was able to begin healing and embrace a different perspective.”
Hope was joined in the making of the EP by Neil James Cooke-Dallin of Burning Rainbow Studio performed on bass, guitar, and keys, and Ron Thaler on drums, percussion, additional keys, creative consultant, and did additional production on the EP.
“Between the three of us, we each brought something extraordinary and special to the mix (so to speak), and I’ve never been prouder of something I’ve created than this,” Hope said.
Frances Hope’s music is an eclectic combination of sweetness and grit, and her sound has been characterized as “edgy ethereal” and “intimate and touching with subtle and emotional insight.” She is a singer-songwriter, old soul, natural performer, poet, multi-instrumentalist, and alternative/indie-folk rock artist. Her music is inspired by early Joni Mitchell, Don McLean, Gordon Lightfoot, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, Fleurie, Florence and the Machine, Birdy, and Brandi Carlile.
Frances is an advocate for mental health, as her own struggles led her to begin songwriting to process and heal her own emotional wounds. Her works shine a light on universal themes of vulnerability, mental health, and healing, and have become one of her raisons d’être. She is currently teaching a virtual songwriting class for youth and adults dealing with trauma and she is also working on new projects to be released in 2023. Her songs “Mistaken Identity,” “Stay,” “Warzone,” and “Wanderer” have been recently played on both Indie 101.5 FM and Unsigned BC multiple times (CFRO 100.5 FM radio), and you can find her music on all streaming platforms.
Watch the video for “Broken Girls” below and learn more about Frances Hope via our mini-interview.
Care to introduce yourself?
I’m Frances Hope, a singer-songwriter, old soul, multi-instrumentalist, musician, poet, and songwriting and acting coach, ESL teacher, and alternative pop artist from Victoria, BC. My music is inspired by early Joni Mitchell, Don McLean, Gordon Lightfoot, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, Florence and the Machine, Birdy, and Brandi Carlile. I’m an advocate for mental health and found healing from songwriting to process my emotional wounds. I enjoy shining a light on universal themes of vulnerability, mental health, and healing have become one of her raisons d’être. She is an international performing artist and is eager for her music to reach as many countries as possible and hopes for her music to take her all over the world.
Tell us about the process of writing and recording “Broken Girls?”
Life has demanded that I shift and make room for the unknown. Facing vulnerability. Learning to forgive and move on. Taking risks that heal and help me set free the weight of my past. For me, this album speaks to how “I was broken but I’m not now”.
When I met someone new, I had trust issues and emotional exhaustion to work through to be present and give this love a chance. In forgiving oneself, making a conscious choice to rise from the ashes, move on from past heartbreaks, and be receptive to a new truth, I was able to begin healing and embrace a different perspective.
These songs came to me one after another when something new clicked inside me, and I was ready to take that risk. My thoughts and raw form of this music were immediately given wings by the musical prowess of Neil James Cooke-Dallin of Burning Rainbow Studios and Ron Thaler on drums and as a Creative Consultant for this EP. I am beyond blessed to have had these two launch my vision and find a way to harness my heart, soul, experiences, and vulnerability in an authentic way that best served the music and where I’m headed as an artist. I could not be more proud of this project and of what we created.
What’s it like being a musician in Victoria, BC?
It’s basically like living in a very overly saturated small town, where everyone is connected. Especially after Covid, gigs are more sparse but I have made some very special connections within the music industry here that has given me amazing opportunities.
Who was the first Canadian artist to blow you away?
That would be Gordon Lightfoot and Avril Lavigne. I grew up listening to her first few albums and wanted to be her. I loved her unapologetic nature, her truth to herself, her style, and her songwriting and the messages behind them. I looked up to her A LOT. She kicked serious butt and was small but mighty.
You’ve been making music for a while now, what’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
Honestly, trust your story, defend what makes you different, continue to always work relentlessly on your craft, accept constructive criticism from those you trust, and surround yourselves constantly with those better than you so you can always evolve and continue learning.