The Perks of No Longer Being a Wallflower: Singer-Songwriter Nancy Hope Gets in the Game With “Sidelines”
If you’ve ever felt you were on the outside looking in, Nancy Hope sees you. In fact, she’s even written a song for you. On her new single, “Sidelines,” the 27-year-old singer-songwriter from Stoney Creek, Ontario, captures the transformative moment at which someone who’s let herself skulk in the shadows for too long decides to step into the light.
“Sidelines, I know that’s where I hide/ To let everyone shine but not me,” she croons, over a plaintive piano melody that pulls straight at the heartstrings. “Fantasize about what it’d be like/ To be in the centre for the world to see.”
The fantasy becomes reality as the track swells into full-on power-ballad mode, with Hope’s impassioned delivery matching her resolve that the time to make her move is now:
’Cause I feel pretty, I feel myself
Sent those demons straight back to hell
If I lose my way, I can ask for help
I know I said tomorrow, but today is the day that
I, I know who I am
And who I’m meant to be
No more standing on the sidelines for me
Hope says the song was inspired by an eating disorder she struggled with during her late teens and early 20s. But the lyric is quite intentionally broader —generalized enough to make the track an instant, all-purpose anthem for anybody who’s been needing that little push to go from being a spectator in their own life to an active participant.
“Although ‘Sidelines’ was a song written from my own experience, I know we have all felt this way at some point in our lives, and some more seriously than others,” she says. “This song is not just about the struggle; it is about overcoming it and declaring to never stand on the sidelines again. I think as human beings, we are afraid to be vulnerable, for fear we will be seen as weak. This song is saying it is OK to be vulnerable and ask for help, because that’s what makes us human.”
Hope certainly had some help getting “Sidelines” out into the world. She started writing it over Zoom in 2021 with producer Kayla Diamond (Jeanick Fournier, Sofia Camara, Jamie Fine), and was able to bring the project to completion thanks to a FACTOR Artist Development grant she received the very next year. Other organizations that lent their support to make the record a reality include Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters and the Government of Canada and the Roadmap for Canada’s Official Languages 2013-2018: Education, Immigration, Communities.
To hear Hope tell it, she wouldn’t even have been in a position to sing a survivor’s song if not for the assistance she received years ago from the Hamilton-based eating-disorder charity Body Brave.
“They were the beginning of my healing journey,” she says, “and I have such gratitude for the support and love they showed me.”
Three minutes of pure empowerment, “Sidelines” is an undeniable high-water mark in the still-ascendant career of this former music major, who graduated with honours from Humber College in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in voice. Since turning pro, she’s worked with some of the top musicians in Canada, including Rik Emmett of Triumph and David Tyson, producer and co-writer of Alannah Myles’ 1990 hit “Black Velvet.” As a live performer, Hope has sung backup for Lorde at the MuchMusic Video Awards, appeared at the legendary El Mocambo, and belted out the National Anthem at a Toronto Argonauts game. In the midst of it all, she reached the top 100 on Season 2 of Canada’s Got Talent.
She’s been releasing her own music independently ever since graduating from Humber—a campaign championed by collaborator Diamond, who has spent the last two years helping Hope cultivate her musical identity as “the rock star next door.” Which is not to imply that she’s in any way ordinary: One listen to “Sidelines,” and you realize you’re in the presence of a once-in-a-lifetime talent. It’s just that this legend in the making is more than willing to share the spotlight with her audience.
“To anyone who has ever lived on the sidelines of life, I hear you,” she promises. “And I hope this song gives you the courage to never stand there again.”
Nancy would like to extend her gratitude to the funders who have supported this project including FACTOR.
Hi Nancy! Good to meet you! Care to introduce yourself to the readers?
It is so great to meet you, and I just want to start off by saying how grateful I am to be featured in Canadian Beats!! It is a true honour.
Hello readers! My name is Nancy Hope and I am a 27-year-old singer-songwriter and performer hailing from Stoney Creek, Ontario Canada. I have been playing music professionally for the last 10 years. I like to say that music chose me from a very young age, and it has been an inner knowing that I must write stories and inspire.
Growing up I listened to my dad’s classic 80’s rock playlist that featured Queen, Led Zeppelin, and AC/DC. I also listened to Canadian legends like Bryan Adams and Amanda Marshall, and I instantly gravitated to their music. It was timeless and very inspirational to me. It was these artists who solidified for me that I wanted to write songs that could impact the masses and stand the test of time.
The start of my musical journey goes back to high school. I attended Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary in Hamilton, Ontario and it was during that time I fell in love with performing and decided I wanted to become a professional musician. I was apart of a 200 voice choir under the direction of Dave Tabone, where we would perform and compete in the Heritage Music Festivals in the United States.
After high school, I continued my musical studies by attending the renowned Humber College Music Program in Toronto and I had the opportunity to work with some of Canada’s finest musicians that include Rik Emmett, singer/guitarist of the successful Canadian band Triumph, and David Tyson, producer for the hit record “Black Velvet”. I completed and graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice with Honours.
Upon graduation, I began releasing music independently and have been writing, and performing across the Greater Toronto Area as a solo artist and with multiple Toronto corporate/wedding bands. In 2021, I met producer/collaborator Kayla Diamond (Jeanick Fournier, Sofia Camara, Jamie Fine) and we have worked closely together over the past two years to cultivate my musical identity and voice. My song “One In A Trillion” and my latest single “Sidelines” were both co-written and produced by Kayla.
I am currently working with Canadian country singer-songwriter and producer Dustin Bird on my next single set to release in early 2025.
In terms of my music and my philosophy behind it, I would describe it as stadium anthems and heartbreak ballads filled with powerhouse vocals and an empowering message. The philosophy behind my music is simply written in my name ‘Hope’. I was given the middle name “hope” due to almost fatal consequences at birth. There has been a driving force in me from a young age to make a difference and to fight no matter what. That is why I believe it is my mission to inspire and give hope to others through my music.
You mention that “Sidelines” was written with the broader intention of empowering others who’ve stood on the sidelines of their lives. What impact do you hope this song will have on listeners?
My entire purpose behind making music and being an artist has been fuelled by my deep desire to serve others. Living on the “Sidelines” myself for a period of time, I understand the feeling of being underestimated, forgotten, and cast aside. No one should ever feel this way, and I think because I’ve been there, I want to champion those who need the reminder to never stand their again. My hope is that this song can change someone’s life, and give them the courage and strength to become all that they are meant to be in this life.
You’ve received support from organizations like FACTOR and Body Brave. How has their assistance been vital to your journey, both personally and professionally?
Grateful truly isn’t a big enough word to describe how I feel about the support I received from both FACTOR and Body Brave in my journey as an artist and person. I started Body Brave back in 2018, and they were the beginning of my healing journey. They were able to provide me with the tools and knowledge to recover, and have allowed me to heal so I can be healthy in body mind, and spirit and continue to do what I do which is make music.
When I received my FACTOR grant back in 2022, I was pleasantly surprised as it was my first time ever applying. It was definitely a turning point in my career seeing that the Canadian music industry believed in my music and vision as an artist. They were able to financially support the full completion of “Sidelines”, and now it is officially out in the world.
How has your education at Humber College and experiences with notable musicians like Rik Emmett and David Tyson shaped your development as a performer and songwriter?
Being able to attend a prestigious music school like Humber College with such legends in the Canadian music industry, truly created the foundation for my career as a professional musician. It was a time I was able to truly develop my voice, my ability to perform in numerous music styles and stretch myself out of my comfort zone. I want to thank some other important mentors who challenged me and shaped my skills as a musician, the late Shannon Gunn, Lisa Martinelli, and Mark Kelso.
Working with Rik Emmett and David Tyson was a dream come true, having a real-life rockstar as your mentor and a producer of your favourite artist growing up!? It was an unforgettable experience. Their expertise in the craft of songwriting and performance provided me with the skills I still use today. They both gave me an inside and honest look into the industry and have provided lasting memories I will cherish.
I remember what Rik said to me in our ensemble class one day. “Nancy, you need to hit them in the heart with every song” And he gestured like hitting an arrow in the chest. I will never forget that, and that is how I want my music to impact others.
You’ve performed in some iconic venues and events, from backup singing for Lorde to singing the National Anthem at a Toronto Argonauts game. How have these experiences influenced your growth as an artist?
It has been an honour getting to play such iconic venues, and when you are placed in those situations, for me they have been continued validation. They are proof that this is what I want to do, and I am where I am supposed to be. They have been great experiences to look back and say, “How can I do better”. As an artist, you are always in a state of growth, and these experiences have allowed me to step into who I am and remind myself to keep pushing myself beyond my limits.