Featured Songbay Artist- Sheena Hope

Featured Songbay Artist- Sheena Hope

Feautured Songbay Artist: Sheena Hope

This week we take a look at the work of Songbay lyricist – Sheena Hope. For the second year in a row, Sheena has been a prize winner in the Songbay Lyric Writing Competition.
Sheena Hope

Sheena Hope

“How did you get in to songwriting?”

I love singing and have been involved in choirs since I was eight years old. I started in a Gaelic choir and one of my first jobs was as a singing waitress at a Jacobean banquet!

I wrote lyrics when I was younger, but never really had the courage to share them. After the death of my mother a few years ago, I become focussed on my writing. I entered lyric competitions and tried to upload my work whereever I could. I was delighted to discover Songbay who finally gave me a reliable outlet for my work. I am currently busy working on new pieces and collaborating with other artists.
Although I have no formal training, I am always seeking to improve. I have used Songbay’s Lyric
Improvement Service on several occasions. I’ve found their feedback useful in helping me to consider and develop my own unique writing style. For me, writing lyrics is a learning curve, so I just keep writing!

Each day, I discover the importance of the interdependence- ‘wavelength’  between lyricist and songwriter and love the challenge of writing something to a specific brief or about a particular idea.
In the case of the recent lyric competition, having to write something based on just a few random words, was a real challenge.

” What are your musical influences?”

I have a very eclectic taste in music and grew up listening to everything from Simple Minds
to traditional Scottish music. My husband enjoys 70’s rock so I listen to that sometimes.
Sunday mornings, it’s James Taylor or sometimes Ludovico Einaudi. My favourite album at
Christmas was Wintersong by Sarah McLachlan-I love her voice. As a chorister, it has
to be something by John Rutter. I am also a bit of a musical theatre fan, I saw ‘Hamilton’
two years ago which I absolutely loved. My favourite soundtrack is from a 2019 Canadian musical- ‘Come from
Away’.

” What would you say are your achievements as a songwriter?”

Achieving a highly commended award in the Songbay
lyric writing competition in 2019 with my lyric “The Walk of Defiance” and then 3’rd prize in 2020
with “The Fire” was a thrill. I know the standard was high and it was wonderful to have
my work finally recognised after the many lyrics I had written to get there!

The more I write, the more I want my lyrics to be heard, so a platform like Songbay is a great tool. Through their service, I licensed some of my lyrics to Dutch musician Klass Versteeg. He used three in his last EP, two of these from my Songbay listings and one which I wrote for him based on a photograph he sent to me. He will also be using three more of my lyrics in his next album, including the title piece. One of those lyrics “We” was inspired by the past year’s events and I think is as relevant now as
ever.

” Thoughts on the music industry?”

The music industry is crowded and extremely difficult to get into. As a lyricist I think that you just have to be yourself and not worry too much about being ‘commercial’-you just never really know what will spark someone’s interest.

The past year has been difficult for everyone, especially performers, but I think that adversity never really halts creativity.

Thank you to Songbay for their
belief in my Lyrics. Let’s all keep positive and keep making music!

‘The Fire’ is the title of Sheena’s lyric that was awarded third place in the Songbay Lyric Writing Competition 2020.

THE FIRE

BY HOPE

The Fire

Verse 1
Do you still hope to meet “The One”?
That romcom staple for the young
or not so old, or not so single
we swipe, we post, we drink, we mingle

Chorus
That fierce flamboyant fabulous fire
This love we’re sold, we seek, inspire
all consuming, blazing bright
Our shield against the fading light

Verse 2
Maybe you’re waiting, scared of the spark
More afraid to burn than of the dark
Don’t be shy, just walk your own track
until you discover love reflects back

Chorus
That fierce flamboyant fabulous fire
This love we’re sold, we seek, inspire
all consuming, blazing bright
Our shield against the fading light

Verse 3
We’re all searching, in our own way
Just trying to cast life’s original play
I hope you’re lucky, I hope you’ve found
That connection, your silence in sound

Bridge
time, experience and maturity lessen
the chase, the hunt, the great obsession
finding peace via true loves ramble
There’s the warmth that’s worth the gamble

Chorus
That fierce flamboyant fabulous fire
This love we’re sold, we seek, inspire
all consuming, blazing bright
Our shield against the fading light

Verse 4
You may choose and be happy solo
or where you walk, someone will follow
As darkness falls, lay down your armour
Our lives revealed by the fading embers

Last Chorus
That fierce flamboyant fabulous fire
This love we’re sold, we seek, inspire
but finding peace via true loves ramble
There’s the warmth that’s worth the gamble

Lyric Sheena Hope

If you would like to learn more about Sheena’s work or wish to contact her regarding songwriting collaboration or lyric writing work, please use the link below:

Sheena Hope’s Artist Page at Songbay >>