When did you first discover the guitar?
“My mom has been playing and singing
in bands since before I was born, so there
were always instruments in the house. I
grew up in a mountain town in the heart
of Colorado and was exposed to folk and
bluegrass early on. I taught myself some
chords and wrote my first song on my
parents’ guitar when I was 10.
“There was never a question in my mind
about whether or not I wanted to play
music. I had other interests of course, but
my passion for music felt like nothing else
I had known. It helped me through hard
times as a child and I used songwriting as
a form of therapy.”
You were the first-ever Vans Presidential
Scholar at Berklee College Of Music...
“When I applied for Berklee, I knew that
the only way I could attend would be on
scholarship. The year I won was the first
time that Vans had collaborated with
Berklee to sponsor an incoming student.
I wouldn’t have been able to live my dreams
if it hadn’t been for their generosity and for
that I will forever be grateful. I gained so
much from getting an education in music.
Berklee is such a unique place where you
can access so many different types of music
from all around the world. The staff and
students are incredibly inspiring and pushed
me beyond my comfort zone.”While you were at Berklee, you opened for
Brian Wilson while in the band Aüva...
“That was an incredible experience. It
was the 50th anniversary reunion tour for
Pet Sounds. The Beach Boys were a big
inspiration for the music I wrote with Aüva,
so it felt like a very full-circle moment to
have that opportunity. The show was also
our last date on a two-week DIY tour of
the East Coast, and so it was very rewarding
after sleeping on couches and sitting in a
van for hours with five guys!”ONES TO WATCH
MIETTE HOPE @MIETTEHOPE
INTERVIEW JOSH GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY DUSTIN COHEN
Talented US singer-songwriter Miette Hope has already graduated from
Berklee, played with Brian Wilson and made waves in the New York jazz
scene – and she’s done it all with an entry-level Epiphone in her hands...
Your guitar style is rhythmically very
interesting, where did that come from?
“Rhythm is a very important part of my
music, I can often hear a drum or bass
groove in my head before I start playing the
chords. I’m self-taught on guitar and I never
really learned how to use a pick, so I think
the improper technique actually adds an
interesting element to my sound!”Your guitar choice – a brown Epiphone
Dot Studio – is very unassuming for a
professional musician...
“It’s the first guitar I ever owned. My
step-dad gifted it to me for my 15th
birthday – I’ve had it for almost 10 years
now. I think more than anything, it is
nostalgic for me. I’ve grown up with it
both as a musician and person – it’s always
been there for me like an old friend. The
neck has snapped and been repaired a
few times but she still plays really well
considering what she’s been through –
I think it adds character!”Your songwriting seems to come from a
very raw place...
“I usually feel most inspired to write when
I am processing something emotionally.
Songwriting helps me to understand how
I really feel about my experiences in life
and I try to express that in my music as
authentically as possible.
“I have a three-song EP coming out called
Pendulum that I worked on over the span of
three days with a good friend and producer
who goes by the alias Ariza. The project
is deeply personal to me as it is meant
to express the different stages of grief in
my experience of losing my father to his
addiction. I’m currently working on the
visuals for the project and I plan to release
all three as a short film this fall.”In a time when so much music is written
and recorded electronically, why is the
guitar still important to you?
“The guitar has a sound that just can’t be
fabricated. I think it’s really important to
keep those organic sounds present in both
my recordings and live shows. For me, the
guitar feels like an extension of myself
when I’m performing and it gives my
audience the experience of my songs
how I originally wrote them.”For more information, visit miettehope.comONES TO WATCHGUITAR MAGAZINE 15