Frances Hope parses the push and pull of toxic love on her bittersweet new single and video Stay — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
An ethereal dream-pop lullaby that is every bit as emotionally transfixing as its title, Stay is a majestic insight into romantic yearning and desire. “Stay is a letter to those needing to forgive themselves for what they experienced,” says Hope. “Healing is non-linear and nothing can be gained from a relationship that makes you suffer.
“Stay was dreamt up while at my piano while contemplating how to bring the feeling to life of being powerless, angry, hurt, and broken, but still wishing that the person who broke you in the first place would ask you to stay,” says Hope. “In my opinion, this song is the representation of love as an addiction, and the push-pull of the toxic relationship, where everyone around you asks, ‘Why didn’t you just leave?’ ”
And just as it takes two to make a relationship work, Hope teamed with fellow musician Spencer Lillo to bring this version of Stay to life. “The collaboration began after I posted a short video of myself playing a moody and emotional version of the song on the piano,” she says. “Spencer Lillo happened to see the video and contacted me about creating a pop-rock version of the song, which I was really excited to try and think will resonate with others who have experienced the same thing.”
The Edmonton-born, Victoria-based singer-songwriter is a leading contender in the field of up-and-coming musicians. A poet, lyricist, instrumentalist, and vocalist, she has defined her place in the musical landscape, bringing an edge of grit to vulnerability, and remaining wholly authentic. Having already made waves in singing competitions, Hope has released two EPs (with a third on the way), plus singles that have garnered acclaim.
In addition to her ability to deliver messages of genuine heartbreak and the innate desire to heal oneself in an effort of poignant discovery, Hope also tackles current and old school covers; sharing her recreations on YouTube, generally stripped down to just she and her piano, she excels in dreaming up the message she wishes to share and creating the melody and lyrics to draw in a listener through both experience and understanding.
Watch Stay above, check out more from Frances Hope below, and find her at her website, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
