Allow us to introduce to you to an emerging singer/songwriter, Hope Vista. The 21-year-old has had quite the year thus far. After losing her dad to cancer in January, Hope had one simple choice: to move forward and continue building her career in music. Music is an outlet for Hope and she wishes to share her story, courage, and passion of never giving up with as many people as possible. Just 9 months after losing such a powerful figure in her life, Hope released her comeback single, “Wild Girl.” The song is filled with classic sing-a-longs, catchy phrases, and is reminiscent of old school punk-rock, Avril Lavigne. If Hope could rewind to the TRL days, she would dominate the countdown! Hope recorded the track with Zack and Kenneth who added their classic pop-punk flare and style to the track. Fans can be on the look out for a new single and EP this fall!
Hope is also a talented writer, and wanted to share her comeback story about her return to music after losing such a key figure in her life. We think you will be inspired by her words and can relate it to anything you are personally struggling with:
“It’s not about getting back to normal, it’s about finding a new normal. That’s what I’ve been telling myself every day for the past 9 months, but that new normal hasn’t been a clear image. The norm was starting my day by reading a text from my dad telling me to have a good day, and usually something about the New York Giants was added in to that. Throughout multiple points in the day, I’d get more texts from him; music, how our days were going, more football. These topics of conversation were the norm with him. They were our things.
It was a habit to text or call the number that I used to communicate with my dad every day for almost 10 years. That was what was normal. Nothing was timed, it was never planned out. We were just always in sync. Once that normal disappeared, there was no ‘normal’ anymore. All at once, it just stopped. The calls, the texts, the daily conversations about what seemed to be nothing. When you lose your normal, it’s very easy to fall out of line.
For 7 months, I felt as if I was looking evil directly in the eyes. Cancer is the devil. It’s the devil staring back at you and laughing to your face. It’s pure evil, consistently taunting you and showing off its intense strength and power. Cancer takes over the body of your loved ones and harasses you day in and day out, just because it can. And it will never be fair. It will never be something that can be considered fair or okay, but it is something that you don’t think will ever happen to you or someone you love. You don’t want to think about the possibility that it could happen. Then when it hits…. the storm begins.
My dad was a fighter. Towards the end of his battle, in a physical therapy session at his apartment, I sat at his kitchen table writing a paper. Mid-foot exercise, he asked, “So when are you going on tour?” I looked up at him confused; how was he asking me about music when he was sitting there trying to build up strength to walk again? How was that on his mind? His selflessness was highlighted throughout his illness every day; it was never about him or how sick he truly was. I was unaware of the severity of the illness for the first few months, solely because he downplayed it, in an effort to keep my brother and I calm and unafraid. During this same physical therapy session, the in-home therapist asked him if he missed running (he was an avid runner). His response defined him as a human being, and it’s a response I’ll never forget; “Instead of being upset about everything I’ve lost, I want to look forward to the things I’m working to get back.”
That single statement defined my father as both a person and a dad. Selfless, determined, hardworking, and just overall phenomenal. Our story may have ended way too soon in my mind, but the words of that quote will continue to ring throughout my ears and carry me through both my music career and life in general. My upcoming EP? Dedicated to him. My entire career in general? Centralized around whether or not my dad would be proud of my choices. Making decisions with his legacy in mind, determining whether or not he would be proud of what I’m doing; that’s the new normal.”
Her Campus Point Park would like to thank Hope Vista for sharing her story and commend her for her strength! We encourage everyone to check out her music and keep an eye out for her new EP, “Prevail,” that will be released on November 13th on iTunes and Google Play! Follow her on Twitter @HopeVista.