WATCH // LISTEN: “FALLING”
Cleveland-based powerhouse Chayla Hope has unveiled the new video for her latest single “Falling,” an ode to the all-too-familiar feeling of instantly connecting with someone, only to question whether or not to blame it on the alcohol. In the video, directed by Zachariah Durr, Chayla turns the stereotypical music video love narrative on its head. "We wanted to play on people's expectations because, at its core, pop can be subversive and fun,” she explains of the video’s inspiration. “And sometimes that fun looks like a pair of platforms, rhinestone-studded suits, and a puppet devouring a male model whole."
Mixed by 10-time GRAMMY Award winner Josh Gudwin (Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa), this dark, intoxicating earworm evokes Chayla’s past as a drag performer. Its strutting groove turns any space into a runway fit for vamping. Chorus.fm, who premiered the track, called it “perfect for fans of Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa.”
“Falling” follows her infectious single “Love In Lo-Fi”; the song’s accompanying music video was directed by JR Strickland with choreography by Nicole Kirkland. "Falling in love will forever remind me of dancing,” says Chayla of the video’s inspiration. “Whether it's with a person, yourself, or your dreams, when you're in it, your pain disappears and you get to enjoy the feeling of being alive." Both singles will appear on her forthcoming debut LP Damn, Feelings, set for release in late 2022.
WATCH // LISTEN: “LOVE IN LO-FI”
Chayla Hope is pop’s next great voice. Making a name for herself in Cleveland’s music scene pressing vinyl at Gotta Groove Records and collaborating with up-and-coming producer Jesty Beatz (aka Holy Mattress Money), her sophisticated take on the sounds of the ‘80s and ‘90s recalls the influence of Kate Bush, Whitney Houston, Annie Lennox, and Robyn, marrying inventive arrangements with an impressive range and infectious spirit.
After years spent fronting and singing in alternative rock bands, including Emmy and multiple ADDY award-winning local favorites Seafair, pop is where Chayla was meant to be. “Pop is the music that raised me, the music my mom used to listen to while cleaning the house,” she says on planting her musical flag in the genre. “It’s always been there for me as an anchoring and joyful force. It is me.”
Throughout her life, Chayla has had to overcome obstacles like heartbreak and trauma by dressing up, performing, and powering through by sheer force of her artistic and creative vision. She has long been fascinated by the juxtaposition of happy music masking sad lyrics, exploring the complicated nature of human experience through its most common facet: our feelings.
A proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community who found her performance identity doing drag, it’s no surprise Chayla was selected to sing the theme song for Care Bears: Unlock The Magic and has numerous features in the show’s soundtrack and merchandise, embodying its core themes of empowerment, inclusion, and self-understanding through her music.
Chayla Hope will make her live debut on Friday, July 22nd as a part of Greyt Culture’s Golden Hour concert series in Cleveland. Click HERE for tickets and show information. Be sure to follow her at the links below for the latest news and updates.