On March 10 alt-rock artist, Hope Vista, released her newest single “You Want A Valium?”
Formerly the lead singer of VISTA, she has been involved in the alternative music scene for over six years. Although, she’s been passionate about music since eight years old when she wrote her first song. Growing up Hope was a fan of the Backstreet Boys and her dreams came true when she opened for Nick Carter’s younger brother, Aaron Carter, in her home state New Jersey. Her 2015 single “Dominance” picked up some traction with 15k streams on Spotify while her 2018 single “Witch Hunt” with former band VISTA sits at over 1 million streams. Lately, Hope has been finding herself in the making of new music. She previously went by the stage name “RAVIVE” and has music from this era as recent as last year. Her 2022 EP Trauma Response shares a similar vibe to her recent releases. However, we can definitely see the discovery of a unique, recognizable sound arising.
Despite her former success she still puts a new spin on her music with “You Want A Valium?” The song takes a dark start as we are introduced with the line “doctor help me.” Here the main idea of the song kicks off, telling the story of her battle between being told she needs medication and learning to accept that. When we’re hit with the chorus, listeners begin their dive into Hope’s psyche. From there she quotes her doctor by singing about a valium prescription “You wanna try one? It’ll change your life” she sings in an eerie tone. The listener is now shown her struggles with anxiety and the rough choice of needing help. It’s something that is relatable and therefore links her and her audience who may also be struggling with mental health. The most striking lyric comes when she is responding to the proposed question. She sings “call me back before I die” before returning to the main chorus. This on its own is captivating and highlights just how intense this issue is to her.
Surrounding her story is an alternative spin on breathy pop, also known as whisper pop. The style has picked up popularity and is being used by more artists especially in the alternative scene. Why listeners get such a kick out of this doesn’t have a definite answer though most will say it’s “satisfying.” Similar to the reason why ASMR has gained so much traction. There’s something about this genre that sends a chill down your spine and strengthens that personal connection as it may begin to feel like you’re in the room with the artist. For this reason “You Want a Valium?” reaches a whole new level when listened to in headphones. It will help with that feeling of being in the room with Hope as she tells this story.
In a recent TikTok video, shouting out the song, Hope asks to find her niche audience. She describes them as the people who “love Ashlee Simpson but cry to sad pop music, the people who want to shake their ass but cry while doing it.” Despite the humor in this post it is a good representation of what you get out of Hope Vista’s music. The dance beat contrasts perfectly with the intoxicatingly eerie lyrics.
“You Want a Valium?” can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, and YouTube. You can also keep up with Hope on your favorite social media platforms!
