 As any artist knows, traversing life’s valleys can be uncomfortable, but often invaluable for creative inspiration. Ashley & Eric L'Esperance (aka The Promise is Hope) are living proof of this very process in the making of their sophomore album, Every Seed Must Die. The husband-and-wife duo -- who first performed together at an impromptu song swap and were married a year and a half later -- found themselves to be both personal and musical soulmates, releasing a joyful debut full-length in 2015 Where We've Been & Where We're Going. Following this upswing, the couple moved together into a painful season, losing four family members and enduring the disintegration of their local faith community. Having witnessed firsthand the effects of cancer, suicide, mental illness, and disillusionment, the L’Esperances saw only one way to work through their confusion and questions. They began a slow process of songwriting as an outlet, which ultimately resulted in Every Seed Must Die. Here the couple answer their Essential 8 where they share the story behind the album's title, growing together as a couple, Glen Hansard, Chipotle, and more. Where do you draw inspiration from when writing? The two of us draw from the well of our own life experiences. This has been a matter of intuition rather than a specific choice. We each write as a way of processing big events, meaningful conversations, and transitions; and to wrestle the meaning out of the moments we've lived. We both find that we can express things in songwriting that we wouldn't necessarily go out and say otherwise. We find over and over again that the personal nature of our music resonates with listeners in a deep way. This continues to fuel the inspiration to pursue deeper intimacy in our writing. Is there a story behind your album's title? This set of songs is a collection of reflections on loss and death. We had witnessed the passing of five family members in three years. In the same season we saw a community of people that we had poured our hearts into slowly fall apart. The pain and disillusionment of these events found a cathartic repose in the writing, recording, and performing process. The title of the album is a reflection on the cycle of death and life that we see in the natural world. A seed goes into the ground and dies, but the death leads to new life, growth, beauty, and sustenance. We are wrestling to understand how to go through the pain of letting go and saying goodbye while also looking for the beauty that can come from our loss. With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect? In the title track, "Every Seed Must Die," Eric had a really strong first verse, chorus, and bridge, but was struggling to find the right imagery for the second verse. He kept returning to the song over the course of several months trying different approaches, but was not feeling settled with any of the results. Then he had a conversation with one of his cousins who shared his experience of watching his mother die from cancer. The exchange gave Eric what he needed to pull the song together. We both are really happy with the result. What has been your biggest struggle so far?
In all honesty, there is a powerful temptation to compare ourselves to other artists, to be jealous of others' successes, or fear that we lack something that others have. This temptation can easily rob our joy and blind us to the growth and successes that we have had on our own journey. When we are acting out in this way, we find ourselves stressed out, striving, and anxious, which is an awful way to live. What we are learning to do is celebrate others' victories along with our own; to stay focussed on our own vision for the career we are building; to grow and develop our own skills and then simply keep taking steps that we see in front of us. What's the best advice you have ever gotten from another musician? The most centering advice we have been given is that there is no amount of success, attention, and money that can make us feel whole or give lasting joy and contentment. As awesome as these things are, they are fleeting and unsatisfying, and chasing them often leads to burn out. If we want to do it for the long-haul, which we do, then we need to find contentment and joy in what we already have, and not look to our work to fulfill us. What has been your biggest success? While we have experienced some really wonderful things in our music career so far, our biggest success is maintaining a healthy, loving marriage while working so closely together. It's a dream to do this work together, but it can be challenging at times when work and personal life are so closely intertwined. While there's so much still to learn, we've found that encouraging each other's personal interests and needs, and prioritizing our relationship over our work has helped us continue to grow together. Have you met any of your heroes? If so, how did it go? Glen Hansard is a hero for his longevity, his passionate performance, candid storytelling, and very personal writing style. We recently met him after his latest performance in Boston, an experience that exceeded both of our expectations. Even after a three hour performance, he was so present in the conversation. He asked great questions and listened intently, and was a joy to speak with. This only deepened our love and respect for him. What's your favorite/"go-to" food on the road? To keep costs down and to fight road scurvy, we tour with a cooler full of humus, bread, veggies, oatmeal, and other easy vegan foods. When we are too tired to want to make something, we almost always hit up Chipotle for their Sofritas Bowl with three tortillas on the side. It's reliably delicious, healthy, and filling. Website Spotify
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