Even though it’s an understatement to describe 2020 as a year full of challenges, a good number of promising new artists still managed to make their mark in this still ongoing pandemic.
One of them was 46 Hope St., an alternative rock trio composed of Meds Rana on vocals, guitar, and synth, Ryan Gonzales on bass, and Aaron Paul Dolleton on drums. The band is a brainchild of singer-guitarist Meds, who tapped his longtime church friends Ryan Gonzales (bass) and Aaron Dolleton (drums) and formally introduced themselves in 2019.
A band that likes to be known for dishing “self-empowerment and unadulterated emotion through the raw lyrics of every song that they create,” 46 Hope St. has caught the attention of no less than celebrated singer-songwriter Ebe Dancel.
Last June, Ebe tweeted, “Do you guys know this group? Pakiabot sa kanila… Ang galing nila” in reference to the group and their single, “Bago Matulog.”
Six months later, 46 Hope St. has signed with Widescope Entertainment where Ebe was appointed as Artist & Repertoire Manager just last September.
Recalling his own role on how the band found themselves in Widescope’s growing and increasingly eclectic roster of OPM acts, Ebe said, “I discovered the band during one of those sleepless nights when we were all in quarantine. A longtime fan sent me a link to a song of theirs. I ended up listening to them all night. When I signed up as A&R of WE, they were the first group I called.”
Seasoned record label executive and multi-platinum awarded record producer Neil Gregorio, Widescope’s Music and Entertainment Director, is equally enamored with the band.
“It’s always been a personal crusade of mine to open-up doors to new and deserving talents regardless of status. When I heard the music of 46 Hope St., I was impressed with their exceptional musicianship and remarkable songwriting skills which are both essentials for me. And the rest is history, we signed them up and now we are releasing their first single,” Neil further pointed out.
That latest single, “Parisukat na Bilog” is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dark episode of our history. With inspiring lyrics like, “Wag nang sayangin ang panahong magpaliwanag sa mga walang bilib sa yo, Ika’y parisukat sa bilog/Lumaya ka na sa loob at manampalataya sa angking galing mo, Ika’y parisukat sa bilog,” it won’t be surprising if not a few music fans will adopt it as their own personal theme song.
Expect bigger things for 46 Hope St. this 2021 as the band gears up for its very first EP. More than just a rock group, the trio bristles with diverse musicality that can also be gentle, melodic and very much hopeful. Widescope Entertainment can’t wait to introduce this band to whole world.