Hope Sandoval (born June 24, 1966) is an Americansinger-songwriter who is the lead singer for Mazzy Star and Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions.[1] During live performances, Sandoval prefers to sing in near darkness with only a dim backlight, playing the tambourine, harmonica, glockenspiel or shaker.[2] Cameras were not allowed during her recent tours, and she is reputed to be "a woman of very few words".[3] Some interpret Sandoval's self-consciousness as precious, and she has been criticized for being "willfully aloof", "hard to understand", "coy and child-like" and for "hiding behind her long, dark hair" during performances.[4][5]
Sandoval has toured and collaborated with other artists, but of late, she states, "I like being alone and free to sing on my own and the time and vibe to create something. I get really, really anxious if I have to go into the studio with someone I don't know already." She sang vocals on Massive Attack's "Paradise Circus" (2010) and admired the "beautiful tracks" the band sent her, but they did not "meet up" for their collaboration.[3]
