The Promise is Hope

The Promise is Hope is a folk duo and married couple hailing from Worcester, MA. Voted the “Best Up & Coming Act” and “Best Pop Act” at the 2017 Worcester Music Awards, TPIH is one of New England’s favorite emerging duos. Ashley & Eric L’Esperance have brought their ethereal and poetic songs, full of love and gorgeous harmonies, to hundreds of audiences since beginning to perform in 2015. Their debut album, a 9-track LP, Where We’ve Been & Where We’re Going, was released April 2015.

Live Worcester, Love Worcester calls them an “acoustic power couple” and says that “The duo has captured something exceedingly personal”. They have been described as “uniquely intimate” and they aim to share messages of hope, love and the power of music to crowds everywhere.

Boston music blog, Red Line Roots, says, “.. there is an effortless feel to how they sing together, like they were made to create music as a seamless grouping.”

Their music marries two distinctly talented songwriters. Ashley performs “subtle yet stunning” melodies with a classically-trained, but often folksy, voice. Her poetic lyrics explore the deep mysteries within nature and human relationship. Eric’s obvious reverence for the great folk songwriters of the 60’s and 70’s shines through his sweetly deep voice. His prose-like lyrics unravel the joys and struggles of life’s journeys, and “take what appears to be freeform and make it flow beautifully” into well-crafted pieces. Ashley’s soft finger-picking style lays comfortably beneath Eric’s bright electric Washburn, and their voices blend effortlessly.

Together, the two artists complement each other in every respect. Their sound is shaped by tastes of folk, electronic, acoustic and pop. Their songs are sometimes fun, sometimes deep, and always aimed for the heart. As Eric puts it, The Promise is Hope aims to “write songs that are honest and true … in a way that hopefully helps others see the truth and the beauty that exists in their own lives.”