Hope Sandoval: Biography and Profile
The lead singer of Mazzy Star is the American singer-songwriter, Hope Sandoval.
- Full Name: Hope Sandoval
- Born: June 24, 1966
- Age (as of 2025): 59
- Hometown/Origin: Los Angeles, California (Grew up in East LA)
- Ethnicity: Mexican-American
- Primary Bands: Mazzy Star (1988–present), Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions (1999–present)
- Key Collaborators: David Roback, Colm Ó Cíosóig, Glen Campbell, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Massive Attack, The Chemical Brothers, Death in Vegas.
- Signature Sound: Ethereal, dreamy, melancholic vocals; a key figure in the dream pop and neo-psychedelia genres.
Sandoval began her musical journey in the mid-1980s, forming the folk-influenced group Going Home with her friend Sylvia Gomez. Her career took a significant turn when she was introduced to David Roback, a founding member of the band Opal. After Opal’s vocalist, Kendra Smith, departed, Sandoval stepped in, and the group soon reformed as Mazzy Star in 1988.
Her voice became instantly recognizable on the band's 1990 debut album, *She Hangs Brightly*, and especially on their breakthrough 1993 album, *So Tonight That I Might See*, which featured the timeless hit "Fade Into You."
The Latest Update: Hope Sandoval’s 2024 Posthumous Duet
In a major and unexpected piece of news, Hope Sandoval released a posthumous duet with country music icon Glen Campbell in March 2024.
The track, titled "The Long Walk Home," is a reimagining of a song originally featured on Campbell's 2008 album, *Meet Glen Campbell*. Sandoval’s contribution adds a haunting, dream-pop layer to the poignant, acoustic track, creating a unique cross-genre collaboration that showcases her vocal versatility.
This duet was released as a preview of the full posthumous album, *Glen Campbell Duets – Ghost on the Canvas*, which was scheduled for release in April 2024. The project featured a variety of high-profile artists, with Sandoval’s inclusion being a highlight for fans of alternative and indie rock.
The collaboration is a perfect example of Sandoval’s enduring appeal and her willingness to work with artists from vastly different musical landscapes, provided the project aligns with her deeply artistic sensibilities. Her work on "The Long Walk Home" is the most significant new music release involving Sandoval in the 2024-2025 period.
The Future of Mazzy Star After David Roback
The long-term future of Mazzy Star as a recording and touring entity remains uncertain following the death of co-founder David Roback. Roback, the band's guitarist, producer, and main songwriter, passed away on February 24, 2020, at the age of 61.
Roback’s death, which was reportedly due to cancer, marked the end of one of modern music's most unique and fruitful songwriting partnerships. The band’s signature sound—a blend of psychedelic rock, blues, and folk—was meticulously crafted by Roback’s production and musical arrangements, with Sandoval’s voice as the centerpiece.
Before Roback’s passing, Mazzy Star had experienced a quiet resurgence, releasing their fourth studio album, *Seasons of Your Day*, in 2013, which followed a 17-year hiatus after 1996's *Among My Swan*. They also released the single "Quiet, The Winter Harbor" in 2018.
While the band has not officially announced a final end, the loss of Roback means any future Mazzy Star music would be a vastly different project. For now, the group's legacy is kept alive through vinyl reissues, such as the 2024 reissue of *So Tonight That I May See*, and the continued appreciation for their classic tracks like "Blue Flower" and "Halah."
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions: A Separate Legacy
While Mazzy Star's activities are on indefinite hold, Hope Sandoval's creative output continues through her separate project, Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions, a collaboration with My Bloody Valentine drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig.
This project, which has been active since the late 1990s, provides Sandoval with a consistent outlet for her songwriting and performance. The sound of The Warm Inventions is a natural extension of Mazzy Star’s aesthetic, leaning heavily into atmospheric, psychedelic folk and slowcore.
The discography for Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions includes three critically acclaimed full-length albums:
- *Bavarian Fruit Bread* (2001)
- *Through the Devil Softly* (2009)
- *Until the Hunter* (2016)
Their most recent album, *Until the Hunter*, featured a notable duet with indie rock legend Kurt Vile on the track "Let Me Get There." While there has been no official announcement of a new Warm Inventions album for 2025, the seven-year gap since their last release suggests that new material could be in development, following Sandoval’s typically unhurried creative pace.
The Collaborative Career of an Indie Muse
Hope Sandoval’s reputation as an indie rock muse is solidified by her long list of high-profile collaborations with some of the most influential artists across various genres. Her distinctive, breathy vocals have added a melancholic depth to tracks by:
- The Jesus and Mary Chain: She performed the duet "Sometimes Always" on their 1994 album *Stoned & Dethroned*.
- Massive Attack: Sandoval contributed vocals to the track "Paradise Circus" on their 2010 album *Heligoland*, as well as "The Spoils" (2016).
- The Chemical Brothers: She sang on the track "Asleep From Day" from their 1999 album *Surrender*.
- Death in Vegas: She provided vocals for "Sons and Daughters" (1999).
- Vetiver: Collaborated on the track "The Morning Sea" (2009).
These collaborations demonstrate that while Sandoval may be reclusive and rarely grants interviews, her voice remains highly sought after by producers and musicians looking to capture a unique blend of vulnerability and timeless cool. Her work with Glen Campbell in 2024 further proves that her sonic signature is one that continues to evolve and surprise her dedicated fanbase.
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