FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Hopeful. is back with their latest project, the Wild One EP. Fresh off the heels of their latest single, “Sticks & Stones,” the new EP reminds listeners that the light shines brighter than the dark—and nothing can keep one of God’s beloved “wild ones” down. It’s available today, June 6, on all streaming platforms.

Comprised of Randy James on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Hunter Jackson on lead guitar, Rafael Bastos on rhythm guitar, Eddie Bulena on bass, and James Barragan on drums, the EP was produced by Gable Price of Gable Price and Friends, mixed by Sawyer Knox, mastered by Luke Pimentel, and cover art by Dan Elliot. The Wild One EP came out of a time when Hopeful. seemed to be at a fork in the road. They weren’t sure if the band would continue.

“I thought maybe our time had come and gone, but God had other plans,” Randy said. “Hunter called me and said he was ready to go all in. He said that it was time for us to jump in with two feet and create something special. The rest of the band followed suit and that was the beginning of our next project, the Wild One EP.”

The Wild One EP is comprised of six songs, “Sticks & Stones (Don’t Lose Your Head),” “It’ll All Be Fine,” “Wild One,” “Chasing After God,” “Words Don’t Pay,” and “Fractured Soul.” All of these songs were previously released as singles, except “It’ll All Be Fine,” a song that hits close to home for Randy.

The song touches on the realities of generational curses, or “generational patterns” as Randy describes it. "It'll All Be Fine" offers hope that with God's help, these curses/patterns can be broken and new patterns can be established, while also offering peace in God’s unconditional love.

“This song says, ‘Feels like I’m stuck in a night terror, but you whisper it’ll all be fine,’” Randy said. “This is using a direct reference from life—my 10-year-old sometimes struggles with night terrors, and the only way I can snap him out of them is by loving him through it, whispering, ’It’ll all be fine, buddy. God’s got you,’ and getting him to fall back to sleep. I hope people can see that God’s love is the Father’s love and that if I (merely a man) can love my son like I do, imagine how much deeper God’s love is for us.”

This theme of the Father’s love is one that Randy hopes resounds throughout the entire EP.

“I hope this EP reminds listeners that no matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, we have a good father and there’s more hope than we could ever imagine. So don’t you dare think of giving up for being too far gone. You can’t keep a wild one down.”

Hopeful. has seen success with their song “Wild One” being featured on Apple Music’s globally ranked “Today’s Christian” playlist, as well as entering the top 200 streamed songs for the entire Christian genre on Apple Music. Collectively on all platforms, “Wild One” has been streamed nearly one million times and continues to be added to radio stations across the country.

Hopeful. will be performing at Alive Music Festival in Mineral City, Ohio, on July 18, Oceanside, California, on July 26, and Nashville, Tennessee on August 26 at The End. The band recently signed to Jeff Roberts Agency who will be working with the band to plan out other shows and touring opportunities.

Hopeful. plans to release a full-length album later this year, as well as more singles this summer. They have also released new merchandise in honor of the new EP, which can be purchased at https://www.hopefultheband.com/.

Listen to the Wild One EP here and follow along with Hopeful. on social media @hopefultheband.

ABOUT HOPEFUL.

Hopeful. is a SoCal indie alt-rock band, comprised of close friends Randy James (lead vocals) Hunter Jackson (lead guitar) Rafael Bastos (rhythm guitar) Eddie Buelna (bass) James Barragan (drums). Rounding out the team is producer Gable Price (of the band Gable Price and Friends). Between growing up in church and spending their youth immersed in the Southern California surf and skate culture, the boys formed an eclectic appreciation for indie and alternative rock music. Hopeful. brings a unique and spiritual "toes in the sand" anthemic indie rock vibe to the Christian music music scene, with a heart to write music that gives hopelessness a kick to the teeth and their listeners a reminder to hold on to hope.

 

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