Women Who Rock Columbus: Hope Selah
The next woman highlighted in the series was the singer of two bands and working at Music Columbus when I first met her. Since then one of those bands has come to an end but it provided her the opportunity to move forward with a solo project. Still kicking butt and taking names with Kids Of The Cinema, she’s added that solo project into the mix of pulling triple duty in the 614. Her self titled solo project was just featured on WOSU’S Broad and High, a series that helps highlight local music here in Columbus. She also graduated from Capital University with a degree in Music Technology and has experience in the audio engineering field.
Allow me to introduce you to Hope!
Let's get to know a little bit more about her and her role in and around Columbus music!
1. What started you down the road to music?
“My roots started earlier than I can remember. I loved singing along to the radio on the way back from the YMCA. I would write songs and invent dance moves to them in the basement of my grandpa’s house. I’d sneak into my brother’s room to read his guitar tabs and follow them, albeit terribly, on his Fender Laguna. It became clear around age thirteen, after I started writing real music and lyrics, that I was in the driver’s seat of my own journey. I was always so sure about music being “it” for me. For a while, I firmly denied entertaining the idea of anything else. I never wanted to go to college until I found out I could go for audio engineering and music production! Starting my degree opened doors into the music world that I had no idea I needed. A few years ago, a professor told my class that if you can imagine yourself doing anything other than music, then that’s what you should do… because being an accountant and doing music as a hobby will set you up much better in the long run. For me, that just isn’t and has never been an option. That’s why I chose music and continue to say “yes” to pursuing this passion.”
Hope performs with her band at Rambling House. February 2026
2. You are not just in one band, but you’ve also kicked off your solo work here in the Columbus scene on top of working at Music Columbus. Tell us a little bit more about your roles and/or any other upcoming projects you'd like to share.
“Being part of multiple projects throughout the years has allowed me to explore my love for different genres, as well as traverse several creative landscapes in my songwriting. My solo project–which is just my name “Hope Selah”– is where I can be vulnerable and write songs solely meant for personal fulfillment. There is a certain sense of catharsis that I experience when a song comes to fruition for this project. I also have the freedom to reinvent, recraft, or completely scrap parts of my music and brand as I see fit. A live performance from this project is going to be featured on WOSU’s Broad & High series in early April!
Kids of the Cinema has elevated me–both musically and personally–tremendously since we started in late 2024. As a math rock band, the possibilities are essentially endless when it comes to how complex and weird we want to make our sound. I find myself writing guitar parts I’ve never been able to play, thinking in time signatures I’ve never considered, and consistently saying “f*** it” when we put together a song whose structure looks like we keyboard-smashed the letters A through D a few times. I can also say that my bandmates are some of my best friends, and I’ve never felt more comfortable with my role and level of contribution to a band before KOTC. Some other projects that are in the works are focused on identity in a changing world, romantic and platonic love, and feminine rage (LOL). I’m slowly but surely putting together an all-girl band which I am not fronting; this has allowed me to dive deeper into my love for guitar, bass, and keys. Sometimes a girl just has to hop off the mic and let loose!
I also am the Project Coordinator for the music advocacy non profit Music Columbus, where I am the marketing lead and run a few of our organization’s programs. To say that this job consistently inspires me is an understatement! Every day I am interacting with musicians and professionals from all areas of the industry. Being part of the work that elevates and uplifts our Columbus community has been deeply fulfilling throughout my three years there.”
3. Who has had the biggest impact on your sound?
“There are a few bands that I consistently reference for different reasons. Valley and half alive are my go tos when thinking of a mix (and both are in my top 5 artists every year). Orla Gartland and Sarah Kinsley are masters of storytelling and songwriting. Growing up, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, John Mayer, and Joni Mitchell were the artists that moved me into music. More recently and as Kids of the Cinema has developed, I've taken a lot of inspiration from Delta Sleep and Pool Kids.”
4. As a musician, what is your favorite part of the local music scene?
“I love how many genres are represented in this scene! I know I can head to cringe.com any day of the week and find something of interest to me, whether it’s a rock show at Cafe Bourbon Street, folk band at Natalie’s, or a hip-hop lineup at a summer festival. There are bands and artists of every kind that are incredibly talented here.”
5. What is one venue in Columbus you think every everyone should experience either as a performer or an audience member?
“Every time I play or attend a show at Woodlands Tavern, I’m blown away by the dedication of the staff to make it a night to remember. The sound is always impeccable. The lighting matches the vibe. The audience is always willing to feel and move to the music. There seems to be a built-in ambience of support for music and live performances, whether I’m there enjoying a show or on the bill! I’m also a big fan of their mac and cheese bites.”
6. Give us one random fact about yourself.
“I have chronic temporomandibular joint disorder, which is a condition where my jaw locks and clicks if I open it past a certain point. It affects my ability to sing, but not to the point where doctors are concerned about it, so it’s just something I have to live with and overcome!”
Hope peforms at Rambling House. 2026
7. What do you feel your sense of responsibility is as a woman in the industry?
“What a big question to answer! I can easily say that as someone in the audio engineering field–a field that is comprised of only 11% women–I always feel an obligation to either produce/mix/master myself or have at least one woman in the room where it’s happening. That’s an insane and unnecessary gap that I feel an obligation to help close.”
8. Is there any advice you'd like to pass along for women trying to succeed in the business right now?
“This is hard for me to answer, as I feel as though I'm not far enough along in my music career to be giving advice on success! However, I have felt as though there are certain habits that have benefitted my journey so far. One of them is simply saying yes to everything (within your own capacity). Very early on with several of my projects, I said yes to everything that got my foot in the door of places I wanted to be. I applied to every festival within an hour of Columbus. I went out to see other local bands multiple times a week, to network not just with the folks playing, but also the venue operators and staff there. I wrote and wrote and wrote all the music I could until my hand would cramp up.
Another piece of advice would be to say thank you. Sometimes, especially as a woman, it's hard not to feel as though the industry is out preying on your demise (which a lot of the time, it is!). In all of these male-centric spaces, it can be hard to feel like we have the right to take up space. I've found that being gracious to the people around you is almost a golden ticket to those same people wanting you to stick around; this not only is individually beneficial to your career, but also breaks down some of the gendered barriers we have in our local community. Give credit where credit is due to your audio engineers, venue staff, etc. THEN… use your platform to write kick ass songs about deconstructing the patriarchy and breaking down entities that try to control women. <3”
As always a massive thank you to Hope for being one of the women who rock Columbus and participating in the series! Make sure you get out to see Kids Of The Cinema or her solo project!
To find out more about Hope and her musical adventures for yourself, do so here:
https://www.hopeselah.com/home
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ouTe2qwfNg0NsNYaegkFC
https://www.instagram.com/hopeselah/
https://www.instagram.com/kidsofthecinema/
To learn more about Music Columbus and their mission, click here:
https://musiccolumbus.com/
Thanks for reading, and until next time:
Peace, Love and Support Your Local Girl Gang!
