Clever Hopes is the songwriting project of Canadian artist Andrew Shaver, whose live shows seamlessly blend intimate storytelling, compelling musicianship, and theatrical performance to create unforgettable audience experiences. Known for lyric-driven songwriting and expansive, melodic arrangements, Clever Hopes blends indie folk and pop with a theatrical sense of atmosphere and emotional depth.

Clever Hopes debuted with Artefact (January 2022), produced by Matthew Barber. The album earned praise for its vulnerability and cinematic quality and was named one of the top four Canadian albums of the year by Great Dark Wonder. In May 2024, Shaver released his second album, New Kind of Familiar, also produced by Barber. The record deepened Clever Hopes’ signature sound with layered compositions and evocative lyrics about connection and change. It charted for weeks in the top 200 on the NACC charts and was nominated for Americana Album of the year at the 2025 Music Nova Scotia Awards.

A highly anticipated third album is set for a 2026 release, produced by Daniel Ledwell in Nova Scotia, featuring collaborators including Afie Jurvanen, Kyle Cunjak, Joshua Van Tassel, Reeny and Hailey Smith, Breagh Isabel, and Jenn Grant. Lead single Holding On was released Oct 23, 2025 and can be heard on SiriusXM’s North Americana channel.

More than half a dozen songs from the first two albums have been added to rotation on CBC Radio (One, Music, and 3), as well as several SiriusXM channels, been placed on TV, and charted in the top 200 NACC. Live shows include support for Noah Reid at the Danforth Music Hall, sold out headlining slots at 100 seat theatres, back yard tours, music industry showcases, and everything in between.

Drawing on Shaver’s decades in theatre, radio, and performance, Clever Hopes’ live shows offer immersive, emotionally resonant experiences that connect deeply with audiences.