BY IRVIN RIVERA

Toronto songstress ANNA SOFIA is a dynamic artist on the rise that fuses her music with outstanding visuals and motion- involving her body as an extension of her art to share her layered narratives to her audience. She is an undeniable fresh force to be reckoned with- a creator with an authentic point of view, an artist who knows what she wants and the direction she wants to go.

There’s a lot of promise on her experimental music. It takes you to a journey through a myriad of emotions as you go through the tracks from her recently released 6-track “LET ME OUT I’M FREE!” EP as well as the Official Short Film of the same title. There’s hints of pop, punk and R&B present in there, that all flow beautifully together.

The multi-instrumentalist's music represents an artist living in the moment- creating and deriving inspirations from raw experiences devoid of pretense.

In this exclusive interview, delve deeper into ANNA SOFIA’s creative mind, her experiences creating her music and recent visuals, her inspirations, challenges she faces, life lessons, NFTs and more.  

What inspired you to write the “Let Me Out I’m Free” EP project? 

The EP was written about my music career. There was a point when I was heavily controlled by other voices around me in the industry. Telling me how to make my music, what my brand should be, how I should be presenting myself on social media, and I was basically just being led in a direction I didn’t want to go. I’ve always been someone who knows what I want and I’ve always had a very strong vision for my artistry. During this time I felt very controlled and trapped in a space that I felt wasn’t showing who I really wanted to be. I wrote this EP all about my experience and this project was really the very first time I felt fully in control, and the most authentic. 

What’s the story behind your new single “Caged Birds Don’t Sing”? 

Caged Birds Don’t Sing basically sums up my feelings for this entire EP. I'm unable to create, and be creative when I'm being kept in this box. Art is limitless. When you give an artist boundaries, they are unable to create something true. I felt like my creativity was in the hands of so many people who had completely different ideas than I did, but they’re opinions overpowered mine. I felt like a “caged bird”

What was your favorite part about filming the visual elements that turned into a short film?

My favorite part was the planning, and the fact that I created this short film with all of my best friends. I created this concept in this facility, and co-directed it alongside a close friend of mine Qran Zhu. We had so much fun during the process of creating the storylines, shots, etc. and it was so magical to see it all come to life afterwards. It was a lot of work, and took a long time to perfect everything, but I’m so proud of it. 

How would you describe your music and sound?

CRAZYYYYYYY! None of the music that I would like to talk about is out right now, but I can honestly say this is some of the weirdest/coolest music I have ever made in my entire life. Literally every time I talk about it I just get a shock of excitement in my body. My music has become very experimental recently. I am always mixing sounds and music eras and not only does it work for me, but it keeps me super inspired which is the main thing for me. I love to challenge myself and keep the writing process interesting which makes every session so unique and different every time! 

Where do you get your inspirations whenever you create music?

I mainly get my inspirations from music that I love. I love to pull some of my favourite little things from songs that I listen to on repeat and make it my own. I think getting inspiration from other artists is super cool! I listen to a wide range of music so when I take inspiration, I am taking a bunch of different sounds and vibes and turning it into one big Anna Sofia song!  

What are you most excited about getting to perform on the same stage as Noga Erez?

The question is literally my answer. I get to perform on the same stage as Noga Erez. To say I love Noga is an understatement. My friends and I were on lunch break at school, and my friend was playing music in the car, and showed us Noga’s music. I immediately fell in love, and went home that day and listened to her whole discography. This was about 2 years ago now, and I still listen to her on the daily. I’m genuinely such a fan of hers so it’s a really cool moment for me to be playing with someone I actually really look up to. 

As a young creative talent, how’s your creative process like? Can you walk us through your process?

I don't really have a “process.” Each session is very different but that's what makes every writing experience new and fun! However, we do have a structure that I sort of just naturally follow. I typically start off with the song itself, move onto melodies from there, and then write lyrics. I don’t stick by this though. If this happens in a totally different order (which it does sometimes) then that's ok too! My main goal is to write the best song I can possibly write, and for me that comes with just letting the session make itself.  

What’s the most ideal environment for you to create?

House studios. Something about being in someone's home just makes me feel way more comfortable when I write. I feel like the home environment just allows me to be more open and free and causes less distractions for me. I like to be very laid back when I am writing. I find when I am going to a house session, it feels like you're initially going to hangout with some friends, and at some point you are going to end up writing a song! 

When you write your songs/music, do you think of yourself, your emotions and whatever you’re feeling?

Depends on what's going on in my life. I love to go into sessions with a very clear mind and see where the music and my thoughts take me. I think I make the best art when it happens in a very organic way. I let my mind take over and she leads the way for the rest of the session. Sometimes I come into sessions with a very clear vision of where I want to go, but that only happens when I really have something on my mind. The rest of the time I let the song tell me how I'm feeling! 

Which artists inspire you?

I have many, but my two top acts would be Elton John and Queen. There are so many reasons why I love them! The first reason would be their stories. Both acts have very interesting stories of how they were brought up in the industry and their personal experiences being in the industry. After reading more and more about them and watching their movies, it was really interesting to see how I could relate to some of the things they experienced. The second reason would be their music. There is absolutely nothing else to say except it’s just brilliant. The third reason would be their style! I love fashion that is very theatrical and big. Pieces that are eye-catching and weird, and both Queen and Elton only wore eye-catching clothing. I could keep going forever and ever but I’ll stop at this before this just becomes a Queen and Elton fanpage.   

How did your music journey begin?

I have always known that I wanted to be a musician. From a very young age I was involved in piano, singing, and dancing. I would compete in all different types of dance styles, compete in singing competitions, and perform at different community events. I started to really take it seriously at around 14 when I started to write my own music and release it. I released my first song in 2019, and from there I slowly started to build an amazing team, continue to release and write, and now I am here! 

Which music would you say helped establish you as an artist?

My own! I started off with no direction at all. I was just writing music and trying things out. I really had no idea what I wanted to be. The more music I wrote, the more I started to understand my voice and my sound. Anna Sofia slowly became a clear vision in my head. I am who I am today not only as an artist, but as a person because of who I was before. I built myself into the artist I am today by trying new things, messing up, learning, and growing! 

What do you think is the best lyric/song that you’ve made so far and why?

The song isn’t out yet but the lyric goes “Cheers if I know ya, I’m done being told what you’d do”. For a while, I was very influenced by the opinions people had about me. Everyone always had something they would add or change or do differently with me. This made it very hard for the real me to shine through! I always assumed everyone else knew better than me cause I was just a young girl. I was WRONG! Nobody knows me better than me! There is no right or wrong to art and that's the beautiful thing about it. Suggestions are always appreciated, but if you truly know yourself and what you are doing, then you will lead the way. 

What are the highs and the lows of your career so far?

I would say the lowest point of my career was when I was listening to everyone else about what I should do with my music and my life. It was a very stressful point for me because I never knew if who I was and what I was making would be good enough. The highest point of my career was when I started to listen to myself again and be confident in myself, and my art. I feel like my fans even noticed a change in me too. I felt like I could be so much more open with them, and they could really get to know me better and know me for who I want to be. I have continued to feel like this so it's been high since. 

How were you able to rise up to the challenges?

I was able to rise up to the challenges by teaching myself how to be confident. Confidence was something I had always lacked. I was always very hard on myself and never felt like I was good enough. So when the opinions started flooding in, it only made things worse for me. I slowly started teaching myself to be confident in who I am by forgetting about every single person on the planet, and focusing on what I like. I started to learn more and more about my real self and started to take a huge liking to her! Now we are here and we are still learning and growing, but I feel I have come a very long way! 

Aside from music, what else keeps you busy?

My family for sure. I have my mom, my dad, a cat, and 2 dogs. Doesn’t sound crazy but somehow it’s the most intense family you will ever meet. I’m an only child and growing up as an only child is usually very difficult. You feel super lonely and just wish there was another kid around to play with. I was the opposite. My family and I have always been on the go so I never had time to be alone. To be honest I always appreciated a little alone time with my barbies when I got the chance. It’s the same story now but my parents and I are best friends so it’s constantly a party. Our pets are a whole different story. These animals live like royalty. We’re like constantly at their service at all times. It’s my mom’s fault though she raised them to be divas. 

What made you want to get into the NFT space? Can we expect more NFT releases from you?

It was just a new space for artists to share their creativity. I feel like the music industry needed that. It’s been the same thing for so long, and I was honestly really looking forward to something new. Once it finally arrived, I hopped on the wave as fast as I could. It’s been such a fun experience so far, and I’m really looking forward to learning more about it and getting more involved. I’m also super excited to introduce my fans to this space! 

What’s a valuable lesson that you’ve learned from your career that you think is universally relevant?

Stay true to yourself. Never let anyone take charge of you just because “they know better.” If you know what's best for yourself and you are happy, then you keep doing what you’re doing!    

Is there any advice that you can provide to any aspiring creative individual who wants to break into the industry and establish themselves as a business?

Have fun and don’t be scared to try things out! Art is whatever you make it. Authenticity will always last longer.

If you were a book, what book would you be and why?

I would be “Diary Of A Wimpy Kid” because those books are my favourite :p