an interview with: Sofia Wolfson

We caught up with Sofia for our first interview to give her a chance to talk a bit about her music as an up-and-coming artist.

Written by the creator of Renouveau Media
Photo courtesy of Sofia Wolfson

Iuliana: Hey Sofia! Thanks for the time today! Before we jump into specific questions, how have you been spending your time indoors? What’s an average day like for you?
Sofia: An average day includes reading, an hour of yoga, a neighborhood walk, and attempting to work on a song. I’m currently taking a creative writing class online. Some cooking and cleaning the apartment too. Just trying to keep myself busy!

Iuliana: You were born and brought up in LA. What were your early musical influences?
Sofia: My parents introduced me to a lot of cool music growing up so they were probably my earliest influences. I took my first steps to my dad playing “Norwegian Wood” so I’ve always been surrounded by music.

Iuliana: Tell us about the process of breaking into the professional arena. Was it tough?
Sofia: I started writing songs in elementary school and played my first gig when I was 13. I never saw it as breaking in – I just really loved playing shows and tried to do it as much as I could throughout high school. That’s kind of how I got started.

Iuliana: Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
Sofia: Not intentionally, but I hope so! I hope people take something personal out of it. I love hearing other people’s theories on songs.

Iuliana: Growing up, what were some of the artists that you used to listen to? And which ones do you feel like are still influencing you today?
Sofia: Growing up, my parents played me a lot of Joni Mitchell, the Beatles, the Band, Tom Petty, which I still feel influenced by today. These days, I’m always trying to listen to as many different artists as possible. Lately, I’ve been really inspired by Caroline Polachek, Big Thief, and Muna.

Iuliana: What is your creative process like? How has it progressed from your first album to your more recent EPs?
Sofia: I think there has definitely been a progression as I’ve gotten older. I tend to write words first with some sense of a melody before sitting down with my guitar and working out the chords. It’s hard for me to say “I’m going to write a song today” so usually songs will come to me when I’m out running errands or something. The voice memos app comes in handy often.

Iuliana: What was the inspiration behind your recent single “Billboard”?
Sofia: I was having a series of dissociative experiences and bad dreams – “Billboard” is a reflection on that period. It’s about trying to figure out what I want as opposed to what other people are telling me to do. It’s about how growing up can be a clunky process.

Iuliana: Tell me about your favorite performance venues. What has been a favorite performance of yours so far?
Sofia: My favorite place to play, in non-covid times, is the Bootleg Theater in LA. The first time I headlined there was so surreal because I had grown up seeing some of my favorite bands play there. I definitely had an out-of-body experience that night. I’m really thankful that the Bootleg is always supporting local artists.

Iuliana: If you were going to be stranded on a deserted island forever, what musical item would you take with you and why?
Sofia: If I could only take one musical item, then I’d probably go with an acoustic guitar, which is an obvious answer but makes the most sense if you can’t have power on the island!

Iuliana: If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be?
Sofia: There needs to be more women in every part of the industry.

Iuliana: What’s next for you? Any future projects that you would like to let our readers know?
Sofia: I’m just taking time now to write as much as I can. Looking forward to recording with friends when it’s safe again!

You can find Sofia here.