Sofia Isella

During our shoot you mentioned you started playing violin at four, and starting writing music at about eight. What exactly were you writing? Songs? Poetry? And what was the urge to do that at such a young age?

I wrote about three or four songs a day. I was very homeschooled with that much free time. The urge was a combination of boredom and my instant love for doing it.

What does an eight year old write about? Did you have any inspirations or even aspirations at that time? Or was it more of an urge to be creative?

I wrote about murder, cheating, Henry VIII’s six wives, as well as nature. I’ve always had a lot of self motivation.

As you were homeschooled, did you get a chance to meet a lot of like minded people? Did you write music alone or was it with other people? How did you develop your style as you were growing up?

Yes! I came up with a band made up entirely of violins called The Nightingales. I think I was ten, and it was with three other girls. We would busk in tutus and sparkles, and we made bank!

I wouldn’t however really say that was where I found my sound, as it was more of a cover band. I grew up with parents that weren’t musical, and I didn’t listen to mainstream radio until I was about fourteen. I remember listening to the women that made Scottish folk music that would play at my summer camp.

I know you’ve travelled a lot, but you began coming on to my radar when you were still living in Australia, and I believe you started performing in public there? What made you want to perform live, and move away from more creative service to yourself?

I’ve always been performing, so it wasn’t a switch. I would do shows in diapers, violin recitals, and songs. But Australia was the first real gig type of performance I did.

Did you enjoy your first live shows? Or did you find it hard?

I always loved it. It wasn’t hard necessarily in the negative sense, I just constantly wanted to be better each show.

When was the time you started developing your aesthetic both as an artist visually and musically. You obviously have a clear vision as I see it today, but you just mentioned as a child you were singing covers in tutus. Was there a moment you remember when you made that decision? With me, I can remember those certain moments, so intrigued if you had one or was a natural move.

The change began because of film grain. I’ve always loved how it looked, but it didn’t fit with the aesthetic of where I was, and the more I ended up using grain, the darker and darker the tonality got over time. It wasn’t a harsh or momentous switch or decision, it was unnoticeable until you look back at my timeline.

"I just get super focused, and that focus can be exhausting for me."

That is a really unique point of inspiration. I know you also have a strong connection to poetry and have a lot of poets you love, and I can feel that through line with your lyrics. How do you write your songs? Do you write, then start thinking about the music, or is there another process?

I can really start from any direction. My song ‘Unattractive’ for instance started off as a poem, but most of the songs begin from production. I then either can start from scratch lyrically, or find little runaway lyrics to build from.

Do you enjoy producing your own music? Or do you have a preference to collaborate?

I love being in the lead seat in terms of production, and having a great co-producer is like having someone to dance with me.

I can feel a variety of cool inspirations from PJ Harvey, Ethel Cain, to Portishead and NIN, but that’s just my thoughts of what I am hearing from your music. Are there artists you find truly inspiring for your music and your work in general?

Well, I’ve mentioned NIN so often it’s ridiculous, I love Trent! I love alternative ‘90s. Yes, I love all those references you named. Recently I just began getting into a Deftones dive for the very first time.

Deftones are an amazing band, so worth a discovery. I can also see why you would connect with their sound. Are there people you want to collaborate with? What would be the dream?

Billie [Eilish], Taylor [Swift], Trent [Reznor].

As you have written a lot of songs over the years, has your process changed? And if so how?

Not really. I’m the same duck.

Do you plan your records out? Or are you just writing and seeing what works?

Both! I love a plan, but I also love to fuck around and around.

I know you mentioned you enjoy playing live, but how does it feel playing such personal lyrics. Your work feels very close to you, so I am intrigued how you balance that on stage.

I love playing live, but it does take a lot of mental and physical energy out of me, flushes everything out in a way.

I can imagine. I remember seeing a video of a performance of yours, where you had a gentleness with your audience. You were asking them permission to be touched, does that have something to do with the intimacy of your performance, or making them feel safe. Or is it more of a connection?

The ask for consent is for making them feel safe, the eye contact and the hand holding is for my love of human connection, as well as a need for it. Especially when I am on tour, I am separated from everyone I know, so I crave mini intimate moments with strangers.

"I crave mini intimate moments with strangers."

I love that feeling. You have been constantly touring over the last year or so. How do you prepare, and how do you translate your music to a big room?

I’ve headlined a few times before, but each time the rooms get bigger, and this specific tour feels like a massive jump for me. When I started playing live, I was used to playing empty bars, but now I am on main stage festivals. I feel I’m used to the switch of little to big stages, and I love both.

Do you ever get nervous before shows? Or to expand on that, do you get nervous or anxious when putting out new music?

I don’t get nervous anymore, I just get super focused, and that focus can be exhausting for me. Even when I used to get nervous, I’ve never been nervous when I was actually on the stage. I’ve definitely never got nervous with anything online, that world doesn’t feel real.

Are you always writing? Even on tour?

Always writing. I copy down brain drain nonsense onto pages to keep the muse happy.

I know you are very active on building worlds with small vignettes, for your audio visual story telling on socials. They seem natural, but do they come easy to you? Does the need of being active in the URL world add any stress to you creating these?

It comes naturally, I love the visual world. It’s one of the things that excites me the most.

Is there anything new inspiring you at the moment? Or something you want to do that you have not done yet?

I really want a pet ferret.