Chicago – This May, eighteen year-old U.K. singer-songwriter Sofia Donavan not only finished her first year of college, she also released the EP Left to the Clouds, filled with plenty of country, folk, and pop. Even more surprising: this isn’t her first EP! While in high school, a teacher took notice of Sofia after hearing “Soldier’s Letter,” off her debut EP The Square One, and encouraged her to pursue music professionally. So Sofia landed herself a manager and began her journey as a working musician. Best New Bands caught up with Sofia to talk about her musical journey, her travels down South, and of course, her wonderful EP Left to the Clouds.
You have an amazing voice! At what age did you realize you were a vocal powerhouse? And when did you start thinking about singing professionally?
Wow, thank you! When I was eight, I started singing in musicals and shows at school, and that’s when I saw I was good at it. That’s when I started taking singing lessons. I’ve continued from there. I’d say I started taking it seriously as a career when I was around fourteen, when I really started getting into song writing.
I know you grew up in London, but were you born there or in the States?
I was born in New York, and I lived to Madrid for awhile, too. My mother is Spanish and my dad is American. I grew up around Europe, but now I’m back in the U.S. for college.
I guess that explains why you have quite the love for Americana and country music. Did you grow up listening to both genres?
I actually grew up listening to 70s songwriters, like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. That’s what my parents played in the house. Around eleven or twelve, I loved Taylor Swift. She was who I wanted to be, so I looked up people she was influenced by, and that’s when I discovered country. It was really funny because growing up in London, I wasn’t able to access that much country music, obviously, and so going to record this EP in Alabama was amazing! To have access to real country music and Americana was something I never had in London.
I was going to ask about that! Coming down to the Bible Belt, did you feel at home?
It was very weird. Yeah, I can honestly say that it was a place I had never been before. I had never been to the South, but I just loved it! I had the best time, and everyone who was part of the project was amazing, professional, and just incredibly nice people. I learned a lot about [country] music and new artists I had never heard of before, having grown up in Europe.
What was the recording process like for Left to the Clouds?
I went to my producer – she has a studio in Birmingham, Alabama – so that’s where I went. I went there for about two weeks. I spent around ten days, all hours of the day, in the studio. I had the best time!
What inspired “Note To Tennessee?”
This song – it’s funny because a lot of people think this is a love song, and it is actually a love song, in a sense – I wrote it about the moment when I realized I really wanted to pursue being a musician and how hard it was to get there. I had this idea of writing a love story, as if it was a musician writing a love song to Nashville, Tennessee; that unconditional love you have to have as a musician to keep going, keep trying your hardest, without having any guarantee that you’re going to make it.
Speaking of Tennessee, I read you’ll be traveling to Nashville soon. What are your plans for the Country Capitol?
I’m very excited. I’m going at the end of June to play a few shows and meet a bunch of writers.
Will that be your first time?
Yeah! So I’m very excited!
Awesome! Hopefully you’ll tweet out and Instagram us some photos of your adventures!
Definitely!
My favorite track on your EP is “Rare As Gold.” Will you tell me about this song?
I was incredibly inspired The Civil Wars when I was writing for this project. Their newest album, the way it was so dark, and the Americana behind it was something that I wanted to explore. I started writing with the idea in my mind that I wanted to write something that created a picture, an image. I wanted to work with images of cowboys and travelers. When I first started writing, I didn’t really have an idea in mind, just a sound I wanted to emulate, so that’s how it started. Then the story, for me it’s about letting yourself go and not keeping control of your emotions. Travelers and nomads and such, it’s just that, that free lifestyle.
You can follow Sofia’s travels on facebook, instagram, and twitter and stay up to date on upcoming shows. Left to the Clouds is available for purchase on iTunes.
Sarah Hess
After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.
You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.
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