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'Eat, fuck and do music' - Sophia Mina on her survival guide to life
RnB/Hip Hop | Friday 23rd March 2018 | Grace
London born Sophia Mina is next biggest thing on the pop and rnb scene. She tells us all about her new single, 'Fly', and how she came to be where she is today.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Well, I’m a singer and songwriter as you already know. I’m half Greek Cypriot half Chinese and I have a King Charles Cavalier named Jazz!
How would you sum yourself up in three words?
Confident, Charismatic and Crazy!
What was your first thought this morning?
Shall I do 200 crunches or eat something that I shouldn’t really be eating for breakfast.
Which part of London are you from and what was it like growing up there?
I’m from North London, so I’d say it’s very multicultural with loads of different types of food places. It’s pretty busy in the streets and stuff, so I’d say you have to definitely keep your eyes and ears open. But, it’s also such a bait place you’ll definitely always bump into somebody you know from somewhere.
What is it that you love about pop and rnb?
The melodies they’re so catchy and just seem to make sense to me. The vocal tones and harmonies [and] the way the fit everything together just seems right and so effortless.
How did you get into doing your thing?
Well, I’ve always sung, acted or danced from young going to stage schools and being in the school musicals and stuff. I always had it in me to perform. Then in my final year of drama school, I started writing and thought “I’m really good at this”. The summer prior to my final year, I was working with a producer that didn’t really see me as a singer. I was more of a writer to him and he didn’t wanna give me recording time or anything anymore. He didn’t mind me working with him as a “writer” though. So, I thought “well. if he’s not going to help me anymore, I’m going to have to get better on my instruments, so I could write on my own”. Then I went to music school and started working more with producer writers and it went on from there really.
Tell us about your latest single, 'Fly'.
This is a song about breaking through barriers that the world can put up all around you, trying to make you conform and fit into society and then breaking through that and doing you regardless because your happiness is what’s worth living for.
What influences your music and lyrics?
Lyrically, most of the time it’s a particular situation that I may be going through at the time or have been through in the past. I have to always put some sort of truth in my lyrics because that way I stay true to myself and my listeners. Melodies I tend to just come up with automatically to music and they will most likely have that 90s feel to them!
What makes you stand out from everyone else?
The fact that I’m actually quite a versatile writer/ artist. I love my pop and have a lot of amazing summary / feel good songs. However, I have much darker stuff like Venom, my first EP, and stuff that you haven’t even heard before which is more suited to films/soundtracks. There’s definitely a lot more to me than just pop and you will see that throughout the journey of my career.
What has been your proudest moment?
Probably when I got my first number 10 in the music week chart.
How would you like to change the world?
I would like to help the world, become more expressive through art, music, movement and poetry etc. I feel like these are such good ways to channel one's energies and emotions and as people, we have so much to give to the world, so we should really start giving more and spreading the love.
What’s your survival guide to life?
Eat, fuck and do music, and then find someone you can do that with. If that’s possible, (laughs) am I allowed to say that?
What has 2018 got in store for you?
I have a few music videos dropping this year, wrapping up my album, my official EP launch party shows and so much more.
What is your life motto?
Celebrate each day as a new beginning. This is actually a quote from Rituals and their Ritual of Sakura Line. But, it’s so true, because if you do this you’ll constantly let go of the past and be ready in the present, which I sometimes have to remind myself.
Where can we follow what you are up to?
My go to is Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud or Twitter and www.sophiamina.com
