Losing someone is always difficult. Losing a partner due to an agreed incompatibility resulting in a break up is also difficult. Hey, that’s why there are so many songs about heartbreak. The question is, what about friendship breakups? Why is no one singing about what happens when you drift apart with a friend?
The 19-year-old Sody did you all a solid with ‘Charlotte.’ This track talks about lost friendship and mixed emotions. This heartbreakingly beautiful song is the first snippet of Sody’s upcoming EP, out in May.
The honest, goofy, relatable singer/songwriter admits that she always enjoyed being the center of attention. “When was I was like 3; my mum bought me a mini baby keyboard. I used to press the demo button and sing for hours over random piano loops, freestyling about how I loved my brothers and sisters, hahaha! I was always very dramatic, wanted to be the centre of attention and I’d sing for anybody that came into the house. I think from then my mum knew I was going to do some form of music in my life”, Sody paints the picture of her first contact with music.
However, the moment Sody realized music is where her heart is by watching the Disney teenage classic. “I used to watch a lot of Hannah Montana growing up. I wanted to be her! When I heard ‘The Climb,’ I think that was when I thought if Miley can do it, so can I! I remember trying to convince my family at nine that I wanted to pursue music, and here I am! I hope my 9-year-old self would be proud,” she tells.
Getting the initial push by Miley Cyrus, it is the therapeutic effects music has on Sody that kept her going all these years. “What I experience in life inspires the songs. I really struggle to write fiction. I feel my most inspired when my heart is aching, or I am super in love or annoyed about something. I’m very lucky that I have music as my therapy to get things off my chest. I listen to Dermot Kennedy a lot; I love his storytelling and the passion in his voice,” she explains.
For a 19-year-old, Sody is wise beyond her years as her lyrics capture her raw emotion in such a delicate way. Records like ‘Reason To Stay,’ ‘Maybe It Was Me,’ ‘What We Had’ prove her songwriting skills is what puts Sody on the radar. When asked about who she looks up to, she naturally said the following:
“I have always looked up to Ed Sheeran since his first album. I was 10 when + came out and I’ve learnt a lot from listening to him. I had always wanted to find a way to get the emotion across in songs but keep the melody catchy and current. His songs really helped me build confidence growing up. I also love Julia Michaels’ writing. I love how honest and relatable her lyrics are and how her style is easily recognisable (which is such an achievement!). She is extremely talented, and I would love to work with her one day”.
Sody takes us through her songwriting process and what are the essentials for a good studio session: “It always starts with the piano. I normally keep it very stripped back so we can nail the song first before any production. It really depends on the day and how inspired I’m feeling by what’s going on around me! I always bring food with me though because I’m not good when I’m hungry hahaha! I also try to put my phone away because that can easily distract your creative flow,” she reveals.
After Sody’s 4-track EP ‘I’m Sorry, I’m Not Sorry,’ she releases ‘Charlotte’; the first track out of her upcoming EP. By bringing life to such a personal story, it only says a lot about Sody’s bravery. She elaborates on the backstory of ‘Charlotte’:
“Charlotte was my best friend years ago, but we sadly drifted apart. She had reached out to me months ago, and I had all these mixed emotions. I was on a plane to LA and was looking at my notes on my phone and just wrote ‘Charlotte’. So I met up with my friend Scott and told him everything, and we wrote the song in a few hours. It was so nice to get everything off my chest and talk to someone about how I was feeling”.
Growing up in this DNAge and with the access to information teenagers and young adults have nowadays, the risk of getting onto a wrong path is high. We asked Sody what her advice for young artists is; she answers: “I’d say believe in yourself. There will be a lot of ups and downs, but just take everything as it comes. Manage your expectations, so you don’t beat yourself up. There are a lot of people wanting to do the same thing, so just focus on yourself and your art, so it’s the best it can be. If you’re happy with it, then that’s the main thing. And most importantly, stay true to yourself!”.
Besides her upcoming project, Sody also mentions her goal to collaborate and hug all her fans as soon as this chaotic time is over. “When we’re back to normality, a lot more gigs! I cannot wait to be on stage again and especially can’t wait to hug my fans again because without them I would be nothing. More music will be released over the next coming months so that’s nice to have something to look forward to! Hopefully some collaborations! That’s a goal of mine”.
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Words: Karolina Kramplova