INTERVIEW WITH ALT-POP SINGER SOFIA LAFUENTE + MUSIC PERFORMANCE


Alt-pop singer-songwriter Sofia Lafuente took time out to chat about her return to music. Her newest single is titled "Are You Listening", and in the music video Sofia sets up in a haunting and witchy. The American-born and British-raised artist also incorporates the Spanish language in the SHOR-produced track switching up her sound for the first time ever. Sofia Lafuente also prerecorded an exclusive music performance for The Reclusive Blogger of the new track ‘Are You Listening’. All of which you can watch and read below. 


THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Hi, Sofia, First off... Thanks for taking the time out and doing this. How are you doing? How has the year been for you so far? 

SOFIA LAFUENTE: I’m good! Thank you for having me. So far the year is feeling good, definitely more hopeful in terms of shows and obviously I have new music out which is always super exciting. Feels like a long time coming.

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Can you delve a little bit into your backstory as an artist? 

SOFIA LAFUENTE: Of course. I started writing songs at 13 and that was definitely my first love when it comes to music. The writing process. I had always sang but the idea of processing your emotions through melody and lyric was the thing that got me hooked. After that I wrote for myself as well as other artists before putting out my first ep Control. Then during quarantine I started integrating Spanish into my music as I was quarantining with my family there. It definitely has added a more authentic layer to this new project. 

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: You collaborated with producer SHOR on your current single "Are you listening"? Can you expound upon that experience? 

SOFIA LAFUENTE: With this song, I went into the studio with artist/producer SHOR and I played him the main ideas I’d written on the piano. Then I did the classic artist move and tried to describe this guitar led riff into a synth drop idea that I had recorded into a voice note. He patiently tried to understand what I wanted and we played around with a few different layers and ideas. He completely captured what I had in my brain.

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: How did you come up with visuals and concepts for the music video for "Are you listening"?

SOFIA LAFUENTE: I collaborated with the director (and my uncle) Enrique Lafuente. My main direction for the treatment was, “I really want to do the opposite of what would be expected, I don't want it to be romantic.” With that Enrique came back to me with the idea of two different Sofia(s). Which to me made sense because over time this song had evolved to become something that was more about my relationship with myself and the journey that has taken me on.


https://vimeo.com/697824487
SOFIA LAFUENTE


THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: "Are you listening" is also the first track off your upcoming EP? What can you tell us about that EP?

SOFIA LAFUENTE: It’s thematically probably more positive, but sonically more experimental than my last EP. I also wrote it with live shows in mind so every song has at least one real instrument in the mix of everything. A lot of the songs were written during the pandemic so I think that the confusion of everything can probably be found, but I also felt really free when writing this because I was alone for most of the initial writing stages. It’s basically my 2020/2021 diary. 

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: I read that your Mom would sing traditional Spanish Folk songs to you as a child? Do you have a favorite one? Or one that has a special memory attached? 

SOFIA LAFUENTE: Yes!! She would sing me to sleep as a kid with Pues Andáis en las Palmas, a song that’s really traditional. The melody is classic Spanish melody writing, influenced by Flamenco and Middle Eastern melodies. People don’t really know this but Spain was under Muslim rule for many years so our music is highly influenced by Middle eastern scales. Nerdy, but that’s the classic thing my mom would tell me. She’d use music as a way to teach me about culture and history. 

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: How would you say your trans-continental upbringing influences your songwriting and artistry?

SOFIA LAFUENTE: I think it probably affects my melodies in a way. I always try to reach for something that would be unexpected in traditional pop music. Spanish music has a lot of intervals and harmony that isn’t traditionally used in English or American music, so that’s definitely influenced my songs and productions in that way. 

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What was the first artist that you listened to that made you want to be an artist?

SOFIA LAFUENTE: Oof. I mean the first person I was aware of who wrote their own songs was Taylor Swift. I think I come from the generation of women that picked up guitars because of her. 

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Do you have a favorite quote that you find inspiring?

SOFIA LAFUENTE: This is going to sound weird but the first thing that came to mind is  ‘Hurt people, hurt people’. Like everyone else,I did a massive deep dive into myself during the pandemic hence ‘Habits’ ended up being the name of the project. This quote is a reminder to have accountability and deal with your shit before you bring anyone else into it. I would never want to carry my hurt or my bad experiences around in a way that hurts others, but we could all fall into that trap if we’re not careful. 

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Recommend a playlist or a podcast that you can’t get enough of lately?

SOFIA LAFUENTE: Where Should We Begin? With Esther Perel. Human relationships are fascinating to me. The way they can bring out our deepest childhood insecurities or traumas. It’s WILD. And Esther is a genius. 

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: And, lastly what’s next on the horizon for you Sofia?

SOFIA LAFUENTE: I’ll be playing at FOCUS Festival in Wales in May on The Spanish Wave stage and I’m currently planning my first headline show in London. I am so excited to finally get to play these songs live, it has been quite the build-up!


SOFIA LAFUENTE ONLINE
YOUTUBE / SPOTIFY / INSTAGRAM 


STREAM Sofia Lafuente's "Are You Listening" out now


Previous
Previous

INTERVIEW WITH... EAST LONDON POP ARTIST HARRY AND THE CHICKS

Next
Next

THE NEW MUSIC DROP: THE BEST MUSIC OF THE WEEK