SOPHIA ELIANA talks with us about dream music collabs, local music, and special moments on tour!
by Lilli Newhouse | August 6th, 2026
photo credit - Emily Warnock
Can you take us back to the beginning of your career and share what first inspired you to pursue music professionally?
I started writing music around the same time my cousin began touring with his band Whole Milk. They passed through my mom’s place several times to refresh on laundry, fresh showers, and a good night of sleep while touring through CA. I watched them spend countless hours writing songs, making merch, sending cold emails, and trekking long hours through the night. Watching them chase after their music career with so much drive was so inspiring for my teenage self who just started writing music.
Looking back on your body of work, is there a particular song that revealed something unexpected about yourself during the writing process? What made that experience so significant?
The songwriting process for my song Birds! definitely impacted how I approach my creative practice now. When I wrote that song, I was living on Mount Desert Island, Maine. On a random afternoon, I wandered through the woods and became absolutely entranced by the chirping of birds overhead. I sat for a long while listening to the birds, chiming in every so often with my own birdsong. There was so much play and curiosity woven into this moment. Since that day, I’ve spent countless hours collecting soundscape recordings; from babbling brooks to crickets to the giggles of city playgrounds. Playfulness, quiet moments in nature, and birds have become some of my greatest songwriting mentors!
Is there a piece in your catalog that you feel has been consistently misunderstood or interpreted differently than you originally intended? How do you view those interpretations?
I initially wrote ”Pears & Honey” as a love letter to the moon, but I’ve had countless couples run up to me after shows to tell me that the lyricism relates to their own romantic relationships. I once had a couple show me a handmade Valentine’s card they made for their partner that included “Pears & Honey” lyrics on the envelope. It absolutely melted my heart! It is such a privilege to have my songs woven into the lives of others.
Throughout your career, have you ever chosen to disregard conventional advice or industry expectations? If so, how did that decision ultimately shape your artistic journey?
While I was in music school, I was often told that finding my "niche" was the recipe for success. And while I see the beauty in dedicating oneself to a single medium, that philosophy never quite resonated with me. My songs simply would not exist without the exploration of dance, painting, floristry, and countless other creative practices!
Was there a defining moment or experience that fundamentally transformed your creative vision or the direction of your artistry?
I once had a therapist give me the homework of sitting still for three minutes every day. I found this practice to be extremely hard at first, as I can be a pretty busybody. However, during one of those three minute meditations, I spotted a praying mantis on my front porch. That tiny encounter ended up inspiring so much of Glitter Bug. Over time, I've come to realize that some of my favorite lyrics are already right in front of me - or just beneath my feet. I just have to sit still long enough to notice them.
As your career has evolved, how has your understanding of success changed, both personally and professionally?
photo credit -Jo Babb
My collaboration with Sound Affects Music, the Fort Collins–based nonprofit organization that brings live local music to facility-bound adults, has drastically altered my perspective on success as a musician. Over the past few years, I have had the immense pleasure of performing for residents at Mapleton Post Acute Care. Sometimes success as a professional musician looks like singing hours of Sinatra in a residential cafeteria and witnessing “Fly Me To The Moon” unlock fond memories.
During a live performance, what is a moment or interaction that audiences rarely notice but holds particular meaning for you as an artist?
There’s a song I wrote during my recent EU/UK tour called “Tunnel Vision” that gives me tummy butterflies to perform. I wrote the guitar melody during a residency in Arnøya at Starlight and Storm, and finished the lyrics on a solo drive through the Lofoten Islands. Although the song wanders thematically, there’s a line in there about my girl that goes “I’m no bird for you, even when I fly away” and it makes me smile every time I sing it.
From your perspective, what conversations within today's music industry deserve greater attention or more meaningful dialogue?
I wish that there was more conversation around alternative ways to market music, totally independent from social media. There is something so emotionally draining about spending so much time pouring your heart and soul into a song, just for it to end up on a tiny grid of white squares.
If you had the opportunity to reshape one aspect of the modern music industry, what would you change, and why?
Local music is where the magic is at, baby! My sister and I just started hosting house shows in the past few months, and it has been such an incredible way to meet neighbors and build a true sense of community. The connections I’ve gained from plopping blankets down in my yard and sticking a microphone on the front porch is just unreal. The first house show I ever attended was hosted by the Denver-based band, Clementine Is Right. I’ll never forget the magic I felt at their show - people wove through their home with potluck-style snacks in their hands and went absolutely buckwild cheering on the performers. I witnessed this same sort of electric camaraderie at Blucifer’s First Rodeo and it’s just so wonderful to see.
How do you navigate the balance between remaining authentic to your artistic vision while also meeting the expectations of your audience and the evolving music landscape?
I love sharing snippets of new music at shows and I’ve found that to be a really cool way to get a feel for whether songs resonate with people. Although I’m sure my music style and taste will change throughout the years, I can promise that my heart will always be in the art.
When you reflect on your career, what lasting impact or legacy do you hope your music will leave on listeners and future generations of artists?
I hope that my music inspires others to embrace the messier parts of themselves.
If you could collaborate with any artist past or present, who would you choose, and what kind of creative project do you envision the two of you bringing to life together?
I absolutely adore Anna Tivel and would be over the moon to collaborate with her one day. I dream of running through a field with Anna someday in a costume as gloriously bizarre as her papier-mâché eyeball helmets in her “Disposable Camera” music video.
After years of time spent in the industry and plenty of interviews and conversations about your work, what is one question you wish people would ask more often, and how would you answer it?
I would love to know whether musicians have pre show rituals. It’s a bit silly, but I love to eat a hard boiled egg before I go on stage. It’s the perfect protein kick and it really helps balance my adrenaline. I want to know how other artists prepare for their shows…do they wear lucky underwear or have similarly silly rituals that get them in the right headspace?
If your life were represented by a soundtrack outside of your own discography, which three songs would best capture your journey, and what significance does each hold for you?
The first song I’d choose would have to be “Heart Of Glass” by Blondie. Sometimes all I really need is a 4 minute dance party in the kitchen, and this song does the trick every time. The second song would be Mountain Man’s cover of Ted Lucas’ “Baby Where You Are.” The three-part harmonies absolutely melt me into a puddle on the floor. I used to listen to this song nonstop while living in upstate NY on my aunt and uncle’s farm. I would blast this song and roll around in their garlic patch like a happy caterpillar. Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Julia Jacklin. “Ignore Tenderness” cracks my chest right open. Her music has really inspired me to be as honest as I can with my storytelling.
We know that you recently spent time in Europe on tour. Is there a particular experience, encounter, or story from those travels that has stayed with you and continues to influence you personally or creatively?
photo credit -Jo Babb
The beginning of my Europe tour began with a Creative Group Residency at Starlight and Storm in Arnøya, Norway. It was there that I met Hannah and Joe Talbert. They were kind stewards of Singla, the homestead where the residency took place. I remember my first interaction with their family so vividly. Hannah, and her son Ely, greeted our cohort at a ferry dock and whisked us back to Singla. We barraged them with questions, while simultaneously ogling at the teal-colored fjords outside their car windows. Once we reached Singla, Joe greeted us with a warm smile and a pot of delicious fish stew. We gathered around the dinner table and discussed our intentions for the week ahead. I sat beside their sweet family, among Christine the watercolorist, Sam the novelist, Sarah the printmaker, and Sophie the filmmaker. With immense excitement, Hannah and Joe expressed total sureness that each of their dreams for the week was possible. A few days into the residency, I expressed interest in dancing on a partially collapsed pier off the shore of Singla. Without thinking twice, Joe offered to paddle a ladder out to the pier so I could safely climb to the top. The following days included moments very similar to this - Joe and Hannah stood beside us with open arms, generously offering their home as a sanctuary for creative exploration and their patient minds as soundboards. A few weeks following the residency, I received a call from Sophie informing me that Joe passed away in a tragic accident. I struggle to wrap my mind around it all, let alone try to put words to something so horrendous, but I feel incredibly grateful to have crossed paths with a family so kind and beautiful. Thank you Hannah and Joe for showing me how easy it is to dream when we’re dreaming together.