Sophia Angeles
It’s been a minute since I last featured Sophia Angeles on my blog but her new song felt like the right opportunity.
Co-written with Chelsea Balan, “The Cost of Being Perfect” touches on an important topic and I think it is so brave of Sophia for sharing her story with the world. We live in a society where we always have to look perfect and social media makes it even harder. Knowing that we are good enough just as we are is the best thing we can do for ourselves. Thank you so much Sophia for your courage and your beautiful vulnerability and thank you for this song. I know it’s going to help a lot of people.
“The Cost of Being Single” is now available worldwide :)
Hi Sophia, how are you? What have you been up to since our last conversation?
I’ve been doing great! I’ve finally started to play gigs again since Covid and it feels amazing to share my music live.
I’m really excited for my release so I’ve just been preparing while also going on lots of nature walks and hanging out with friends so I don’t get stressed out and stay positive.
"The Cost of being Perfect" is your new single - what's the story/inspiration behind this single?
This song means so much to me and I’m so happy that I’m able to release it. Since I was 10 I have struggled with body image issues. It started when I was bullied for my weight and it’s been something that has been hard to heal. When I wrote this song I was counting every calorie, body checking and I was putting so much pressure on myself to look a certain way. After months of doing this I finally crashed and to be honest I wrote this song crying on my bathroom floor. It was actually really healing to write this song and it helped me realize I needed to stop the cycle of perfectionism.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this single? Who helped you create it?
Once the song was pretty much done I brought it to one of my co-writers Chelsea Balan. I love writing with her because I feel like she understands who I am as an artist and she brings so much talent to the table! The song was produced by Lewis Fanney and post production was done by Scott Giffin (Relatable). I loved working with Lewis and Scott. They really brought the song to life and it turned out exactly how I heard it in my head.
What did you feel when writing this song?
It was a combination of pain and relief. I was reflecting on all that I had done to be “perfect” and it was hard to face. I just wanted to feel better and when I wrote the song I finally felt like I was healing the part of myself that felt like she wasn’t good enough.
What do you like the most about this song?
I love that I wrote it from such a vulnerable place. I remember writing the lyric “counting up all my calories cause I don’t fit into my jeans” and in a way it scared me to share that but I also loved that I was being 100% honest. I love the last line “I know it isn’t worth it, the cost of being perfect” because it really ties it all together. Even though I still have body image issues I can get through those thoughts and not let them control my life anymore.
What made you want to release "The cost of Being Perfect" as a single?
So many people I know have felt this feeling and sadly it is so common in society to feel this way. I knew that if I released it I could help people feel less alone and that it could really make a positive difference in the world.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
I loved working with Kylie to get the photo for the cover. Right away I knew that I wanted to be looking in a mirror because the mirror is what usually causes most of my body image issues. I wanted to capture that moment and reclaim it. I felt really beautiful doing that shoot and I had so much fun working with Kylie and my makeup artist Abby.
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
I would say the best part is reading the comments and having people reach out to me saying how they connect with my music. It’s always been my goal to create music that people relate to and it’s been surreal to have songs that have reached millions of people. I would say the hardest part is when doubts and negative thoughts come into my mind. I think with social media it’s easy to feel like you’re not doing enough and you need to be constantly putting out content but I found that if I do that I get really burnt out and I’m trying to find a healthier approach to that process.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
I think overall it’s so cool that you can release your music independently and that by posting one video or releasing a song your life can change overnight. I sometimes wonder if labels are still signing people that aren’t famous on social media. That worries me a little because there are so many people that are talented but haven’t gone viral on social media yet.
What biggest lessons have you learned since the beginning of your career?
I think when I was younger I wanted to be famous and go on a world tour and move to LA. Over time I’ve realized that I don’t have control over those things and even if I work extremely hard I have to be happy with where I am. I think as long as I keep putting out songs I love and keep moving forward, that’s success. I’m trying to enjoy the little victories more because I find that it keeps me inspired instead of just focusing on the big picture.
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