Embracing Imperfections through Music with Sophia Yau-Weeks

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Transcript

Opening

Wren 0:05

You're listening to Magical Moments with Music, the podcast where we share stories about the power of music and how it changes us for good. You'll get to hear how real people use music to express themselves, connect with others, find joy, and so much more.

About Sophia

Wren 0:32

Thanks for tuning in to today's episode. I'm your host, Wren, and today we will be talking with Sophia Yau -Weeks. Sophia is a singer-songwriter based out of Oakland, California, and is celebrating the upcoming release of her debut record, Misty Mountain. After a COVID infection left them immunocompromised, Sophia went through a period of isolation, leading her to reflect on her past, present, and future through music. As a singer-songwriter, Sophia uses their emotive voice, candid lyricism, and a timeless indie folk sound to explore themes of love, grief, trauma, resilience, and collectivism. I first had the pleasure of meeting Sophia in 2018 when we worked together at Camp Krem, a summer camp for kids and adults with developmental disabilities. I was the music director and I was honored to get to watch Sophia be an absolute rockstar camp counselor. And ever since I have loved getting to see her grow as a musician. Thank you so much, Sophia, for joining today.

Sophia 1:38

Thank you so much. I'm really happy to chat

Magical Moment with Music

Sophia 1:41

with you.

Wren 1:41

Let's get into it. First off, I would love to hear about a magical moment with music that you've had.

Sophia 1:48

Yeah, this one I was like racking my brain because I've had so many magical moments with music. Um, but I thought of one that happened recently. Um, for my birthday, my my mom found an old karaoke machine that was like in our basement. And I was like, wait, I need to have a karaoke birthday party. I don't have a lot of opportunities where people ask me to sing or play music, um, even though I love it and I'm quite obnoxious about singing wherever I go, um, which is maybe why people don't always ask. So I had so much fun just belting with my sister, doing tons of old Disney Camp Rock songs that no one wanted to hear. And shortly after that, my mom asked us to sing over Christmas for my godfather and my grandpa, and we sang some of their favorite songs, and they just resonated with the music so much, and it reminded me how connective music can be. Um, and so those were really special moments that I had recently with music that felt a little more spontaneous um and just like heartfelt and low pressure.

Wren 3:18

I love that. I love the the two aspects that jumped out to me was that nostalgia factor with the karaoke machine, and then exactly what you said, that really beautiful connective aspect of music. I love that. What is your what's your go-to karaoke song?

Sophia 3:35

Ooh, uh, so hard. I feel like I usually default to Fleetwood Mac. Like maybe Silver Springs, kind of gut-wrenching, or maybe some black-eyed peas. Um, yeah, so kind of depends on the mood.

Wren 3:53

Oh, yeah, absolutely. You have to read the crowd, yeah, exactly.

Sophia 3:57

Although sometimes I seem to ignore it entirely and just do my own thing, like old One Direction.

Wren 4:04

Oh. Yeah, of course. Speaks for itself.

Sophia 4:10

Yeah, exactly. Not much more to

Concert Memories

Sophia 4:12

add there.

Wren 4:13

Uh well, you uh you mentioned Fleetwood Mac, and that has been one of the concerts that you've been to. You've seen some really amazing artists. Um, you mentioned Yusuf/ Cat Stevens, Stevie Wonder, and Fleetwood Mac, all incredible musicians and performers. What is a memory from one of these shows that you will never forget?

Sophia 4:36

Oh, it's so hard. Each concert is really distinct to me in my mind, mostly because of who I went with. Um, like I saw Fleetwood Mac with my mom, I saw Kat Stevens with my partner, and Stevie Wonder with a group of my friends from college. Um, so in those ways, they stand out to me based on like who I spent um my time with at those shows, but I just remember having like such an overwhelming feeling of emotion seeing songs that I love so much live. I don't know, there's like a way that the music resonates through your body um when experiencing live music. Um, yeah, I think Stevie Wonder, I I remember dancing so much. Um, I had so much fun. I remember someone behind me got mad at me for dancing too much.

Wren 5:34

What? It's it's a Stevie Wonder concert. What else are you gonna do?

Sophia 5:39

Right? Um, yeah, this like older couple was like, who is this young kid dancing so much? Um, so that that stands out for me from that concert. Fleetwood Mac was like one of the first shows I went to with my mom. This was like pre-pandemic. Um, and after that, we started trying to make it a tradition to go to shows together, although we don't do that as much anymore because of COVID. But I yeah, it was really special to get to experience that with my mom. And Cat Stevens I saw in Berlin.

Wren 6:16

Wow.

Sophia 6:17

Especially at this outdoor venue, um, when I was living in London, we like made a whole trip out of it. Um, and yeah, I just remember like one word into him singing, I was like already crying. Um so sorry, I gave you the long-winded answer because I couldn't choose one concert to describe, but yeah, they were all super special.

Wren 6:39

I love that, and I love that um for Cat Stevens, you traveled. I think one of my favorite concert memories, I traveled, I drove like five hours to go see um to go see Laufey with the Cleveland Orchestra. Um, and we did it all in one day, which big mistake, but it was so worth it. It was so worth it. So, I mean, after traveling, just to see someone so special and have that experience is so incredible.

Music through Sophia's Life

Wren 7:10

So it sounds like live music has definitely played a really special part of your relationship with music. How else have you connected to music throughout your life?

Sophia 7:20

Ooh, well, I feel like I've always had a relationship with music in some capacity. I grew up listening to a lot of music. I feel like as a kid, or even a baby, like when I see baby videos of myself, there's always music playing. Um, so I feel like in that way, music has always been a through line. I started playing violin when I was really young. Like, I think I was four when I started playing violin. Um, and so that kind of complicated my relationship with music. Like, I've always been a lover of music, but playing classical violin, I felt a lot of pressure to just perform and meet and meet certain standards, I guess. Um so for a long time, music in some ways was associated with anxiety, um, specifically like performance anxiety. Um, I also like sang in the church choir. I I feel like I was the annoying kid who was like harmonizing to the radio in the back seat, you know? Um, so I feel like I've just always been surrounded by music in some way. Um I feel like my relationship with music started to change as I got older. I in high school was like part of orchestras, and being in an orchestra can feel so magical because you just have this feeling of being a part of something bigger, um, and that can feel super powerful and also relieves that like pressure of performance when there's like diffusion of attention.

Wren 9:02

Absolutely

Sophia 9:02

So that aspect of playing violin I I actually enjoyed a lot, um, but I never really saw myself as a musician in a creative way, I guess. Um so it wasn't until college where I was like picking up guitar to learn covers. Um, and that was probably around the time um that we met. I I was like starting to slowly pick up acoustic guitar and play a little bit more, and then music felt a lot more freeing for me and became more of a creative outlet. So I guess my relationship with it has shifted over time, but has always been a through line.

Wren 9:47

When you talked about that, like that magical aspect of playing in an orchestra, I felt that so deeply. I think there's something so so special about uh everyone tapping in to the here and now together. And then so kind of your introduction to music was more uh associated with like a group of people playing with other people. Uh, what was it like uh transitioning from more group music making to doing covers, making your own music, having music be more of a solo experience?

Sophia 10:26

At the beginning of like learning covers and slowly starting to write my own songs, it was the first time that music felt like a choice for me. I don't know that that's specific to it being like an individual experience, but rather just having more agency in adulthood. When I was young, it was like I just played music because I was told to. I didn't really feel like I had a choice in the matter, which is part of the reason why I resented it. I mean, even like going to orchestra practices, despite enjoying that like feeling of playing in a huge orchestra, I would, you know, I was complaining every time I was like on the way to practice. Um, so in that way, I I finally felt like I was choosing music. Um, and it kind of opened up the possibilities of music for me. Um, and once I started writing songs, I was like, whoa, I can process my emotions this way. This is amazing, like mind blown. Um, and then yeah, once I wrote a song, I was like, wait, I want to keep doing this. This is great. And then yeah, I've just been doing it since.

Wren 11:47

What was your first song about?

Sophia 11:50

Oh, well, it was of course about a breakup.

Wren 11:54

Of course.

Sophia 11:56

Yeah, so um yeah, had a breakup. I was it was like the start of lockdown, so I had a lot of time on my hands, more time than I had ever had, which is um a privilege that I um wasn't having to work at that time. I mean, I was doing some online classes because I was still in college, but um yeah, I just had a lot of time to process the isolation, the feelings, and you know, I think like so many songwriters have modeled breakup songs for me. So I naturally was like, Well, I guess this is what you do. It was like my first breakup, so I was like, This is the natural progression, right? I'm supposed to write a song about this. Um, so that's how it happened. And yeah, I was like, that felt really good. I'm gonna keep writing songs.

Wren 12:55

When you went into writing that first song, were you thinking about the fact that you would probably feel better after, or was it more just I'm writing this breakup song?

Sophia 13:06

I think it was a little more of I'm writing this breakup song. I mean, it does feel so cathartic, and I figured it would have that effect um in some ways, like similar to journaling. Uh, but I think, yeah, in some ways I had a little bit of like attitude around it. I'm gonna write this, you know.

Wren 13:30

I get it, absolutely. So since writing this breakup song and realizing how cathartic music was, how intentional have you been in your music writing about that aspect of catharsis?

Sophia 13:46

Mmh I feel like after that I had sort of that aha moment of this is an amazing way for me to process my thoughts and emotions. So I think most of my songs since that I've written have been about processing life moments as they happen, or maybe like things of the past that I never got the chance to process. Um, so I think that kind of cathartic aspect is really relevant in a lot of my music making when I go to write songs. I've taken a couple of songwriting classes where they have prompts, and I think those are maybe the only instances where I I deviate from that intention. Um to like, I don't know, write in a cathartic way or in a therapeutic way for myself. Um but a lot of the the songs on the record, I wrote from a place of like needing to process something. Um, so in that way, writing has been really useful to me.

Wren 14:56

Yeah, and I think it's it feels so apparent and so relatable in your music too, from what I have gotten to hear from the new album and from your music past, uh just how like honest and authentic that is. And I think that it you're tapping into something that so many people are are looking for.

Sophia 15:19

Thank you.

Wren 15:22

So you started writing songs at the beginning of the pandemic. Um before that, was that when you were starting to perform? Um, what does that timeline look like for you?

Sophia 15:39

Yeah, I didn't actually start performing until like the pandemic had already started. So I had never performed, at least as like a singer or songwriter prior to the pandemic. Um, so before that, I was really only recording covers and like posting them to Instagram occasionally. Um so I I started playing, I don't know, maybe when like some of the lockdown stuff was like lifted and I had moments of um, I guess falling for the the propaganda around the not that the pandemic was totally over, but I played some outdoor shows um that people had connected me with um and started playing more live music after that. Um but as you mentioned, I got COVID confirmed for the first time in 2023 and after that became immunocompromised. So I was getting sick so frequently that I just I was like, I can't keep playing. And my understanding of COVID at that time was it just wasn't what it is now. So, you know, I was like wearing a mask to all of my shows, but I was unmasking to perform, and I just didn't really understand how transmission worked. I just there were a lot of gaps in my knowledge. So after I started developing health issues, I kind of went down this rabbit hole of what's going on with my body, and then learning so much all at once, um, and was like overwhelmed with the grief, the reckoning with the harm that I might have caused, um, so many things all at once, and also having to rethink my relationship with music. I think I had like a lot of ambitions of playing live and like connecting with audiences because that was something I had never gotten to do before the pandemic either. Um, and yeah, at the time, maybe like early 2024, I thought I'm never playing again. Like this is just never gonna happen. I had a couple of mask required shows in London, but masking is not um as widely accepted as it is here in the Bay Area, so it was really challenging, and I was just like ready to give up any live music playing altogether. And slowly, since moving back to the Bay Area, I've been able to meet a handful of other musicians who are still um taking precautions around illness and COVID and have some really successful mask required shows. So, yeah, things feel a lot hope more hopeful now than they did a couple of years ago. But my journey around playing live music has, yeah, come in waves.

Wren 18:48

And you've you've been a part of mask required shows since then. What was that experience like for you? Like what did that mean to you to be a part of that?

Sophia 18:56

Yeah, I mean, it makes things feel possible again. Um, kind of like I was explaining, I kind of had like a doom and gloom kind of feeling around what life would look like in music and otherwise. I was just like, how am I going to live a fulfilling life? Um, because I felt so isolated and ostracized. And I had, you know, a couple of those mask required shows in London, which were okay. One of them was really unsuccessful, and another one was better. And I was like, you know, I can create the community or environment that I want. It requires more labor, it's inconvenient, but like if I really want it, I can create it. And yeah, I just slowly was connected with more online communities, and now that I've met so many amazing people who still are implementing masking at events and like are invested in community care, it it feels so awesome. Um, and yeah, it's just filled me up so much to be able to perform and also like connect with people who are like I haven't been able to feel safe at a show or see live music in insert duration of time. Um, so that feels really awesome too to be able to provide a space where people can enjoy music and feel safe at the same time. Because like I've had so many amazing experiences with live music, and I think everyone deserves to have access to that.

Wren 20:44

Yeah, absolutely. Everyone deserves to enjoy live music, it's such an important part of experiencing music for so many people. And I I still remember how I felt when I first I think it was actually one of your either a show you shared or that you were a part of um on social media that was masks required. And I remember that feeling of hope that I felt when I saw that and I was like, oh my gosh, this can still happen. And uh I live in the Midwest, and there's not as much of a culture around masking as there is um in the Bay Area, but regardless, it it really opened my eyes to you know what can be possible. So I appreciate you and your advocacy online for that. Um I myself am someone who continues to mask and take precautions. Um I care so deeply about community, especially disabled community, and making music for everyone is so important.

Sophia 21:56

Thank you for saying that. That means a lot, and I really hope that you're able to find community where you are because yeah, you deserve that.

Wren 22:06

Yeah. Well, I mean, like what you said, I mean, it's inconvenient, it takes a lot of labor, but we can create that space. And I think that gives me a lot of hope and also makes me excited too. Like it's daunting, but it's like someday I'm gonna get to do the special music stuff that I want to do and feel safe doing that.

Sophia 22:31

Totally. It's possible.

Wren 22:33

It's possible.

Behind the Album: Misty Mountain

Wren 22:35

So you started writing your album during that experience of isolation after COVID. When did you realize that this was something that was going to be bigger than just songs and that it was going to be an album?

Sophia 22:54

Yeah, well, once I started writing songs, I started feeling the pressure of releasing music. And I was noticing how frequently people were releasing music, and I started to get sucked into that feeling of I'm behind. I need to, in order to truly be a musician, I need to release X number of singles and this amount of time. And I kind of had to catch myself and be like, whoa, wait, we're not gonna get in this doom cycle of productivity and perfectionism that I've experienced before. Um so I knew that I wanted to eventually release an album and be really intentional about it and not rush myself into writing and releasing music. So when I moved to London, I told myself I'm gonna write as many songs as I want, as many songs as I can. And by the end of my time there, I'll see how much I've created, and if it feels like a strong body of work, I'll whittle it down into an album. And so that's basically what I did. I was just really intentional about setting aside time to write, um, which was really important. And yeah, I feel like I was writing a song every week, a song every other week. Um, and eventually I just had a load of songs and I sent them to my sister, I sent them to a couple of my friends, and was like, let me know what you think about these. And from there, based on their comments and my own intuition around some of the songs, I was able to put it together into an album. So there wasn't really a through line or like a theme or a concept for the album, it kind of just naturally came together. So in that way, it kind of feels like a snippet of like my journal or diary from a given chunk of time.

Wren 25:05

Yeah, I love that. Yeah, just like a I don't know, almost like a a musical memory, a musical photo of that time and frame in your life.

Sophia 25:23

Totally, yeah, that's what it feels like.

Wren 25:26

So you had written all of these songs by yourself, and then when you put it into an album, all of a sudden you're working with other musicians, producers. What was that experience like opening up your music to other people?

Sophia 25:44

Yeah, um, so the producer that I worked with on my album, I had worked on a few songs with her prior. So there was already some established trust there. And I just really respect her as an artist. Um, working with a woman too I've just automatically felt more comfortable um having my music in her hands just because I felt like respected by her, um, which is awesome. And um yeah, so there's a lot of trust involved, and yeah, I just knew that she was so talented. I was able to express what I wanted sonically from the album and have her translate that pretty seamlessly when co-producing with me. And in the studio, we brought in a handful of session musicians who helped expand my songs. I think it helps in some ways that I feel like such a novice because I feel like anything added to my songs by people with I don't know, such amazing musicality just like automatically feels great to me. Um so in that way, I just feel like I was able to let go in some regards um while still being able to like express myself comfortably in terms of like what I wanted and what I didn't want production-wise. Um, but yeah, I I feel really happy and proud with how the songs turned out.

Wren 27:21

I love that you were able to just trust the pe- the musicians around you, your producer, and just surrender to the process.

Sophia 27:33

Yeah, that's part of like, I don't know, I guess I've been so perfectionistic for a long time, and with this album, I really wanted to just let go.

Wren 27:44

Yeah.

Sophia 27:44

And and let it unfold naturally and organically.

Wren 27:49

Yeah. I know that you recorded this analog to tape. Uh first, can you explain what that means?

Sophia 27:58

Yeah, so I'll do my best to describe. So when you're recording analog, the direct imprint of the audio is going on to magnetic tape. Whereas when you're recording digitally, it the electrical signals from like that are going through the microphone are being translated through binary code. Um, so in that way, that's like how it's technically different. I would say when you're recording analog, there is an added warmth, and that can be due to some imperfections, like maybe the hiss of the tape machine. And when you're recording digitally, I would say there's maybe like more clarity or um more opportunity to be precise. For example, you can like edit things more easily or punch in your vocals, you know, like you could realistically create a song and like record every word independently, um, which is a lot harder to do when you're working on a tape machine. Um so yeah, recording analog was also kind of part of the ethos that I was trying to carry through the album of embracing imperfection and um like the singularity of each take, and not being able to be so nitpicky and going back and being like, can we redo this word and this word, and can I rephrase this? And embracing what I did in the moment, and that that's good enough. Um so that felt really special, and I feel really lucky to have had access to recording to tape. It can be really expensive, but I was lucky enough that the um studio that I recorded at offers it for free as long as you let the next artist like record over your tape reel. Um so yeah, it was the first time I got to record analog, and I was super happy with the way it came out.

Wren 30:07

That's so cool. What was it like for you in the studio when you did have moments of perfectionism coming up?

Sophia 30:16

Yeah, I feel like um my producer Maryam is able to keep me in check because I'll be like, wait, I think the way I said this was a little pitchy or the phrasing was weird, or you know, insert criticism. And I think there were moments where she would say, like, yeah, we can redo that, or no, I that I feel confident in the take that you got. And I felt like I was able to trust that and and let go a little. So that kind of level of like validation and trust helped me to not be in my head so much. And there were moments where I was in my head, um, and you know, was like, okay, calm down, it's okay. This doesn't need to be perfect, you're having fun. Um, but for the most part, it felt like just a really organic, freeing experience, and felt pretty low pressure, honestly, despite the the time constraints of being in the studio and having to record X amount each day.

Wren 31:28

Yeah, I mean, a lot of that really speaks to just how important a team that you really trust and respect really is. Because I know you said that you really respect your producer as an artist, and you know you can trust what she says.

Sophia 31:45

Yeah, totally. It it really matters. I had a mix of um musicians that I became friends with or like connected with while I was in London, and it really makes a difference how those people make you feel about yourself and your music. Like when you feel like you're a peer who's respected and people like see you as an equal, you're able to like let go and just perform freely. But when someone, I don't know, I feel like in some ways, especially when I was playing with men, I started to feel like I was a project, or like, you know, especially being like that I'm a new musician in some ways, or like it's my first time playing guitar live or writing songs. Um, sometimes it can feel condescending, or I remember, sorry, I'm like going on a tangent here, but I remember there being a show that I played, and afterwards this guy was like, that was so cute. And I was like, what? What did you just say to me?

Wren 32:53

Excuse me?

Sophia 32:54

No, I know, and like I, you know, my songs, I at least in my opinion, can be quite vulnerable. And I'm like bearing my soul. Mind you, I also like have horrible performance anxiety, and then for someone to tell me it was cute! Um, yeah, so there were a handful of moments like that when I was in London that gave me clarity in terms of the types of musicians I wanted to surround myself with.

Wren 33:24

Yeah. Oh my gosh. I can't, I've never once listened to your music and thought, oh cute. I think, I think, wow, how what a what an honor to get to to hear a part of Sophia's heart.

Sophia 33:38

Like the audacity.

Wren 33:41

Oh my gosh.

Sophia 33:42

It made me think like, has anyone ever said that to a male musician getting off the stage? I don't know. Yeah.

Wren 33:51

Doubt it.

Sophia 33:52

I know. I was like, that felt very gendered.

Wren 33:56

Yeah. Oh my gosh. Yeah, that really speaks to uh finding the right people and staying away from the wrong people because the the music industry is filled with some of the most incredible creative people, and then some people who let that get to their head and have such a huge ego problem. And I'm so glad that for this project in particular, you were able to find musicians that like really see you as an artist and are committed to using their skills to bring your art alive.

Sophia 34:35

Thank you. Yeah, I'm I'm lucky. I'm very lucky.

Wren 34:40

So, what are you doing to celebrate this huge accomplishment of putting out your first record?

Sophia 34:49

Yeah, so I am going to be having a record release show that's happening in San Francisco. It's a mask required show happening at the Four Star Theater on Friday, April 3rd, which is also the release date of the record. Um, I also am releasing the album on vinyl and CD. Um, I'm working with a label in the Bay Area called LavaSocks, and they are putting out the physical release, which I'm so excited about. I feel like I've always dreamed of having my music as physical media, so that feels really special. And my gosh, I'm like, what else? I honestly feel like I'm just gonna like take a rest.

Wren 35:39

Yeah, I mean, you deserve it after all of your hard work.

Sophia 35:43

Yeah, it's funny being an independent musician, you're wearing so many hats. Um, and I feel like I haven't really written much music in the last year because I've been so focused on this release. So I'm also excited to start writing again and having time to do

Behind the Title Track

Sophia 36:01

that.

Wren 36:02

Well, I have loved talking about your music, but I am ready to listen to some of it. Um, so Sophia has shared some voice memos behind the title track single Misty Mountain. So we're gonna start with a recording of birds that you use as part of the opening to the song. Before we listen, can you set the scene for us when you recorded these birds?

Sophia 36:31

Yes. Um, it's actually not as scenic as you would think. I actually just recorded a voice memo on my phone outside outside of my apartment. Um, and it's funny because you don't realize how many city sounds you're taking in on the daily. It was really hard to get a take that didn't have the sound of like an airplane overhead or construction or a car driving by. So I just staked out outside of my apartment and recorded for a bit. Um, but I was able to capture some lovely bird sounds.

Wren 37:29

All right, I'm curious. Listening back to that, were you t- like transported to that moment?

Sophia 37:36

Oh my gosh, a little bit. And I was like, okay, this is kind of meditative. I should listen to this more often. Yeah, I wanted it to be kind of like an introduction to the album, because it's the the first song on the record. Um, yeah, I wanted it to kind of transport the listener.

Wren 37:56

So the next track that we're gonna listen to is a little snippet from the song Misty Mountain. Uh, can you tell us a little bit about this song? How it came to be?

Sophia 38:09

Yeah, so the song I wrote it as I do most of my songs, um, just like in my bedroom, kind of mumbling over chords and um recording voice memos. So what you'll hear is the first like full voice memo of the song that I that I recorded on the day that I was writing it. And it's about being in relationship with someone who is grounding as someone who has experienced multiple mental health conditions. Um, so it's kind of this metaphor of like someone temporarily even kind of like bringing you to a grounding place from um being in kind of like a foggy state of mind.

Sophia 39:01

*Hum* Me, you, us. Knees doubled up, tucked beneath my chin. Somewhere between sky and sea on this misty mountain. On this misty mountain. *Hum*

Wren 40:19

What was that like for you listening listening back to that?

Sophia 40:22

It's kind of strange, honestly. It's kind of weird to because I I don't totally recall um writing any of my songs for that matter. Um so it's interesting how listening to the voice memo kind of like transports me back to that time and like makes me think about what it might have been like for me, like the the parts that I don't remember. It's also interesting sonically hearing how um I guess like the song has changed in in subtle ways, or like I think listening to the original voice memos, I can hear like I'm kind of figuring out what the melody is gonna be, or um the phrasing of the lyrics and like how those things have changed. So it's also fun getting to hear the little ways um the song is different to the final recording. But I always love going back and hearing the first um voice memos of my recordings because I feel like they capture a certain honesty or just like a rawness that sometimes the final track doesn't always get as fully. Um, so it can be a nice like point of reflection to listen to.

Wren 41:50

Yeah, yeah, to listen to the like the raw version of the piece. So you expanded the song a lot in the studio. What did you have going into it? What was your vision of it?

Sophia 42:06

Yeah, I knew that I wanted the acoustics to shine through. Like I really wanted the vocal and the storytelling and the acoustic guitar to be at the center of the song and have everything else kind of build off of it while still like leaving space. I didn't want any of the added instrumentation to overshadow the original song. Um, and so the added bird songs were really to kind of build a soundscape and transport you, and um, we added strings. I of course love strings having been a violin player. Um, so that's something I really wanted, and I think kind of um carries the song because it's kind of a long song and it's um in structure a bit repetitive, so I think the instrumentation kind of helps carry the song along and um build a little bit across the song. Um, so yeah, that was kind of the the thought behind it, and it kind of grew naturally, and we just played around with different sounds in the studio.

Wren 43:26

All right, let's listen to the final version.

Sophia 44:35

*Hum* Me, you, us. Knees doubled up, tucked beneath my chin. Somewhere be tween sky and sea on this misty mountain. On this mist y mountain. *Hum* Dreaming under lilac skies attending to a forest hum and peering into your brown eyes slipping from this misty mountain. Slipping from this misty mountain. *Hum* Sat under a crimson sun, our world is burning layer by layer. You say let's go for a swim just beside this misty mountain. Just beside this misty mountain. *Hum* Running through a field of green I realize the last one I loved wasn't for me. The wind feels free and warm this time. Take my hand, let's leave behind this misty mountain. Leave behind this misty mountain. Me, you, us.

Wren 48:54

So beautiful to get to hear the whole range from the beginning to the end. I mean, I've been listening a bunch of today. And it just added a whole lot.

Sophia 49:15

Thank you.

Wren 49:17

For any listeners. The part in the middle, that instrumental part. That is just such a beautiful space to just like freely improvise and just like get out whatever you need to, singing-wise, humming-wise. Um, so if you if you perform this live, that could be your improv part.

Sophia 49:37

Oh no, wait, you're giving me ideas. It could even be like a participation point for the audience.

Wren 49:43

Yeah. Oh, I love this.

Sophia 49:46

Let it out, everyone.

Wren 49:47

Yeah, absolutely. All right. Is there anything else that you want to share about this song?

Sophia 49:54

I mean, hmm. I don't know. I feel like I've touched on where the the story and the lyrics came from a bit. Um, I guess when listening to it too, um I was reminded that the lead guitarist Derek who played on the record in this song um created some really cool sounds that kind of mimic uh a bird call or like some sort of foresty soundscape, which I think I I don't know, it just felt fun to listen to and um brought me back to being in the studio and him playing around with different petals to help get that effect. Um so just wanted to give that little shout out. Um otherwise, I have a music video that I'm putting out with the song that will be available on YouTube. Um, it's a mix of present day nature footage that I captured over the past year and then old home video footage that my parents took of me growing up. Um, I wanted the video to be kind of a reinterpretation of the song. Um the song itself is about being in relationship with someone else who is like a grounding presence in regards to me and my mental health. But the video is kind of a bridge between past and present um versions of myself and like my ongoing relationship with my mental health conditions. So in that way, the video is a bit of a reinterpretation of the song. So I'll just leave that as well in case anyone wants to watch it.

Wren 51:45

Yeah, I can't wait to listen back and listen for these uh uh bird like guitar sounds and to to watch and see like a different side of this song.

Giving Flowers

Wren 51:59

All right, so uh Sophia, thank you so much for taking the time to have this conversation with me. I had a really wonderful time talking to you. And before we go, I just want to give you your flowers. Uh I just really want to share how much I admire how you've used music as a creative outlet to process your own thoughts and feelings and experiences. And I so admire your commitment to leading into like slowness and embracing the imperfections of the music. And I think it's also so beautiful now hearing about your origins with music and how perfectionism and productivity were such a big part of your music then, and for you to now be on this solo project and to move beyond that is so beautiful to see. And for you to share that with the world is such a gift. So thank you for sharing.

Sophia 52:56

Thank you so much. That's so sweet, and I'm so glad we got to reconnect in this way.

Closing

Wren 53:03

So your singles, Nobody's Laughing, and Misty Mountain are currently out now, and your DP record, Misty Mountain, comes out on April 3rd, and I cannot wait to hear it. Uh Sophia, where can people find you?

Sophia 53:19

Yes, you can find me across streaming platforms. Probably the best way to support me would be to purchase the album on Bandcamp, and you can also get my vinyl or CD there too. Um, and if you want to stay tuned, you can follow me on social media @ sophia yauweeks. I'm probably most active on Instagram, and my music videos are on YouTube too, under the same name.

Wren 53:49

Well, links to Sophia's music and social media will be found in the show description. Thank you so much again for joining Sophia.

Sophia 53:57

Thank you.

Wren 54:12

If you'd like to share your own magical moments with music here on the podcast, fill out the guest interest survey. You can find the survey, social media handles, and links related to today's episode in the show notes. Thanks for tuning in. Now go make some music magic!