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Meet Sofia
Album Art by Sofia Schuster and Esmé Landeck |
Born with paralyzed vocal chords, doctors said Sofia Schuster might not live long let alone speak. Through a combination of strong will and quality medical care, she persevered and found her voice. At the age of 3 Sofia became captivated by music and that set her on a trajectory which profoundly impacted the rest of her life. After winning the Teen Impact of the Year Award for Girls Rock SB in 2018 and winning the Teen Star SB competition in 2019, Sofia was contacted by producers to audition for the 2020 season of American Idol. From a young age, Sofia began conveying deep messages through her music, from reproductive rights to body image, she has found her voice through meaningful music. Sofia had previously performed her original women’s rights song “My Body My Choice” at a Planned Parenthood benefit, and decided to perform it again for American Idols’ celebrity judges as a way to boldly share what’s in her heart rather than take the safe route with a popular cover song. It was a risky move but the right one as she passed the audition in Hollywood. Sofia frequently performs alongside Multi-Grammy and Academy award winning icon Kenny Loggins, often supporting the Unity Shoppe through music performances and telethons. |
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Her message of female empowerment is rooted in a strong role model at home and in her music community. She enrolled in Girls Rock SB in 2012 studying guitar, vocal performance, piano, & drums. This program gave her the confidence to record her first album, “Golden Gate,” at age 12 in the studio with Martin Gore (Depeche Mode). As a way to give back, Sofia donated all album sales to support scholarships for 10 girls to attend Girls Rock SB’s after-school music programs. Sofia has a sing-songwriter sound influenced mostly by pop and somewhat by folk music. Her songs always feature an acoustic guitar mixed with electronically produced instruments, creating her acoustic-pop sound. While Sofia’s melodies draw the listener in, her lyrics are the most unique aspect of her art. Sofia is currently working on her second album, which she plans on releasing later this year. |
Video by Esmé Landeck |
