00:08
Sophia Stel
My name is Sophia Stel, and I'm a singer, songwriter, producer. That's my whole spiel. Making music for me sometimes feels like, yeah, half like I'm creating it and half like I'm, like, discovering it maybe somewhere already existed. And then I just. I figured out that those. If those two things go together, it creates this other thing, you know, if that makes sense. But the material was there to begin with for you, so it's always fine.
01:41
Sophia Stel
I think, yeah, sonically, it's more a process of me, like, starting to make stuff and, like, going through, I don't know, just making. Making beats and, like, starting to make just, like. Like, just starter ideas and seeing what is, like, really what I'm really drawn towards.
01:58
Sophia Stel
And then, like, finding the first few songs. You better walk away. I think that, like, I don't know if it's a process of, like, growing up versus, like, it's not maybe that linear, if that makes sense. I think, like, the first project versus the second, there's sort of a different difference in, like, what instruments I chose to use, and also, like, the number, like, of instruments. The second project is a little bit slightly more simplified. That was more, you know, when I'm making things, it's sort of. It's always sort of an experimental process of just, like, trying things that I think are interesting or will sound good and then seeing how they work.
03:28
Sophia Stel
And then I think when I'm going to make a project, I try kind of an advanced find, sort of like a world, sonically, that I want to work in and write with and then use that. So for the first project, it was a little bit more, like, open in some ways to, like, kind of every song could have everything. There was no limits, if that makes sense. And the second project, I tried to, like, simplify a little bit, just to focus more on maybe, like, five or six sounds versus 30. And that's more on the production side. And the writing stays pretty much the same. I just do it while I'm producing and try and write about things that matter. And I think the reason I say it's. It's. The process is not, like, totally linear.
04:17
Sophia Stel
I guess it is because it's very much, like, reflective of my life, like, what I feel like I want to make at that time and, like, what is relevant to what I'm going through. And, yeah, everything that I make is pretty directly reflective of my life and my experiences. And so it's like the projects kind of change with that more than with anything else. I think the song is really fun, and I'm glad that it's kind of. I don't know, it's had some impact and, like, made its way into a lot of people's lives, I guess. And it was somewhat unexpected, but also, like, I knew the song was. Was really fun, like, once I made it. And the process of making it was really cool. I was walking around and I was like, just.
05:31
Sophia Stel
At that point, I was just, like, living in a neighborhood and my apartment really sucked. So I was, like, always just wandering around the neighborhood to, like, not be in the apartment because it was, like, so dark and I was, like, wandering around. And then I basically just like. The whole, like, I'm tortured. You love it, you hate it. You think about me naked. Like, that all just. That whole, like, phrase just, like, formed in my head pretty. Just, like, effortlessly. And I was kind of, like, laughing, like, thinking about it and walking around. And then I got back to my house, and my best friend Aaron had. Was, like, waiting for me on my curb.
06:04
Sophia Stel
I played him the beat, and then I kind of just, like, sang him that part where were out on the curb, and he was like, let's go to the studio right now. He kind of, like, gave me that encouragement that I needed because I was like, oh, it's dumb, because I just was like. I was kind of, like, throwing away ideas a lot at that point because I. I didn't feel like committing to them. And helped me to, like, commit and finish the song. And we finished the song pretty quickly that night, and then just, like, had him. We're like, oh, this is just so fun. Like, such a. We were just, like, listening to it over and over again, like, so excited. And. I don't know, it was a really fun feeling and a really cool thing to share with my best friend.
06:42
Sophia Stel
Obviously, it's sonically quite different than those other songs, but I think, like, I was still, like, feeling those same feelings. It's just kind of a different manifestation of them, I guess. Sa, you know, that heartbreak that I was talking about that I was experiencing when I was making I'll Take It. Kind of like that was, like the fresh kind of like when it had just happened and taste came, like, probably three or four months later in a different phase of it, if that makes sense. And I think in a phase where I was ready to, you know, maybe write about it more kind of clearly. And it. Yeah, it's. It's cool.
08:20
Sophia Stel
I, I, the whole project was made and I worked at this club and during the weekdays it's closed, so I like, would use it as a studio and just set up my stuff. And somebody left behind one of the artists that played there, like, left behind this cool old synth. And a lot of the stuff I make is just on my computer. But I like to. Obviously it's cool when there's other tools. And like, I, yeah, basically the synth was left there and it had probably been there for like, six months. And I was like, I think I can just like, start using this. And then I made almost the whole song with that little synth and just like, layering things and just kind of recorded a bunch of takes of the whole song and then didn't.
09:03
Sophia Stel
And just like, played it over each other and didn't really change it too much or edit it after for the main part of the song. And then, yeah, it was, it's very simple for that reason. And I, I was really, like, excited to make it all almost with this, like, one thing because I like I was saying before, I think it's really, you know, it's cool to, I don't know, it's cool to, like, be specific for certain songs and, like, use specific things that I think translate. And it felt it was very natural. And it was again, like, kind of same. I mean, it's the same room that I made. I'll take it in kind of same situation, but just more on my own, like, just late at night and yeah, give a little baby, right?
12:10
Sophia Stel
I think that I've always just been most interested in, like, trying to make something new. And so kind of the process of, like, learning other people's songs or, like, learning songs on these instruments or those kinds of things, like, always kind of like, very quickly. I, like I was saying with that piano song, Packables can india was like, I, I, I was writing over it. Like, I was like, trying to make it into, you know, something new. And, and I've always kind of had that experience when I've learned an instrument. Like, even with, so with the guitar on how to Win at Solitaire. Like, I learned some guitar growing up mostly from my older brother and YouTube. And then I hadn't really played much guitar for years. Like, enough. Like, I will play it on songs every now and then, especially when I'm recording.
13:04
Sophia Stel
Like, I'd record little parts here and there and kind of always had a guitar around. But for how to Win at Solitaire, I, like, really practiced and kind of found certain Things that, like guitar parts. I really wanted to use it and get better at it and kind of use the process of making the project to, like, become better at the guitar again. And so I think my approach to, like, musical instruments or learning them has always been very much so motivated by the idea that I'm, like, going to make something with this as I get better. And so for. For whatever reason, that's what motivates me. And I find I can, like, apply myself a lot more effectively to things if I feel like I'm going to, you know, especially, like, technical skills.
13:46
Sophia Stel
If I know I'm going to use it in a project, then I'm a lot more motivated. But I don't really, like. I don't know. I feel like I do kind of switch up what I'm interested in doing a lot of the time, especially when it comes to, like, instruments or production styles and stuff. It's like, I always kind of want to be doing something that's exciting to me, and that's the thing that matters the most, I guess. And explain all. It's just a waste of time. Many times I have explained I need more than you today, Sam. I don't know pop music in general. I think that, like, I find, especially in times of, like, when I'm more sad or, like, more heartbroken, I tend to make more of that stuff, like, more fun stuff.
16:28
Sophia Stel
And part of that's, like, I think the juxtaposition of, like, making something, like, really fun and, like, for a club. And then part of that is, like, when I am going through heartbreak, I like, you know, party more than ever, and I, like, I'm out and about and, like, I'm, you know, there's a part of heartbreak that I think, like, you know, everybody does that. You find yourself in all these places, like, yeah, maybe you spend time, like, isolating and feeling sad, but then you also, like, go out and. And you're, like, meeting all sorts of new people and doing things that you don't know you maybe wouldn't have done while you were in a relationship or in that other thing, because you're like, you know, you just need to fill the time and you need to. Like.
17:11
Sophia Stel
There's something I always say, like, when I'm newly single, especially where I'm like, oh, my days, like, just feel like they're a thousand hours long because it's like, there's so many, like, things that I'll just, like, keep doing and, like, you know, all day, whereas versus, like, this feeling of, like, you know, maybe consistency or comfort is, like, gone. So you just. You just, like, looking forward to other places and not know. I find that's often where you find a lot of really cool things in your life is kind of in that aftermath where you have to just, like, remind yourself of your independence and also, like, become comfortable with it again and become comfortable with, you know, I don't know. It's just a new. It's a new phase every time. It's a personal renaissance.
sophiastelfinal.mp3
Meeting created at: 28th Sep, 2025 - 8:09 PM