Sophia Stephens On the Making Of ‘Remnantal’
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind 'Remnantal' and the story it tells?
I wanted Remnantal to be relatable, to anyone who listens. All 4 songs deal with emotions from different points in my life, that I do my best to make relatable to the listener. Because of this, the album tells the story of different phrases, which is a nod to the name ‘Remnental’, as the Ep represents different remnants of emotions I’ve had.
What are you most proud of 'Remnantal?'
I’m most proud of the song Familiar, as originally this song started out at a family pool party where my brother sat down playing the piano, and I began writing the melody to Familiar in my head. Over the years the song has progressed and sounds very different from the original. It’s taken on a new bridge, a new key, and my voice has grown stronger, all of which I can see when I watch videos of my younger self singing. Because of this, it’s very cool to see how far I’ve come from just a few years ago.
What is your personal favorite song from 'Remnantal' and why?
My favorite song is Shadowlit. It’s definitely my favorite as this song is so fun for me to sing. I also loved writing the lyrics for this song, as it includes some of my favorite lines such as “I’m no Icarus, I leave before the fall.” and “I’m the disciple you help me see.”
Could you share some of your musical influences and how they have shaped your sound?
It’s hard for me to determine my musical influences, as I could say any song I’ve heard has influenced me. Even songs I hate, those songs make me think “Well I don’t want to do this.” However the artists I listen to the most definitely include Taylor Swift, and because of that when I first started writing songs I would generally copy her verse, chorus, verse, and bridge structure, including trying to make my choruses as catchy as possible. Taylor’s songwriting pattern was what really gave me structure when I first started.
Are there any specific artists or musicians you dream of collaborating with?
My dream collaboration would probably be Lorde as my favorite album is Melodrama and Lorde is an artist I admire the uniqueness of. Her voice is amazing and to have that on one of my songs would be a fun experiment.