Sophia Bel Evokes Nostalgia with Pop Punk Track "2AM (And I Did It Again)"
MONTREAL-BASED SOPHIA BEL invites listeners into her world with her latest single and music video for “2AM (And I Did It Again)”, the first single off her upcoming debut LP Anxious Avoidant, out in Spring 2022.
“2AM (And I Did It Again)” is heavily reminiscent of that 90s and early 2000s grunge, raw pop punk sound we’ve all grown nostalgic to. It’s rare to hear this type of music in its true form, not altered to fit in with 2021 standards. On the single, Sophia states “'2AM (And I Did It Again)' is an anthem for anyone who has ever written a letter with no destination address or a text too terrifying to send. It’s that feeling that wraps around you like a boa constrictor and prevents you from being your true self. It’s that ticking time bomb about to implode, explode and catch on fire all at once.”
Sophia’s vocals on “2AM (And I Did It Again)” are very raw and give the entire single an authentic, homemade feel. The music video translates the single perfectly, resembling something like a home movie on your dad’s beat up video camera. With the surge of artists like Greta Van Fleet and Jake Wesley Rogers, whose music styles resemble Led Zeppelin and Elton John respectively, it’s about time we have an artist that is bringing back the sound of Nirvana or Pearl Jam that reminds us of the grunge rock of the 90s we all know and love.
LUNA: Hello Sophia! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with the Luna Collective. We are psyched about your single and anxiously waiting for the release of your upcoming LP! To start off, tell us a little about yourself and who you are as an artist.
SOPHIA BEL: Hi, thank you for having me on the Luna Collective! I am a songwriter, singer and producer based in Montreal, I make nostalgic emo/folk/grungy/pop music and I am generally pretty introverted and enjoy simple things like afternoon herbal tea with a friend at the park or hunting down fun things at the thrift store.
LUNA: Your latest single “2AM (And I Did It Again)” was recently released on November 10. It sounds like it is heavily inspired by the 90s and early 2000s grunge and pop rock music many of us have grown nostalgic to. What was your inspiration behind this track and what pulled you towards this genre of music specifically?
SOPHIA: In the past few years, what I’ve been gravitating towards and what I’ve been needing to express in my music has been a reflection of my past. Revisiting the events that have made me the person that I am has been painful, but also life changing. I wrote “2AM (And I Did It Again)” in the context of growing more aware of my difficulties communicating and affirming myself and where these issues originated from. I view my upcoming album “Anxious Avoidant” as a materialisation of the many ways in which my fear of abandonment presents itself in my life, more particularly my relationships. It is the most transparent and vulnerable I have ever been to this day and in spite of feeling absolutely terrified, I also feel more free than I ever have when it comes to my art. Having the strength to be fully authentic is to me one of the purest forms of freedom: the freedom to be unapologetically yourself. I set no limitations for myself in what I am sharing with the world. My clingy, codependent, anxious self, things I would normally feel too vulnerable to share were no longer off limits. In this process of fully owning all facets of myself, I fell in love with my guitar again, which I had forgotten about for years. I think I had set it aside due to all the shame that I carried from my teen years, when I started writing songs on that guitar. It was such a full circle moment, I was literally flooded with inspiration. I stopped worrying about what people think and whether or not my music was “cool” enough and I decided to explore my roots which I had rejected for so long. This may seem like a random response to your question about musical influences, but I feel like this gives you a better look into why I find my inspiration in the music that I listened to as a teen. Music from the early 2000s by artists like Avril Lavigne, Blink 182, Fall Out Boy and even Taylor Swift, back in her country days, have really contributed to my personal and musical identity and it is what come naturally to me when expressing the feelings and coping mechanisms that still occupy my consciousness to this day.
LUNA: I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen a music video translate a song so perfectly. It’s so personal and authentic. What was the process like in creating the visual to your new single and were there any other ideas for a music video that didn’t make the cut?
SOPHIA: The video was conceptualised, filmed and directed by the very talented Léa Taillefer. She pitched the idea of going to London and capturing whatever magic presented itself to us - I immediately jumped on the idea. I was going through a very rough patch and it seemed like a good way to get out of my ruminations. I had a lot of fun creating the looks, pulling inspirations from Japanese street style, the punk culture which is to me one of the iconic things about London, as well as the more gothic and royal looks which I associated with all the castles in the UK. The whole thing was captured on analog film, which had always been a little dream of mine.
LUNA: Are there any artists, past or present, that influence your music or writing style? If so, in what ways?
SOPHIA: As I mentioned previously, a lot of alternative styles of pop from the early 2000s. I think that it was an era in which artists were expressing angst, frustration and honest feelings of sadness and gloom that really stuck with me. I remember listening to Fall Out Boy’s first album on the school bus, feeling so alone and so unworthy. In a world where I felt misunderstood and weird all the time, it was a relief to actually recognise myself in that music.
LUNA: What can we expect from your debut EP Anxious Avoidant. Will it be very similar to this first single or will other tracks vary in their genre and style?
SOPHIA: There will be many variations of moods and colours. It was crazy to have the opportunity to record the vast majority of the LP during a week retreat in the woods. Every person who was present brought their own musical sensibilities and each song came to life in it’s own way.
LUNA: Other than this EP, any exciting plans for the future? Possible tours, meet and greets, other great releases?
SOPHIA: For the moment I want to focus on getting the visuals and show ready. I am excited to share my new album with the world, but I still have lots of work to do before I can indulge in thinking about new projects. Hopefully I can go on tour next spring and summer but who knows what the future awaits.
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RT @oliviaborch: new @LunaCollective out todayyy shot by @alltookev ✨ @P1H_official editorial design by me ! https://t.co/cvSCKsWB5D
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RT @rlyblonde: @AnnieDirusso for @LunaCollective shot by me #35mm #portra800 https://t.co/0UUJSCBGcH
