Q&A: Sophia Dashing Tackles Love and Healing in New, Soul-Stirring Ballad
FINDING SOLACE IN HEALING FROM HEARTBREAK — Sophia Dashing, a rising pop singer-songwriter hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, has just unveiled her latest musical gem, “Does Love Have to Be This Way.” This piano-driven pop ballad is more than just a song; it's a raw and cathartic expression of Dashing’s journey through the complex landscape of love, relationships and emotional healing.
The single delves deep into the intricacies of human emotions, serving as a poignant reflection on the multifaceted aspects of love. Dashing's poignant songwriting and emotive vocals transport listeners through the highs and lows of her personal experiences, particularly the challenges she faced in the aftermath of heartbreak and the lasting impact of family trauma.
"Does Love Have to Be This Way" opens a window into the artist's soul, unraveling the layers of vulnerability that comes with navigating the complexities of love. The track captures the essence of yearning for genuine love while grappling with the uncertainty of its attainability, given the scars of past relationships.
At the core of the song is Dashing's exploration of the intricate dynamics of her relationship with her father. The lyrics convey the pain and struggle associated with a deteriorating paternal bond, shedding light on how these experiences have shaped her perspective on love and relationships in adulthood.
The soul-stirring lyricism of "Does Love Have to Be This Way" invites listeners to introspect, resonating with anyone who has questioned the nature of love and felt a sense of hopelessness in relationships.
Dashing's ability to weave personal experiences into universal themes is a testament to her artistry. "Does Love Have to Be This Way" is more than a song; it's a cathartic journey that invites audiences to connect, reflect and find solace in the shared struggles of love and relationships.
LUNA: Thank you for sitting down and talking to Luna Magazine. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar, what inspires your artistic style and creative persona?
SOPHIA: I feel like life inspires me because I started as a songwriter, so I would say I write at least two songs a day. I'm always writing about people, places and things. I'm always inspired by my close environment, relationships and love.
LUNA: What artists inspire you either lyrically or instrumentally? Whether that's just music you love to listen to or music that you pull inspiration from into yours?
SOPHIA: I am a pop diva girl all the way, so the legends Mariah, Madonna, Britney, Janet, just all the pop divas that we know and love that have paved the way which I take so much inspiration from.
LUNA: Say if someone hasn’t heard of your music yet. Which song would you show them to introduce to your discography and why does that track stand out to you the most?
SOPHIA: I feel like “way i” is the song that comes to mind just because that is my most streamed and it's R&B, even though I would say that I'm mostly a pop diva. I take a lot of inspiration from pop and dance pop, but that song is just really vibey and I feel like a lot of people have told me personally that they can play that to get into the vibe for sensuality, or if they're cooking in the kitchen or they're cleaning.
LUNA: What environment is the best to play your music in?
SOPHIA: I'm biased but I would say in the dance studio, even if you don't dance, it can be in your room dancing. I'm also a dancer, so I think about how this song would be for people in the club or dancing in their house when I’m making any type of song.
LUNA: You are about to release your upcoming single “Does Love Have to Be This Way” and I absolutely adore the confessional storytelling and the vulnerability that lies in the work. What is the inspiration behind the song?
SOPHIA: Honestly, this song is my deepest song that I've ever written. It came at a time in my life where I was consistently attracting partners that were emotionally unavailable and not catering to my needs whatsoever. It always ended with that question of like, ‘does love have to end this way?’ I had to do a lot of self introspection of why that continues to happen and it was because of my childhood and things I went through with my dad. I know that's a super relatable feeling because our childhood can sometimes mirror patterns in life and unresolved trauma. It definitely stemmed from me just being like, ‘why does this always happen?’ It doesn't have to always be this way, like I know what I want. I want to experience real love but I keep sending in pain and heartbreak, so I had to do a lot of introspection and healing and this song came out of that.
LUNA: I would love to know more about the creative process. How did you go through this experience and has “Does Love Have to Be This Way” helped you express feelings or let off some steam?
SOPHIA: Absolutely. I think this song has been my most healing one because while I was writing it, I was asking myself all these questions. I think anytime you're writing things and really creating something out of your feelings, you come to a good conclusion of this is where I’m at and this is what I need to do. With me being a creative person, anytime I make a song about how I feel, it helps me in the end. Ultimately, I hope this song can also help people connect and not feel alone as well because this is a universal feeling. There's been a time in all of our lives where we're like, ‘why does it have to be this way?’
LUNA: Your music is extremely confessional and it feels like you’re almost reading out of a diary because of your detailed experiences on what goes on in your life behind closed doors. How important is personal experience in shaping your songwriting, and do you find it challenging to share such vulnerable work with your listeners?
SOPHIA: It’s so important because for me, I feel like when I'm really sad and going through it and I turn to music, the music from artists that are vulnerable and share their experiences hit the hardest. When I’m going through my feels, I turn to music and I’m relying on other artists that are also honest and vulnerable. I would hope that my music portrays the same thing and I will forever always be honest with my songwriting. It's almost like I can't even help it. It just pours out of me and it's definitely hard to be this vulnerable. I think it can almost feel a little embarrassing putting out a song being like, these are my flaws and these are my insecurities with love, and I definitely had to work through a lot of fears, even just with talking about my dad and my family. I think what got me through it is knowing I am not alone. A lot of things that I do talk about in this song, a lot of people wouldn't naturally talk about that. We all go through insecurity, hardship and relationships. I'm not alone and I hope I can let other people feel that way too.
LUNA: What artist has been the most healing to listen to when you’re navigating through these feelings?
SOPHIA: Honestly, I'm going to say Joanna Levesque. She has such beautiful music and songwriting, and I feel like she’s so underrated and an absolute powerhouse. I love listening to her music and her deep cuts on her latest albums are beautiful.
LUNA: “Does Love Have to Be This Way” obviously touches on relationships and wanting to experience real love. What is some advice you would give to your younger self or wish someone had given you in terms of navigating relationships?
SOPHIA: I think self-love is so important. I think you need to love yourself the way that you would want someone to love you. Listening to your body is important. If your body feels like something is off or your intuition feels like you could be treated in a better way, listen to that. Listen to your body, listen to your gut, and always think back to your little self. Always think back to your little self of how you would want her to be treated. In any type of relationship, you have to love yourself.
LUNA: Did you take any creative risks or experiment more either lyrically, emotionally or sonically with this release since your last releases like “One on One” or “Still in Love?”
SOPHIA: Definitely, I think this song has much more of a storytelling vibe to it, whereas my other music is very catchy and clubby. The song is going in depth — just like you said with a diary entry — because it really was that, so that's probably the most different aspect about this song.
LUNA: What can listeners expect from this new era of music?
SOPHIA: Honestly, I really hope this song turns a page from my artistry of just me being more vulnerable. I saw comments on a video I posted and they were like, ‘I've been waiting for you to just be more raw, real and open and your music.’ So that meant a lot to me, and I'm just hoping to do more of that because we're never alone. We're all going through stuff and that's the biggest thing for me. I just hope my music can help people feel less alone.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you that you would love to share with Luna?
SOPHIA: I am just super grateful to be an independent artist. It will be three years of releasing music for me. I feel like I've grown so much and I'm continuing to grow each and every day. I'm really excited because in the next month I'll be preparing for performing around the Southeast and performing in cities I haven't performed in before, so that's super exciting and I'm just excited for all good things coming this year.
