Sofia Nunzia is a 15-year-old singer-songwriter who lived in the Raleigh area of North Carolina for most of her life before relocating to New England in 2019. Unique among teen singer-songwriters, her music style can best be classified as “nostalgia country music”, with influences from 1990s country music and classic Motown. She has been participating in songwriting mentoring programs through the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville since age 12, and she completed a Berklee College of Music songwriting course for college credit at age 13. She has been recognized in numerous music competitions, including winning a national contest with one of her original songs.
In 2021, at age 14, Sofia released her debut single, “Do or Die.” A high school student, she intends to pursue both music and science, with plans for a future career as a “singer-scientist”. Sofia attends an elite international boarding school on a full academic scholarship, and she balances rigorous coursework with competitive soccer while also following her music dreams.
Who are some of your musical influences?
Even though I wasn’t alive in the 1990s, I am a big fan of 90s country music, and it has a lot of influence on my songs. I have learned about telling a great story through music from listening to artists like Collin Raye, Reba, and Martina McBride. I am also a big fan of Elvis and Motown music, so especially in my new single, you can hear some of that retro feel come across in my music.
Do you start off with the music or lyrics first? Why?
Sometimes I start with a melody that pops into my head, and I will quickly record it before I forget it so I can write lyrics later. Other times, I’ll have words put together in my head that seem like they would make a great song, so I might finish writing them down before I put them to music. So much of my songwriting feels like the songs are writing me rather than me writing them. I come up with new song ideas almost every day – although not all of them are good ideas!
Tell us about the first song you wrote.
The first song I wrote was called “Satellite.” I was about eight years old. I had been writing lyrics and making up tunes since I was little, but this was the first time that I could read and write music and actually put together a full song. The first time I performed it was at a coffee shop gig in North Carolina. Looking back at videos from that performance, my vocals needed work and I needed to change the song to a different key, but I am proud that I had the courage to play my keyboard and sing in front of so many people at that age. I think that is why I don’t really get nervous to get on stage now that I am 15.
Do you play covers at your shows? Why or why not?
I usually play a mix of cover songs and original music at my shows. Sometimes I also post covers on my YouTube channel. Being a teen singer-songwriter who is early in my career, I know that if I am playing at a happy hour or opening for another band, the audience isn’t necessarily there to see me perform. When I put together my set lists, I try to mix it up so that people will find something they can connect with, even if it isn’t my lyrics. The most important thing is for the audience to have a great experience.
What is your vision for a more just music industry?
Country music has made a lot of progress in the past few years, but it still has a long way to go in terms of representation. There is a stereotype of a country singer being a white guy with a guitar, but it is not just a stereotype. Those guys, like Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs are the ones who are topping the charts and selling hit records. Thankfully, artists like Kelsea Ballerini and Kacey Musgraves have done a lot to help build the profile of women in country music. The success of amazing BIPOC artists like Mickey Guyton and Jimmie Allen shows that the country genre is supportive of diverse artists and talent. My vision for country music is for that progress to continue, so that we all have the same opportunities to succeed.
Note: This interview was recorded will before Wallen’s latest publicity stunt/controversy