Americana newcomer Angela Soffe has had quite an amazing 2022. In March she won the First Place Grand Prize by the Great American Songwriting Contest and First Place Winning Title for the Folk/Americana category. Last month, Angela released her single “Cherry On Top,” and the Yakima, Washington native is right back at it releasing her newest single “The End of the World” today, May 20th.
We recently caught up with Angela to talk about her musical journey to Americana, her songwriting, the new singles and if more new music is on the way.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
AS: Yes! I’m an Americana artist, songwriter, and owner of a coaching company for women. I was raised in the Philippines to Argentine-American parents and discovered American country music as an adult when I came to the US for college. I fell in love with Americana, bluegrass, and folk music in college and started writing my own versions of songs that inspired me. I toured with bands, produced records, had some babies, and now I’m releasing my 3rd solo record out of Nashville. I’ve won awards, had songs in TV and film, but the best part about making music, is making it. I find a lot of peace from writing and collaborating, and helping women believe in their capacity for an amazing life.
CN: Being an Americana artist, what genres do you lean towards in creating your own sound? What is it about each – style, sound, technique – that you take away and connect with?
AS: I cast a wide net with my music tastes when I’m writing. That said, I do love the traditional rootsy sounds of old world country and folk. I love the deep, full sound when the bass comes in, and the almost sad fiddle tones. I love the light mandolin picking and the sweeping dobro. There’s something about that style that resonates deeply with me, it feels like a frequency I’m tuned into. I just close my eyes and sink into it. On the other end of the spectrum, I really love the energy of pop, and the hooky modern sounds that keep you singing the song on repeat. I’d say I pull from a mixture of old school folk and modern pop. Both pull me in different directions and my music lands someplace in the middle.
CN: Which artists have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
AS: In college, the first country artist I became aware of was Alison Krauss. I liked her songs because I could sing to them easily, and her songs influenced a lot of my early writing. I’m a huge fan of Ben Rector and his anthemic pop, and Matt Kearney’s lyrical writing and indie pop beats. I’ve loved Kacey Musgraves, and the sweeping sounds of Enya go way back for me. I’m a sponge! I love it all.
CN: Can you take us through your songwriting process? Do you often pull inspiration from personal events in your life when writing?
AS: I write songs to process what I’m experiencing. I learned long ago that the fastest way for me to heal from something…was to write a song about it. So yes, my songs all come from personal experiences. Even the songs I write for pop singers or R&B projects have to come from a personal space. Otherwise, they’re not authentic and the listener can feel that. My process starts with something I feel I need to say. I recall the emotion, sit at the piano, and start playing what the emotion feels like. I write the melody first, with a hook, chorus, then lyrics flow into the melody. Sometimes it works differently, (like if I write on an airplane, or on the bus) but there’s always an emotion behind it.
CN: Have you found yourself writing more during the pandemic?
AS: Yes and no. I wrote most of the songs on the new record before the pandemic. But in the process of things shutting down, I felt new words coming, new emotions, and wrote about those. I go through phases where I write prolifically, and then times where I intentionally turn off the river of inspiration and just rest.
CN: You released “Cherry On Top” – an upbeat song that delivers a very important empowering message to women – don’t be too hard on yourself – which we always tend to be! And the inspiration behind the song actually came directly from your fans! What gave you the idea to reach out and see what they wanted to hear?
AS: I realized that most people write songs based on what’s going on inside of them. This was true for me in the past at least. Then one day I was talking to some friends about what they were going through, and saw that there aren’t many songs written FOR the fans. So I decided to ask my followers what they needed to hear, and the feedback was so touching. I was so inspired by their honesty and honored to write a song for them.
CN: Was “Cherry on Top” an easy song to write?
AS: Yes actually! It was one of those songs that I “heard”. I was in an elevator in Nashville and I heard this line…”honey you’re the cherry on top”. I knew that had to be in there, and wove the song around that theme. I wrote it in a couple of hours.
CN: The video is adorable especially if you love to bake! How did you come up with the idea for this video and who are the lovely bakers?
AS: Aw thank you! I do love to bake. 😉 I wanted to feature moms in this video because it’s really a song about them. I wanted it to be fun, and light, and showcase everyday women hanging out with friends. So I thought a kitchen-with-moms-baking-pies scenario would be a fun way to get the message across. The ladies are all my friends in my local town here in Washington state. The kitchen belongs to my friend Norma who let us throw flour and be crazy for the shoot. (Thank you Norma!)
CN: And you just released a brand new single called “The End of the World” – quite the heavy title.
AS: Yes! The title is deceptively dark, haha. It’s actually a love song. It’s a song I wrote after a scenic drive with my husband the day the pandemic lockdown began. I realized the people in our lives are what make it worth living, even when it feels like the world is ending. What’s cool about this release, is the song artwork was painted by a woman in Ukraine who fled her home because of the bombings. She painted a gorgeous depiction for the cover, which I thought was so fitting. The song is out May 20!
CN: With these two recent single releases, is a new album around the corner?
AS: At last, the long-awaited BLOOM album is releasing June 3, 2022! I’m very excited to have this record out in the world after 2 years in the studio and a pandemic. It feels like the end of an era for me, and the beginning of a new one. We’re having a release party June 11 here in Yakima, Washington (everyone is invited)!
CN: Where can fans catch you on the road this summer?
AS: I’ll be doing a mini tour here in the Pacific Northwest, and house concerts in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. Fans can catch me online of course, or host their own show with me (which is my favorite way to connect with fans)
CN: If you could collaborate with any one artist, who would it be?
AS: I would love to record a track with Alison Krauss. I’ve always felt a connection to her music and it would be a dream to work with her on a project.
CN: What was the first concert you ever attended?
AS: Bryan Adams Concert in Manila, Philippines 1996. Right after “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” came out and me and my friends were obsessed.
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
AS: Courageous. I’m not the best at any one thing, I’m not the fastest, but I’ve built my bravery muscles. I can do hard things. 😉
CN: What’s next on the horizon for you?
AS: This month my company, Heroica Academy, is launching a new program for women, teaching them how to turn their passions into income. Alongside the new record, I’m focusing on my business, empowering women, and enjoying the warm summer with my loved ones! I’ll be back in Nashville focusing on cowrites, sync licensing projects, and a possible Christmas album in the works. Most of all, I’m looking forward to some rest, and writing new music.
For more information on Angela Soffe, visit her website at www.AngelaSoffe.com and follow her on Facebook, and Instagram.