Interview with Sofia Gonzalez
Sofia Gonzalez is the hottest new singer out there in the music industry, swiftly becoming known as the new Shakira.
We interviewed the star in the Mayfair hotel while she is visiting London
Hi Sofia
First off I would like to say thank you for taking time out of your extremely busy schedule as you are a singer in high demand, being the next big thing.
No worries, aww I don’t know about that but thank you.
How do you, Sofia Gonzalez, feel about being deemed as the next Shakira?
Honestly just to even have my name put in the same sentence as Shakira is a huge honour in itself but to be known as the next Shakira is just surreal, it’s amazing yet ridiculous at the same time because no-one can replace Shakira she is such a wonderful person, who is absolutely incredible at what she does. I have never known someone to be so talented, so kind, and so passionate, she really is an inspiration.
Wow you really think a lot about Shakira don’t you?
Oh yeah absolutely, like I said she is an inspiration to me, I admire her so much.
Have you ever met her?
Yes, I met her a few months ago at the American Music Awards. She was really nice.
You grew up in a small town in México, what was life like for you as a child?
Simple, my parents couldn’t really afford much, lived in a small house which had one bedroom and shared with my parents obviously and my three older brothers. School was ok but I didn’t really study as I was too busy singing and dancing in lessons and would get sent home quite a lot because of that, I honestly just added to my parents stresses (laughs) but my parents are amazing, even though we did not have enough money my parents always paid for dance lessons and singing lessons, they knew that this is all I wanted to do, and they really supported me and still do and so do my brothers although they are very overprotective.
Those who have older brothers know how they can be (laughs) from what age did you really know that this was what you wanted to do for a living?
Ever since I was born (laughs) no I would say ever since I was about 4 years old, my mum used to sing in local restaurants and I would go with her and I loved watching her, my mum really geared my interest in singing.
So your mum was a huge influence in a way?
Yes most definitely.
Now this is really impressive when you were just 15 you won a scholarship to attend ******** school in New York
Yes I did there was a competition in Mexico City
And you won!
Yes I did!
How did your family feel at the time?
Oh they were so proud.
You completed your scholarship recently, you graduated.
Yes I did after many years of hard work.
What did you do straight after you graduated?
Straight after graduating I made a demo CD which was compiled of many cover songs and sent them to many countless record companies, got rejected by all of them and obviously I was heartbroken. But I never gave up, I got a job waitressing, rented out an apartment in a very rough area of New York, so you know it extremely dangerous for a young girl, and I would just sit in my room writing my own material and kept working as a waitress so I had enough money to rent out a recording studio to record all these songs and then I sent them out on a demo CD to the same record companies and had many offers.
And you are now signed to Universal records
Yes, I can’t believe it.
They obviously liked your style.
Yeah, the songs were a mixture of Spanish songs and English speaking songs and I was not sure how they would go down with the record companies because being a Latina I know how hard it is for Latin people, people like Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria Parker and Shakira have really recently broken those barriers. I mean in films Latinas are still stereotyped as the maid but we are definitely being more accepted now.
Now, let’s talk about your new single waiting, now this song has a Latin pop rock techno feel to it which is quite a combination, how did that work out?
(laughs) yeah it is isn’t it, well I love all those genres of music that you mentioned and I really wanted to incorporate all of them into my album so there is one song that will be completely Latin, one being completely pop/rock, another being dance and techno, and there are some that are R&B and hip hop. I think it’s safe to say I love all kinds of music. I don’t want to be an artist who is just fixated on one genre and keep distributing that, I want to be different, the songs on my album caters to different people, there is something for everyone, and yeah back to the question on my single I wanted to really incorporate all those genres into my first single so people know what I am about, you know, what kind of artist I am and get a feel of my album at the same time. I had many meetings with some of the music industry’s top producers, you know, to see if they could make that happen and I ended up working with ******** who really knew where I was coming from and thanks to him I got exactly what I wanted for my first single.
Sounds really interesting, now we have heard your single and think it is absolutely fantastic, it has been number 1 in the States for over 3 weeks and you have just released your album there going straight in at number 1, we can see or rather hear why it is already number 1 over here in the UK in the mid –week chart, how do you feel about that?
Wow, I can’t believe it, I mean words cannot describe how I feel, it’s just (sighs) I don’t know, I honestly do not know how to describe it.
What is your single ‘waiting’ about?
It’s just about waiting for everything really, which sums up my life so far you know just been waiting, waiting for something to happen, and waiting for that special person.
Special person? Have you found that special someone?
(Laughs) no not yet still waiting, still single, but I am having fun at the moment you know I don’t really need a guy in my life right now, just focusing on me.
Have you got your eye anyone yet? Celebrity crush?
Oh no I do not want to say, they may end up seeing this and then I may end up meeting them, how embarrassing would that be? (Laughs)
Please?
No, no, no (laughs)
Ok who would you love to work with in the future?
Well Shakira definitely, Usher he is amazing I would love to work with him and Cheryl Cole she is so beautiful and graceful and I love her songs, heard some of them yesterday, Beyonce she is fierce and so is Rihanna, oh and Pink she is feisty as well.
So quite a few then, you have heard of Cheryl Cole?
Yes I have.
Not many people who come from the states know who she is.
Well no, she is not known in the states.
But if she collaborated with you then they would.
(Laughs)
Amazing success and all this success has thrusted you into the music industry making you the most popular female singer around right now, how is the fame side of things? Are the paparazzi too much to handle sometimes?
Really? The most popular female singer around right now? No I don’t believe that but yeah I am having so much fun, however, I am from a little town in México and even though I have always dreamed of this lifestyle ever since I was a little girl and wanting to do what I love doing as a job which is singing and performing is amazing but there are times I just want to go back home and get away from it all as it does get too much sometimes. But I can’t even go home either I get hounded there as well (laughs) don’t get me wrong I love the support given from everyone and the interest they have taken as well, I really appreciate it but there are times I just need some down time.
And how about the paparazzi?
(Deep sigh and laughs) now where do I begin? The paparazzi are bittersweet, that is one way of describing them (laughs) I love them when I am promoting my music and any other projects I am involved in and when I am at events or awards shows when I have a pretty dress on and my hair and make up is done. But they can bug me sometimes as well like when I am just going to the grocery store and I just want to buy some fruit and veg (laughs) with no make up on, they completely surround me, I can never get my car out the parking lot, I’m always like ‘do you want to get run over?’ (Laughs) they can be quite naughty sometimes.
Sounds annoying
(Laughs) yeah
So what do you like to do in your downtime?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing?
Yeah in my pyjamas (laughs) I love just sitting on the couch with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream with my girlfriends watching a chick flick.
So really even though you are a huge star you like to lead a normal, ordinary life like the rest of us live.
Yes exactly.
You are quickly becoming a style icon, how does that feel?
Odd, I don’t think I am a style icon I just wear what I feel comfortable and confident in.
How would you describe your style?
Comfortable, always worn with confidence, if you are confident in what you are wearing you will feel great and look great. Sometimes quite laid-back but then sometimes quite glam, depends on my mood, I could go from bohemian chic to dressing like Victoria Beckham.
So it varies, well that us the end of our interview and I will now leave you and let you relax before you have to perform tonight at the Hammersmith Apollo, thank you so much for taking time out of your hectic life.
(Laughs) no problem, anytime.
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