You’ve probably seen Sophia Biggs around campus, usually donning a Golden Eagle Radio t-shirt with a blazer, sunglasses, polka dot Herschel backpack. She looks like she’s in charge and on top of her game. That’s because she is. As she enters her senior year, it’s clear that Sophia likes to talk, graduating with a degree in Communication Studies, option Organizational Communication and Public Relations. She’s the President and Station Manager of Golden Eagle Radio, a member of the Forensics Speech and Debate Team, and Lambda Pi Eta, the Communications Honor Society. Off campus you can find her DJ-ing at various events and working with the clothing brand Acrylick.
What got you interested in your major?
I was a transfer student from Pasadena City College (PCC). Pretty much I was a rebel without a cause and I took a bunch of classes out of order just to see what I liked. No one told me there was a certain path I was supposed to go on so I just started taking classes. I took a Communication Studies class and it covered newspapers and everything like that. I tried out a bunch of different things because I loved that class. I did some radio over there and everything. So when I went to go see my counselor they were like “oh this is the major you are fulfilling.” It was like I was destined to do this major. Also, it felt like it was something that you could fit into many different companies. Like say I want to be in the banking industry, I could do PR for them. Or if I wanted to TV I could do PR for them. I just felt like it was a very important thing to have.
When did you realize that you defined yourself as an artist?
I guess maybe in high school. I would do rapping and I didn’t feel like math and English were “hitting it” for me. I took an art class in junior high and that’s when I started doing a lot of art but I think I’ve always been like a jigsaw piece.
When did you becoming interested in DJ-ing?
I’ve always obsessed with music since my dad gave me a boom box. I think I was very young, like 7 years old and ever since I got that, I would be really obsessed with tuning the dial and messing with it. Every year after that he would get me a new boom box and it’s always bigger and better. I got my first mp3 player and it could only hold 13 songs on it so I had to pick the songs that I want and I would have my dad download them every day like Napster. In high school there were these guys that were DJ-ing and I was like “oh my god I want to do that.” One guy even asked me to prom using the turntables. That’s when I was like “I was born to do that.” I’ve always had that in my head and I had a respect for them but I would always rap. Rapping was like the first thing I did and I would just freestyle rap. I joined an MC battle at PCC and I would start bringing my own records as the instrumental for me to battle and he was like “you have very good taste and stuff, you’re like a DJ at heart.” So he taught me how to dig for records. I started practicing, I saved to get some turntables and the rest was history.
Could you tell me about Acrylick and how you are involved with that?
Acrylick is a lifestyle brand for the type of person that’s interested in art, music, soul philosophy, etc. It’s a clothing brand that’s associated around music. It has a certain concept behind it; something that is understood by many but everyone has their own connection to the philosophy. Something they say a lot is “the message is the concept” I guess there isn’t a title for what I do. They’ve allowed me to just grow and be like an environment that’s so artistic and if you see there is something that needs to be done you just go there so right now I’m doing outside marketing.
How did you get involved in Golden Eagle Radio (GER)?
I’ve always been a radio person and I’ve always wanted to do it. But I’m a person that believes in coincidences and fate. I was researching the school on Instagram and found GER when they were just starting. But I didn’t want to seek them out. I thought that if there is a natural path that happens and I cross them, I’ll join them It happened on the first day of school at Cal State La. It was just a really cool meeting. The girl that I met was in a concert t-shirt. Later on the former president told me that they scouted me out which was cool. I just took it and I ran with it. I wanted to do everything that I could do in the club. I did social media for them a lot last year; I DJ-ed and hosted events, I helped with as many things as I could. It came to a point where the former president was going to leave and I stepped up because I didn’t want to lose the momentum. I could see the vision and I was down for the cause.
What’s your favorite part about GER?
Being able to the option to design the content. I still haven’t quite reached there but that’s the exciting part and what I’m looking forward to. I just wanted my own show and it turned into a whole snowball.
What’s the history behind your DJ name “Sophenom?”
That was my name when I was battling, Sophenomenal, and I shorted it when I was going online because I didn’t want to type all those letters to log in to something and it just stuck.
Do you have a place where you share your music or anything?
I have a soundcloud. I have a mix up there, I have a sample of me rapping and I have a sample of one of my beats. Mostly experimental. I update it regularly with songs that I like.
What are the top three songs that you are listening to right now?
It’s going to be so obscure. I’m listening to an album by Les Sins. The album is called Michael. I’ve been listening to some throwback of the Smiths. Oh and Tokimonsta! It’s a girl beat maker. I really like her.
What other orgs are you involved with on campus?
I’m on Forensics Speech and Debate team. My first competition is in December and it’s called Fall Champs. I’m going to do Limited Prep, Impromptu. It’s like improve speaking. It’s a lot of work but I like everyone on there. We’ve got very smart people and we have quirky intellectual conversations. I’m also in Lambda Pi Eta, the Communications Honors Society.
What has been your favorite part about coming to Cal State LA?
Definitely not the stairs! People here aren’t stuck up. Everyone is on the same playing field and you can just walk up to someone and just talk to them. I love it.