American singer and actress Sofía Daccarett Char, better known as Sofia Carson, began her career as a guest star on the Disney Channel show Austin and Ally. She then appeared as one of the main characters Evie on the Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants in 2015, which skyrocketed her popularity even further within the industry. The proudly Colombian-American actress was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and speaks LOUD about her beliefs, values and interests. Speaking of being LOUD, Sofia has released her latest single and is officially breaking through the silence. I had the opportunity to attend a conference hosted by Universal Music Group’s 1824 alongside student journalists across the U.S. to meet Sofia! Below are the questions that were asked, all the details you need to know and Sofia’s purpose behind her latest album.
“What is the intention for LOUD and what was its starting process?”
Sofia emphasized that it was an honor to work with two amazing songwriters, Alina Garpestad Peck and Paris Carney. She said that the main intention for Loud was to dedicate it to the “voices of women who were once silenced, but are now louder than ever.” Sofia also spoke countless times about her mother and the close bond they share. Loud was definitely an album that focused on her mother as well since she was a prominent figure in her life and raised Sofia and her sister to be “fearlessly loud.” Overall, Sofia said this is a rewarding opportunity to share her personal story and experience with the world and hopefully inspire others who feel silenced to raise their voices to be heard.
“What was the songwriting process and collaboration process working on the album?”
Sofia laughed when she mentioned that Loud was actually “birthed” during Covid-19 on a Zoom meeting call. It was also recorded during the pandemic lockdown which further shows how committed and focused she was to ensuring this song’s production and development. She said that working with Alina and Paris on Loud was a continuation of the story of music she had already been writing throughout her years as an artist.
“LOUD WAS A MESSAGE I NEEDED TO TELL. IT’S DEDICATED TO THE WOMEN IN THE WORLD TO BE LOUDER THAN EVER”
SOFIA CARSON
“As a young Latina woman, we love seeing you succeed and flourish by creating diversity and inclusion within the industry. How has being a young-Latina-woman inspired your experiences to become an actress and singer today?”
Sofia said she was lucky to grow up listening to icons such as Elvis Presley, the Beatles as well as being able to listen to iconic Latina Artists. She was raised watching television in both languages, travelled back-and-forth to Colombia to deepen her heritage and ethnicity. She stated that she was able to live in a “beautiful colorful world full of passion, arts and culture” since she learned both ballet as well as salsa. Now that she is a grown woman, she carries the sounds of music and passion inside of her in everything she does. Something that really stood out and shook the audience, was a story she told that has stayed with her since she was a young girl. When traveling to Colombia, she met a young girl who was 11 years old named Maria. This young girl had recently given birth to her step father’s child. Sofia stated that this was the moment she realized that she is going to dedicate her voice to uplift and inspire girls just like Maria. This was an extremely heavy and informative story that she was able to share with us. This experience has shaped her identity in a positive and productive way because Sofia can confidently come out to the world and speak as LOUD as she wants.
“In the past women have been silenced politically and personally, who do you think is an example of ‘LOUD’?”
She immediately answered with “my mom.” Sofia often mentioned how her upbringing from her mother has shaped the woman she is today. Other loud and fearless women Sofia mentioned were Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai.
“What advice would you give to an aspiring musician to make it within the industry?”
This was the moment Sofia really motivated and inspired every listener during the call. She said —
“Believe in your voice and dream more than anyone else in the world. Fight for your dream fearlessly and endlessly. There will be many doors that close, but the one door that is meant for you will open. Stay true to your heart and the stories you want to tell. My mom always tells me ‘enjoy every minute of the ride’ and this is something I tell myself everyday. You should too.”
Meeting Sofia definitely has to be one of my highlights thus far into 2022! If this is how 2022 is starting, I’m definitely going to have a year to remember. In such a short time, through a screen, Sofia inspired all of us with her words of wisdom and sense of humor. Meeting Sofia has made me realize that I should become more loud with my values and beliefs. It’s made me realize I need to become fearless in the pursuit of what inspires me, makes me happy and what motivates me for my future.