Sofia Grant is a searing talent. Having spent three years sharpening her craft and finding her vision in Barcelona’s underground jazz scene, she returned to her native London and acted as a session musician for the likes of Poppy Ajudha and PYJAEN. Now stepping into the limelight as an artist in her own right, the singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and composer has unveiled a musically progressive and thematically explorative debut body of work.
Entitled “Extinction”, the five-pronged EP is a vivid showcase of the incredible talents of the emerging artist. The instrumentals are subtle, meticulously crafted and jazz-driven, with Lorenz Okello Osengor’s dazzling piano work a constant characteristic, entangling its listener in a sonic narrative. The centre piece is undoubtedly Grant’s jaw dropping vocals; delicate, dreamy and at times devastating, the control and emotion that the singer upholds through the EP is highly impressive, whilst lyrically weaving through themes of the natural world and climate change.
We had the pleasure of connecting with Grant to discuss the progression of her sound, and the meaning behind her stunning debut project.
Listen to the EP…
Read the exclusive interview…
What inspires you to create?
I’m really inspired by the human voice and all it can do. In my songs, we shout, sing, growl and whisper – I want to explore the broadest reaches of the voice as an instrument. To me singing as a group is such a simple and joyful act, which is why the harmonies in ‘Extinction’, performed by my friends Naima Adams, B-ahwe and Alley Lloyd, are so important to me.
How did you find the style in which you wanted to create within?
I think our ‘sound’ emerges when we really trust ourselves. It’s something I’ve worked really hard on over the years – my writing process is only really possible when that contract with myself is intact. I’ve tried not to cultivate a specific sound – but instead to cultivate a place of curiosity and trust from which to write – and just enjoy what comes out of that. I count myself lucky that my collaborators are also my close friends (shout out to Alley Lloyd and Lorenz Okello Osengor) who make the process infinitely richer.
How has your sound progressed since you began your artistic journey?
The years I spent living in Barcelona have definitely shaped my work. I used to go to a jam session every night of the week – some of those sweaty improvised musical gatherings will stay with me forever. The chance to play with some very special Latin American, Spanish and Catalan musicians in such vibrant settings during that time has definitely informed my approach to music-making.
In this body of work, I think the existential themes have demanded a new and more expansive sound. That’s where, on an arrangement level, the harp, trumpet, flute and rich percussion have come in to express the vastness of huge questions like: “What if this life is the last of its kind?”.
Your new EP is stunning! Talk us through the creative process on creating the body of work?
Thank you! It all started in my home studio in Hackney. I wrote these tunes between lockdowns when I didn’t recognise my life and the world around me. Then I took them to my beloved band to refine the arrangements before heading into the studio at Lightship95 to record. The studio is on a boat that sways with the tide of the Thames as you play – which definitely shaped our recordings. I signed with Jazz re:freshed earlier this year and I’m honoured to be working with an organisation I respect so much to now bring this music into the world.
What are the main themes and concepts you are touching on?
This record wrestles with the collapse of our climate and the decline of nature. One million of the world’s estimated eight million species of plants and animals are currently threatened with extinction. We hear a lot about the science and the numbers of this crisis – which is essential – but I wanted to offer up an emotional response to it too. Music has a way of helping us approach well-trodden things from a different angle – my hope is that a more emotional reckoning might inspire deeper and different kinds of action to protect our planet.
What’s next for you?
Lots of live exploration! It’s where I’m happiest – so I can’t wait to be playing this music with my band as much as possible and letting the songs breathe in different contexts. I’m supporting The Vernon Spring at London Jazz Festival on the 11th November and will be announcing some other very exciting shows soon. I will be working towards my next body of work too – which is both thrilling and terrifying in equal measure – like anything worth doing I guess!
