Living in Brazil for a season and collecting several memories, the American singer and songwriter Selena Sofia is looking to improve her musical strength even more, encompassing romantic pop and electronics. For this year 2022, the muse has one more novelty!
After joining in some musical sessions with Brazilians like Luccas Carlos, Giulia Be, MC Guimê, and more recently, she teamed up with fellow musician Chase Bell through the single “Reason”.
Being planned since 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the duo has already been producing different versions of compositions and in this single, the plot came from a very personal perspective of the authors: the impulsive desire of a person to be participating in a relationship. You can check out the full interview below!
At the beginning of this month of July, we started the 1st with the single “Reason” which is a partnership between you and the singer Chase Bell. How was the history of this project and partnership between you?
The idea for the song “Reason” was born in 2021 at Chase’s Silverlake studio in Los Angeles. We’ve been writing so many records in the last year when we started working together during the pandemic. We knew that “Reason” had something incredibly special. After many rewrites and production versions, we really fell in love with it and were ready to share it with the world.
In addition to not being the first work of the two of you, you started producing your music in 2020 during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time that greatly affected the shows and the progress of several projects. This year activities are gradually returning, and how has this return been and what impacts have you noticed in the post-pandemic?
Being able to create and work on music during the pandemic has really been a saving grace for me. I think for a lot of people. In such a difficult time for the world, it has been a blessing to be able to share our hearts and hope through our music. When the world started opening up again, we were more than ready to play live shows and release music. While it has been a slow transition, we couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunities we’ve had in 2022.
Despite having worked on a multitude of songs, you and Chase have come to share many of your characteristics ranging from musical genres to songwriting processes. What made you identify more with Chase?
I think what makes Chase and I so compatible as writers is that we’re really quite different. We both have that hopeless romantic in us, but having different writing styles helps bring a fresh perspective to the lyrics and melodies we create. I started writing music in my bedroom with my guitar and piano when I was 11 years old. So when Chase invited me into his studio in 2019, I played some of my personal music and shortly thereafter I was invited to our first writing session. I really resonated with his raw approach to writing and we started working and developing ideas full force from then on.
This new single brings a very interesting story that shows a person’s impulsive desire to be in a relationship. Did this narrative come out of your own experiences or was it born out of observations you had about the world?
For me, this album really resonates with how I feel for a lot of people. I mean, that’s the point, right? I always tend to write from a personal perspective. At the time when “Reason” was early in the development process, I was just trying to deal with my own difficulties of letting go of a relationship I wasn’t ready for. This song, like many others I’ve been a part of, was a great outlet for me to process and share the emotions I could never find the right words for. For me, that’s what music is about. When the listener can feel the authenticity in an artist’s writing, I believe that’s what makes a great record.
For those who still don’t know him, I would like to ask a little more about how your first contacts with music happened and if an international career here in South America is part of your plans?
I discovered music at a very young age and it changed my life. I always knew I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. For me it’s more than just a passion. It’s a way of life. Art as a whole is a catalyst for change, in my opinion, be it personal or general. The moment I stepped onstage I knew this was where I belonged. It brought me a sense of peace that I’ve never experienced before. I look forward to performing all over the world throughout my career, but South America will always have a special place in my heart. I spent 6 months living in São Paulo in 2019. I had the pleasure of working and participating in some sessions with artists such as Luccas Carlos, Guilia Be, MC Guime and many more. Simultaneously developing my own 6 song EP with a lot of Brazilian influence. Bringing my own Latin fusion, RnB and Pop to Samba, Bossa Nova and Brazilian Funk. Can’t wait to come back and play live one day.
One issue with the release of her song is that the first version of it was an acoustic version but that version has yet to be released. What was it like to hear the finished project for the first time and what are your expectations for the public reception with this release?
We went through many versions of this song. It was a long process and it couldn’t have been worth it. When we heard the final version for the first time, it brought a new sense of excitement to us. I still love the original acoustic version and look forward to that release too.
Regarding “Reason”, the song brings a very cool mix of electronic and pop music. What most attracted you to these musical styles?
As a teenager, I was obsessed with Edm. I went to so many festivals and even started playing electronic music when I was 18. My styles have changed and evolved a lot over the years. While I’ve written many of these types of records for other people, I never expected to release an Edm song as part of my own artist project. This record brought me so much beautiful nostalgia and I’m incredibly proud of the music and the feeling we created.
Finally, what do you have to say to the Brazilian public reading our interview right now?
I love you Brazil! I fell in love with the country, the people, the culture and the music when I lived there. Thank you so much for allowing me to experience it through your eyes. Seeing how music is such a big part of their lives and the passion behind it has really inspired me and I’m so excited for you to hear what we have to come. I can’t wait to perform and dance with you again.