Meet singer/songwriter Sophia Bristol: talented, seventeen & headed to Nashville

Talented singer/songwriter Sophia Bristol, a Brookfield resident, just graduated from high school and is headed to study music in Nashville this fall. At 17 years old, this up and coming musician has earned a loyal and solid fan base. We sat down with Sophia to talk with her about her inspiring and personal songwriting, industry acclaim, and her plans for the future. 

Who or what got you into music?

Music has always been a part of my life. My grandmother was a professional opera singer and my mother used to teach guitar so from a very young age I was encouraged to pursue music.  

Time Machine has 61,291 views on Youtube, How does that make you feel? 

It's a surreal feeling. I can't believe all the positive feedback I've gotten from "Time Machine". As a songwriter, my main goal is to write something that is relatable and can help people. So I'm overjoyed when I hear that "Time Machine" has done just that. 

Which of your songs means the most to you? 

The song that means the most to me is called "Gotta Let Go" and it will be on my debut EP. I wrote the song for my mother when she and my father were going through their divorce. The song is very close to my heart. 

You just graduated from high school and will be attending Belmont University in Nashville in the fall. Nashville is the hub of country music! What do you hope to achieve while studying there? 

I'm very excited to study in Nashville. I plan to work on perfecting my craft and hopefully write relatable songs that can help people- whether it's to help them get through a tough situation and let them know they're not alone or a happy song that just makes someone smile. 

Nashville is a hub for country music, however all genres are represented there. I look forward to the diversity of music that will be around me. 

How old were you when you discovered you wanted to be a musician?

I've wanted to be a musician for as long as I can remember. My mother always says, I was singing before I started talking. When I was 3 years old I started putting on little concerts for my family in the living room. As I got older, I realized I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else. 

I heard you were in the city for a pretty cool gig that featured the trumpet player for Michael Buble. Tell me about that.

Yes, I had the opportunity to perform at Joe's Pub in Greenwich village with my friend Jumaane Smith. We played an acoustic version of my song 'Time Machine'. The crowd was amazing and it was wonderful to hear what everyone thought of the song afterwards. Jumaane is so talented and it was a pleasure to perform with him. 

What or who is your music influenced by? 

My music is influenced by life situations. My songs are like my journal; that’s where I pour out all my emotions and feelings about things I go through, the good and the bad.

I write when I feel upset seeing my family go through tough situations, If I'm heartbroken over a boy, or I'm just excited and want to tell the world about it. It just comes naturally to write a song about what I'm experiencing.

Follow Sophia Bristol on Twitter @sophiabristol 

Visit her website here.