Full look Feng Chen Wang / Jewellery Sofia’s own

The project includes four brand-new songs for listeners to sink their teeth into, released just days before she kicked off the UK leg of her European tour in Manchester. While in town, Principle caught up with the singer to talk about the new EP, her return to Europe, and plans for her debut album.

You are back in Europe right now. How does it feel to be back? I know it holds a special place for you.

Yeah, I love it here. It’s been a couple of months since I’ve been here, but it always feels like a second home. It’s where I did my first headline show, which has always been an unforgettable experience. So it’s really nice to come back to somewhere that feels familiar. 

You just released your second EP, Hard To Love, this year. How are you feeling about this one? You’ve been very vocal about the emotional process.

Not to take away from the first EP I did, but with this one, the vision was more clear. We wanted to be honest and vulnerable. The story we wanted to tell was about wearing our hearts on our sleeves. I feel really connected to each of these songs—they’re all very special to me. It all happened quickly, which makes it even more special because it felt natural. We didn’t have to go into too much detail about things. It all just flowed out of us one by one.

The EP tackles so many emotions, from breakdowns to goodbyes that never felt finished. Why was now the right time to write about it?

I think because I had already healed from it, it became easier to communicate about those things. The collaborators I was working with are phenomenal and added more to the story. I sit there like it’s a therapy session while they’re just like, “Hey, let’s write this. Let’s do this.” It just felt right. There’s really no other way to put it.

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The whole thing came together in just two weeks, which is a fast turnaround. However, was there any song that was most challenging to write?

I would say “You Can’t Save Me” is the most personal song to me. I connect with it on a deeper level than any of the others because it’s not about a typical heartbreak from a relationship—it’s from a more personal standpoint, more of a family or household perspective, people who are really close to you.

Do you ever give anyone a heads up that you’ve written these songs about them?

No, I don’t think so. I don’t think I ever will—unless I really felt like I had to. It’s not like I’m saying anything bad in the songs. It’s just me sharing my story and how I felt during that time, which I think is fair. But yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever really told anyone.

It’s been a busy year of shows for you. That said, you’re about to embark on your first headline tour across Europe. How are you feeling?

It’s insane. I’m so excited and happy. There are so many things I didn’t think you had to plan, and now that we’re here, it feels so real. I feel like I didn’t have enough time to process that we were going on tour, and I won’t until the first show. It doesn’t feel real until I’m on stage and see the fans. I haven’t really experienced what it’s like to be in front of people who came just for me. I’ve always been the opener, hyping up the crowd for someone else. So I’m excited to see what that’s like, and I feel like everyone else is on the same wave.

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You supported Dean Lewis earlier this year and will also be supporting Bastille in arenas shortly after your own tour. What’s it like being an opening act versus a headliner?

It’s really exciting. I think there’s more pressure when it’s a crowd that knows you and your music. They hold a standard in their minds. When you’re opening, you’re just there to entertain. My only job now is to make sure they have fun—or cry their eyes out.

Many people say it’s more daunting to play to smaller crowds than big ones.

Absolutely. You have to face the fact that they’re right there, listening to every word. In a bigger room, there’s more room to accept that a mistake can happen and the show goes on. But in a smaller room, if something cuts out or you miss a note or a section, it’s more noticeable because everything is so close.

Last year, your song “Who Do I Call Now? (Hellbent)” became a big hit for you. Have you had time to think about why it connected with so many people?

I don’t really know the answer to that, and I’m not sure I ever will. All I know is that the way the song came about was very real—one day I was hurt, and the next day we wrote about it. We basically copy and pasted what happened in my life into a song. I think it resonated because it’s relatable—losing someone and feeling like you have no one else to call. That “what do I do now?” moment, when the person you used to turn to is gone.

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I guess if you did know the answer, you would bottle that energy and sprinkle it on every song you make.

Exactly. You never know. I wish we all had a magic book on how to write the perfect song. But I think it worked because it was just me. That’s why it did what it did. Not to say the other songs didn’t, but sometimes it’s also just luck.

How do you deal with songs not performing as well as you hoped?

It’s hard. There’s pressure from your team because you want to impress them, make them feel like you’ve got this. They do their best to remind me not every song has to be “it,” but after “Who Do I Call Now?”, I definitely felt like, “This next one is it, I swear.” But each song has been successful in its own way. “Girls Like You” had a totally different kind of success than “Who Do I Call Now?” They’re all different, but each has its own win.

How have you felt about your rise in the industry so far?

In the beginning, I thought it would happen a lot quicker. But I’ve learned you have to be patient. There’s still so much I’m learning—as an artist, a songwriter, even just being in the room. I have to trust myself, trust my gut. Patience is key.

Full look Feng Chen Wang / Jewellery Sofia’s own

Have you started to think about an album yet?

I’m really excited to start a new body of work and work on the album. But to write music that feels like me, I have to experience life. I don’t want to write about something I feel disconnected from. I need time to do the tour and not think about writing. That’s how I wrote this EP—I took a break from writing for four months. Then I did a week in LA and we wrote “That’s Just How You Feel.” I didn’t do anything for two months after that. Then we wrote the rest. Giving myself time helped me figure out what story I wanted to tell, what visuals we wanted. I know it’s different for everyone, but I just haven’t put too much thought into the next album yet because this tour is the biggest dream of mine. Right now, that’s the most important thing.

Have you been saving songs for an album or do you think you’ll go into it with a completely clean slate?

I don’t think I’ll use any old songs for the next album. When we write it, I’ll be in a completely different place in my life. The issue with the first EP was that some of the songs were written three or four years before it came out, so there was a disconnect. This next album is a clean slate. We’re going to try new things and just have fun with it with no pressure.

This year is coming to a close. What albums have you been listening to recently?

I’ve listened to The Secret of Us by Gracie Abrams a lot. It’s such a great album Also, I don’t know if you know her, but Aubrey Hobert, who’s Gracie Abrams’ roommate and co-writer, put out an album this year [Who’s the Clown?] that sounds amazing. I was really into that. 

Full look Levi’s / Shoes Grenson / Jewellery Sofia’s own

What’s next for you?

Once we’re done with the tour and join Bastille for a few dates in the UK, I’ll stay in the UK for about a week and do some writing. Then I’ll fly back to Toronto and do more writing in December, trying to picture what the album will look and sound like. It’s full-on creative mode after the tour.

So will the next thing we hear from you be in the form of an album and not another EP?

No, I think it’ll definitely be an album. Maybe two or three singles first, and then the full album. We don’t have a specific release date, but we’re thinking late June.

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