Vida Sophia discusses balancing emotions and sounds on her new EP

The self-titled collection follows last year's debut EP Soundtrack and continues to show the multi-faceted talent of Barat. It spana an array of genres from the brooding noir of "Capella" and "Phantom", to the euphoric and uplifting "Nothing Can Stand In My Way".

It's the mixture of light and dark which makes Vida Sophia a compelling listen despite its brevity. Lana Del Rey-eqsue standout "I Never Surf" blends Scandinavian melancholy with contrasting sun-kissed inflections for an eerie-yet-soothing ode to heartbreak in summertime.

Let Barat guide you through joy and despair as she successfully navigates through various iterations of her sound.

Could you introduce yourself for people who are new to the Vida Sofia project?

Vida Sophia is my alias as an artist. It’s a solo project where I try to filter out any noise or expectations from the world around me. It's so easy to loose yourself in the turmoil.

Where are you your most creative?

I have to feel safe to be creative. By safe I mean ‘at home’. So naturally I’m creative when I isolate myself in my apartment. Another place where I feel creative is in my producer's studio. It’s filled with all kinds of obscure instruments. Everything from a sitar and a pedal steel to seashells and old toy pianos. It’s a fun and inspiring environment.

How would you describe the music you make?

I grew up playing the violin and I love filmic soundscapes so I would definitely describe my music as evocative. At least it is to me. The music is a combination of a consistent calmness and surfguitars at the same time.

What inspires you to make music?

The people around me. My boyfriend inspires me, my friends and my family. My emotional state can also make it necessary for me to write. I use it as an output and as a sort of meditation because it can make me focus and forget everything around me.

How did the EP come together?

The EP was made together with my producer Miccel Mohr. The end product is five very different songs. Like me they range from being carefree like in "Nothing Can Stand in Your Way" or "I Never Surf" to painting darker colors like in "Phantom" or "Exhale". "Capella" is just pure romance. This was the whole idea. To create something that captures the variety of moods and feelings. I have a lot of love for all of them.

What do you want people to take away when they listen to the EP?

My dreams would come true if the songs can assist the people who hear them on happy and on sad days. I hope they can make people slow down and take a moment to allow themselves to feel how they really feel. Instead of running or hiding. We should all celebrate the spectrum of human emotions even the uncomfortable ones.

What are your plans for the coming summer?

I’m longing for summer by now and I’m really looking forward to this one. Especially because I’m coming to London to play a concert in June. I actually used to live in London and play music and I truly can’t wait to be back.