The Sofia Bolt Interview
Born in Paris, France, Amelie Rousseaux grew up with a mother who was an opera singe and a father who appreciated more of the rock n’ roll side of things. It was in the stars that Rousseaux would become a musician and artists herself and at the age of 12 her life changed drastically by David Bowie’s stellar “Heroes” album. Prior to Sofia Bolt, Rousseaux participated in a band called The Water Babies and in 2013 she was accompanied by her friend Louise Roam and together the first Sofia Bolt album was made. In this interview we explore Rousseaux’s youth growing up in France, the influence of her mother’s opera background, David Bowie, getting her first electric guitar, starting Sofia Bolt some 10 years ago and much more!
Where were you born? When did you first begin to fall in love with music? Was music relevant around your households growing up? Do you have any siblings?
Paris, France. My mom was an opera singer and some of my earliest memories are linked to her singing. I would often stay with my grandparents while my mom was performing abroad and my grandmother would play me tapes of my mom singing to put me to sleep. Music has always been intrinsic to my life. Very. Both of my parents were passionate about music in different ways. My mom with classical music and my dad with rock and more contemporary music. No.
What would you do for fun growing up? Who were some of your earliest influences? When and where did you see your first concert and when did it dawn on you that you wanted to be a musician?
Make up songs and bike around Paris. Seeing David Bowie’s “Heroes” music video when I was 12 changed my life. My goal then became to figure out how to create the musical feelings he was making me feel. I am lucky enough to have been going to concerts since I was a baby, watching my mom perform at the opera and my uncle play with his band Les Objets. I started writing songs when I was about 7, but since I couldn’t play any instruments yet they were all acapella. When I discovered David Bowie at the age of 12 I knew that that was all I wanted to do with my life and I asked my uncle to gift me one of his old electric guitars.
Did you participate in any groups prior to your project Sofia Bolt? Would you mind telling me about how the name, Sofia Bolt came about? Tell me about writing and recording your debut back in 2013 entitled “Honey Monster Love” with your bandmate Louise Roam.
The Water Babies with Clementine March, Pierre Caron, and Guillaume Magne. An alter-ego made up of Sofia (wisdom in Greek) and Bolt (lightning/ electricity). A very meticulous process and more electronic than I ever did thereafter. Just me and Louise Roam in their Parisian basement studio sampling drum sounds and tracking bit by bit.
In 2018 you released “Extremes”. Tell me about working with Jonathan Reig. How did you want to approach these songs in comparison to your previous work?
This was the first time I recorded a full-length live in the studio with a band. We chose Black Box Studio because it’s in the middle of nowhere in the west of France and we’d be able to fully focus but also for its epic history and aura. Like its 1969 Flickinger console brought to France from Chicago by Lian Burgess in the 90s. Jonathan Reig who engineered and mixed the record had worked there before and was friends with Peter Deimel who ran the place with his wife. It was really inspiring to be in the studio day and night with the band (Pierre Caron, Erik Maunoury, and Steffen Charron). We also cooked some pretty unforgettable meals…
Tell me a bit about your very anticipated release of “Waves” back in 2020. What was the process of writing and recording this album and would you mind walking me through tracks such as “Get Out Of My Head”, “Waves”, “Losing Control” and “Closing Time”? This album was very well received. How much did this album impact your life and career upon its release?
I wrote this album soon after I moved to Los Angeles from France in February 2017. I had broken up from a long term relationship the year before and so this record was definitely part of my healing and growing process as I began this new chapter of my life. The songs are very personal and are also very connected to my discovery of surfing (hence the plethora of wave metaphors…) It allowed me to reach a broader audience for sure. Most importantly I was asked to create the soundtrack for the winter 2020 CELINE fashion show by Hedi Slimane in Paris and that was a truly unforgettable experience.
You released your 2022 album “Soft Like A Peach”. I’d love to know the process and approach to writing songs like “Trying My Best”, “Soft Fruit”, and “Not Ready For Love”. What were some of the most fun and most difficult elements to creating this album and why?
This album was about playing around with musical form. Getting out of the more classic approach to songwriting. I got to write my first string arrangements (“Not Ready for Love”), and included more unique synth and wind instruments. It was the most organic songwriting I’ve ever done. Following emotions rather than form.
What have you got in the works for your Spring and Summer? Are you currently working on anything, gigs, tour?
We just finished recording a full length record at Tropico Beauty Studios in Los Angeles with some very special guests and we're headlining a Los Angeles show on May 24 at Gold-Diggers. (Tickets here).
