Welcome Back #SoundLovers! K Fuse had the pleasure of conversing with Sofia Gillani, an experimental singer-songwriter, ahead of the release of her new single “Read your mind,” a fun song about platonic love, and more about her musical journey and influences.
Sofia Gillani had an interest in music from an early age and her starring as a lead in the musical Evita as a child officially sparked her passion for performing. Over the years, she has been avidly pursuing a career in music by independently writing, producing, self-promoting and even directing her own music videos! Check out our exclusive interview with Sofia Gillani below to learn more about her musical journey and her new single, “Read your mind.”
K FUSE: For our readers who are meeting you for the first time, please introduce yourself.
Sofia Gillani: Hi!! I'm Sofia Gillani, an experimental singer songwriter who has released a number of original songs ranging from R&B to pop to even rap!
K FUSE: Can you share when you first knew you wanted to pursue music?
Sofia Gillani: I have always been quite a vocal person - growing up around instruments and a musical dad has generally led me to feel free to express myself! I remember my first performance very vivdly - a talent show, when I was in primary school was my first real recognition of me wanting to release original music, and with the support system around me, it's been fun!
K FUSE: You’ve described yourself as an “experimental avant-garde pop artist.” Is there one genre that you feel specifically drawn to recently?
Sofia Gillani: Definitely garage - my new single coming out - 'Read your mind' definitely has garage and pop fused into it, maybe from a PinkPanthress obsession recently haha! But some of the stuff I'm working on now also has a bit of drill in it, which is pretty cool to experiment with!
K FUSE: You’ve definitely crafted your own sound that is uniquely Sofia Gillani, but would you say there are any music artists that have inspired or influenced you in some way?
Sofia Gillani: I have had many inspirations, but if I had to choose my inspirations of the moment - I'd have to say Victoria Monet, Ariana Grande, and Chlöe - their deep and rich production is something I want to explore in my own music.
K FUSE: Who would you most desire to collaborate with if given the opportunity and why?
Sofia Gillani: Absolutely Ariana Grande - She's so in sync with music, channelling her personality and flare into her albums. She's also quite experimental - with a lot of R&B in her albums 'Sweetener' and 'Positions'.
K FUSE: Do you have any rituals ahead of performing?
Sofia Gillani: Warming up, I like to drink a green tea before every interview - It's a drink that has never steered me wrong.
K FUSE: Is there a story behind your new single “Read Your Mind?” Or can you share something from the creative process?
“‘Read Your Mind' is about a more social side of me, where I often just wanted to know what people were thinking, not because of fear of judgement, but because I was so curious about how people had such different personalities from each other but were able to connect.”
Sofia Gillani: It explores platonic love in my life, and me reflecting on how different people are and how it's impossible to 'read' everyone's mind! I love my friends very deeply and love making emotionally vulnerable connections (as a cancer, duh) and this song is part of my lived experiences.
K FUSE: What can listeners expect from “Read Your Mind?”
“I believe platonic love is so incredibly strong, so this song was mainly about me building relationships that are so dear to me and navigating different people - even with the trials and tribulations that come with it. I feel like platonic love is not talked enough about, and this fun garage beat makes this song so relatable as the highs and lows of close friendship experiences is one that makes us very emotionally vulnerable.”
Sofia Gillani: Something fun and more chill than my other songs, that you could play to decompress - it's definitely one of my favorites, so I hope it will be one of theirs!
K FUSE: What’s on your personal recently played playlist?
Sofia Gillani: Some songs that really stand out are 'Glowing' by Alayna, 'Love Again' by Alex Isley, 'Surprise' by Chlöe and 'Stranger' by Hailey Knoxx.
K FUSE: What can fans look forward to in 2025?
Sofia Gillani: Definitely more releases, but also more gigs around the country - stay tuned on my ig - sofia.aneesa.gillani.
K FUSE: Lastly, do you have anything you’d like to share with our K Fuse readers (#SoundLovers)?
Sofia Gillani: If you need something new and refreshing to listen to - I'd recommend Sofia Gillani! I'd love for you to join my journey!
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