By Victoria Canales

Getting to the professional level and becoming a part of the industry is every songwriter’s dream. However, it’s understandable that this passion-project-turned-career is elusive and oversaturated with competition, and when everybody is chasing the same goal, it can feel like nobody succeeds. But that didn’t stop Laredo native Modern Sophia from trying.

Sophia Nance, aka Modern Sophia, has been making music for years; her first published song was released when she was in the ninth grade. Now, she is a sophomore at UT Austin and a vital part of the music scenes both in Austin and in Laredo. Having been a member of an orchestra, mariachi, and her own live band, Sophia is no stranger to performing, but she enjoys behind-the-scenes work just as much as being in the spotlight. She writes, records, and produces all her own music, but last year, she decided that she wanted to learn more. SoundSync Austin, an ATX-based music publishing group, was teaming up with Universal Music Publishing Group to create a songwriting camp for aspiring Austin writers.

“I almost didn’t apply!” says Sophia. “But I’m glad I did.”

She was accepted into the camp and immediately got to work. The camp brought in some talent from outside Texas, including producers who have worked with musicians such as Becky G. Participants were put into groups to brainstorm and write together, and she says she gained a lot of real-world experience from the camp.

“I think I definitely learned about more pop, and that was a game-changer for me. The thing is, I know I don’t have to necessarily do pop music to be successful, but it’s good to know popular production techniques right now, and that is what I feel has really advanced my songwriting.”

Along with learning production techniques, Sophia says that she made some important industry connections. Through the songwriting camp, she met a creative lead who liked her work, and after a few months of working together even after the camp had finished, Sophia was offered a contract to write for UMPG.

The past few months have been a mixture of hard work and creative bliss for Modern Sophia. She dedicates much of her time to her music and has been experimenting with new sounds and techniques. Sophia continues to work with producers under UMPG, and she is in constant communication with the creative lead who originally discovered her work. Though her solo music has been on a bit of a hiatus for the past year, she says she has new projects in the works, and she’s ready for Modern Sophia to come back stronger than ever with this newfound experience.

When asked about any advice she has for aspiring musicians and songwriters, she says that networking is the most important aspect of the music industry. 

“People always say that success is always half luck and half hard work, and I’ve heard that a million times. But what I’ve learned from other artists that are doing well is that yes, getting discovered at a show is luck, but it was hard work that got me at the show to be noticed in the first place. You really have to put yourself out there.” Sophia says that if she hadn’t joined a music club at UT, she wouldn’t have met the friend who told her about the camp, and she wouldn’t have met the creative lead and gotten the coveted contract that she has now. 

Modern Sophia with Boo

Ultimately, Modern Sophia loves what she does, and she takes inspiration from everything around her. Her cat, affectionately named Boo, has been a major source of happiness and sanity during the pandemic, and she calls him her best friend. She doesn’t let the pressure get to her, and she continues to live out her dream. Her two cities can’t wait to see what she does next.