Sophia Danai

Meet Vancouver’s rising vocal talent, ​Sophia Danai​. Striking, and yet surprisingly unpretentious, this young star’s voice is as honest as her lyrics. With a sound that ranges from alternative R&B to sultry Electro-Pop, ​Okayplayer​ dubbed her a mix of Billie Holiday and Portishead, adding that she’s a “dynamic singer with an obvious foundation in soul”.

With a new-found sense of empowerment as an independent artist, Sophia has created a record in which the raw beauty of her voice takes centre stage. Her new album, Love Royale, is an evocative collection of songs intended to take the listener on a journey. Wanting more creative control to explore her artistry, Sophia has spent the last two years honing her production skills, and collaborating with a variety of artists and producers such as Grammy award winning, Jon Brown (Meghan Trainor, Pink) and Vancouver's own, Matt Brevner. Inspired by Brown's LA studio, built inside one of Marilyn Monroe's early homes, Sophia's single, Daytime Dreaming, has an essence of old hollywood glamour. With its compelling arrangement of music and lyrics, Daytime Dreaming tells a story of longing for something more.

Sophia's story is as easy to relate to as her talent. As a young girl, it was music that gave her shelter from an often difficult adolescence, and helped her find her identity and direction. Sophia began writing music as a way of coping, and along the way gained the confidence to believe she had something unique to share with the world. It is the ability to voice her pain and joy through music that gives her the strength to forge her way as an artist in the modern music industry.

With the release of her debut EP, Wishing Well, 2013 was a breakthrough year for Sophia. Wishing Well is produced by grammy award winner Chin Injeti, and features Talib Kwali, Shad and DJ Khalil. Her song, "Higher Baby", was licensed to Appleton Rum for a nation wide advertising campaign, and she garnered two Juno nominations for her work with Madchild, and rising stars SonReal and Rich Kidd. Sophia, a dynamic performer, has shared the stage with Aloe Blacc, Quadron, and De La Soul. Other notable performances include last year's Manifesto Festival in Dundas Square Toronto, and the 102nd Grey Cup Festival in Vancouver.

Sophia, always evolving in her artistry, is a talent to watch for. Look out for her as she tours her new record, Love Royale, in Canada and the U.S.

"If you can imagine a perfect balan