Sophie Castillo’s Indigenous roots inspire her music

There’s a reason Sophie Castillo’s discography doesn’t focus on one genre, one language, or any one rhythm. The London-born Cuban-Colombian is a multi-talented artist whose music is a testament to the multicultural environment in which she grew up. You may recognize Castillo from TikTok, where her song appeared “Call me by your name” became one of her most listened to songs. Her ability to seamlessly combine Spanish and English to the beat of bachata has certainly earned the admiration of listeners.

Castillo started singing at the age of 3. Growing up, her Colombian mother and Cuban father, the first of their family to emigrate to the UK, played exclusively Latin music – especially salsa. “My family always played a lot of salsa, so Grupo Niche, Brava Fruko y Sus Tesos, Joe Arroyo, Celia Cruz,” Castillo said. And her love and talent for musical theater were soon realized. Around the time Castillo was 5, she performed in a school recital and moved the adult audience to tears. This led to her mother and uncles placing her in an after-school drama program so she could practice music and pursue acting, singing, and dancing. “This is my lifelong dream,” the 26-year-old said.

Reflecting on his childhood, Castillo’s representation of the Latino community in UK media really stands out. “I definitely had problems as a child growing up not feeling represented.” As a result, she idealized European features in Barbie dolls, movies, and toys. Castillo says she didn’t see herself in any media growing up: “I never saw any kind of Indigenous representation of Latina women.”

“When I was a child and didn’t have a language to converse with, I felt insecure, but as soon as I was able to express my feelings about it, I received a lot of support and encouragement. That really changed the way I look. watched myself,” she continued. Castillo’s advice for women who, like her, don’t feel represented in the media is to “remember that you have ancestors.” She reflects on a beautiful sentiment she came across online: “You look the way you do because your two ancestors loved those traits in each other so much that they decided to intend to come together and create a child. That child passed on those traits and eventually, they became yours.”

Honoring the legacy of those who came before her is important in the artist’s journey to self-love. When feelings of insecurity arise, Castillo reminds himself: “Wait a minute – I might have this nose or these eyes because one of my ancestors gave them to me.”

Castillo has also learned to look inward as he prioritizes his mental health and self-image. “What I’ve learned over time is really just how much power we have in our own lives,” she said. “I’m in control of my thoughts, my emotions, my mind. I can always change something to make myself feel better. I can always cheer myself up.”

Pride in her heritage not only gave her physical but also mental confidence as she ventured into the music industry. “As Latin Americans, our continent has gone through so much trauma as a land and our ancestors have gone through so much trauma that we need to honor them for what they gave us How we and they fought to survive amidst everything they encountered.” have to face,” she said.

It’s clear that the influence of Castillo’s Latin American heritage inspired her musical sound – but most importantly, the influence of her ancestors served as inspiration for her perseverance as she worked towards rising to stardom. In addition to her upbringing influencing her sound as a singer-songwriter, the artist also credits some important values ​​to growing up with Latina parents. “There are many, but one of them is inner strength and an overall positive outlook on life — the ability to get up after a fall, dust off your knees and keep going,” she said. This thinking is something “everyone in our family, and in a lot of Latino and immigrant families, has had to do.”

Today, through adapting the language and sounds of her childhood into storytelling, she is able to honor these sacrifices and alchemize them. Integrating musical elements originating from Latin America, while interweaving other sources of inspiration, has resulted in the development of a unique sound and deeply personal voice. All while preserving cultural genres and introducing them to new audiences.

Through social media, Castillo not only built a platform for her music, but also worked to provide the representation she longed for growing up. As she shared on her TikTok, she is patiently waiting to become an official representative for “brown skin/Women with indigenous characteristics.”

As she says, “A lot of girls message me or comment that they like that I look like them and their daughters, and that they like to see me with my features represented.” for us in the music industry. They are very supportive of me.” And so are we.

Ashley García Lezcano is an audience strategist, writer and producer with a passion for highlighting Latino stories and culture. In addition to PS, her work has appeared in People en Español and Teen Vogue. As a first-generation Colombian American, Ashley is committed to authentically amplifying Latinx voices and stories.