As an individual who lived through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, I have been waiting for the music and art that would come from it, and Diana Sophia did not disappoint. If you did not have the experience or if you did, please take a moment to listen to her new song “Sirens.” This song will transport you to those months of 24/7 ambulance sirens and the anxiety we all felt, but she also laces in hope that came with them. This song is heavy, and not something I will listen to every day, but it is true historic art and should be respected as such. Diana might be from Mexico, but in many ways, she is nothing but a New Yorker. She is all about grit and passion. In addition to being an incredible singer-songwriter, she is a survivor and helps support an amazing organization for sexual abuse victims called Hidden Water. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about Diana Sophia.

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Foreword by Kira Bucca, Editor in Chief of Jejune Magazine.

Where are you based?
I am based in Brooklyn, NY.

How did you get into singing and songwriting?
When I was 11, I began to write poetry as a way to express myself in an environment where I did not feel safe. I made my first song when I was 15 years old with the help of a friend who was the guitarist of the garage band where I played drums. At that time, I began to play guitar by ear, and I wrote a bunch of songs, but I abandoned my dreams because my childhood was chaotic, and surviving was what took my time and energy. I ran away from home, and I had a bumpy musical training. However, I won a chair as a singer at The Mexican Opera House’s choir where I worked for a few years before I moved to NY in 2008. In 2015, I recovered the dream of becoming a singer-songwriter, and since then I have been writing and recording songs.

Most of your music is very emotional. Can you tell us where you get your inspiration from?
The inspiration for my music came as a way to survive the toxic and dysfunctional environment where I grew up. I have needed to express many emotions that I have kept inside of me. I am a sensitive and emotional person as well, and my music has been a tool for recovery. I would say that sometimes it has become the “exorcism’s” tool to get my demons out!

Jejune loves your new song Sirens, as a fellow New Yorker, your song is personally exactly what I went through as well. Can you tell us a little bit about the creation of Sirens, and what inspired you to write it?
Last April, when COVID-19 was hitting us in NYC badly, I was struggling to keep my sanity... Not having any family support, and being all by myself in NY was tough. A few of my friends got sick, and so many people from my community were dying. One night, I was lying down in my bed with my earplugs on while listening to a talk, and suddenly I heard someone screaming and sobbing. In the beginning, I thought that maybe it was a baby, but when I took my earplugs off, I heard a woman who was weeping in desperation. I don’t know what happened, but it got me in bad shape. I couldn’t sleep well, and the next day I had to teach a class virtually. So, I woke up, I got into the shower, and I began to feel very sick. I began to see black stains on the wall, and I only remember that I turned the faucet off, grabbed my towel, and I found myself lying down on the bathroom floor... I fainted!

That night, I began to write “Sirens” as a way to cope with the anxiety and heartbreak that all of us were feeling.

“Sirens” is heartbreaking, but also a call for hope. Can you tell us a little bit about your personal New York City COVID experience?
My personal New York City COVID experience has been one of resiliency, hope, change, and transformation. I wrote new songs, I had a necessary break up, and I moved to the neighborhood where I had always wanted to live in Brooklyn. I think COVID has pushed many people to appreciate life, to make necessary changes, and to treat ourselves and others better, and that happened to me.

What do you want your audience to take from the song?
I would like that every time people hear my song ‘Sirens’, they trust themselves that even when a crisis arrives bringing difficulties and challenges, they can find the silver linings to bring hope, change, and growth. ‘Sirens’ also celebrates New Yorkers' toughness, magic, and love during COVID.

New York City has had a lot thrown at it in 2020, between COVID, Black Lives Matter, and the elections. A lot of people are saying that there is a mass exodus is happening. Do you feel this is true? Do you feel New York City will never be the same?
Well, so many people have indeed left New York, but I think that the ones who stay are the ones who have belonged to NYC since the beginning.

Every city around the world is suffering from COVID-19 challenges, and New York for sure has been affected more because it is a place where people from around the world come.

New York is not easy, it is expensive, and I think it tests us every single day to stay or leave, but I also believe that New York is a place where artists’ creativity flourishes. Right now, rents are more affordable, which is nice. I trust New York City will be back as it was before, it will not be fast, but it will come back changed and renovated from any setback.

We also noticed that you have recently been very vocal about promoting the organization Hidden Water. Can you tell us a little bit about this organization and why they are important to you?
Hidden Water is an extraordinary organization doing transformative healing work. Its restorative justice response to child sexual abuse serves the whole family. This organization is innovative, as they create healing through Circle eliminating the hierarchy of traditional therapeutic models.

‘MeToo’ and ‘BlackLivesMatter’ movements have challenged societal norms and catalyzed change. What was so long invisible to most is finally becoming visible to all, but I think that childhood sexual abuse trauma is still stigmatized and a taboo. They supported my healing journey, and after years of working on myself, I wanted to support this cause.

Statistics show that domestic violence and sexual abuse have been on a rise with everyone in lockdown. Can you please let us know your thoughts on this?
I think that we as human beings have the propensity to react in negative ways when we are under a lot of stress, and if we add any mental health problem due to unresolved trauma and a crisis... The result of that mix can generate a rise in substance abuse, addiction, violence, and mental health issues. Being sent to lockdown means that dysfunctional families or relationships where violence was already happening have been forced to stay at “home” together under extremely stressful conditions. Unfortunately, this might contribute to raising domestic violence and sexual abuse charts.

Do you have any advice for someone who is a survivor of sexual abuse?
My advice to any survivor of sexual abuse is to look for help. If the sexual abuse happened during childhood, I recommend joining a non-profit like Hidden Water that offers circles of support for everyone, and it is for free. I think that finding a good therapist is super important as well. Another piece of advice is to prioritize their healing, to do an activity that helps them to connect to their body like yoga, dancing, kickboxing, etc…

And also, please never give up, trust that you can cross any darkness, hold yourself tight to your light, be patient, and celebrate every small victory and beautiful moment that you have in your life. What happened to you was not your fault, and through your healing, you can help many people who are suffering as well.

How have you been staying positive during shelter-in-place?
I meditate for 15 minutes every day, and after my meditation, I read something short that inspires me. I try to exercise three times per week (virtual Yoga & Pilates), and I connect with a friend at least once a week. Also, creating songs and having projects have let me keep learning more about the music industry, which is something positive!

What is your motto in life?
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” -Rumi

To learn more about Diana Sophia, please follow her via the below platforms:
www.dianasophia.com
Instagram: dianasophiamusic
Facebook: dianasophiamusic

Photography by William Murray.

Sirens Of Hope - Diana Sophia