FEATURE: Spotlight: Sofia Camara — Music Musings & Such

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Sofia Camara

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AT the moment…

Sofia Camara is touring Europe. She is an artist that I really love and have not yet spotlighted. Hard to Love was her E.P. from last year. Her latest single, The Last Encounter, came out recently. This is someone who needs to be on your radar. I am going to come to some interviews with this wonder. Born in Portugal but raised in Toronto, Canada, I do hope that she plays in the U.K. at some point, as there are a lot of her fans over here that would love to see her perform. I am going back to last year for the interviews. Though Sofia Camara is definitely among artists from this year that are coming through - and are seen as ‘rising’ - and helping to shape and define its sound. I think she will have a very busy summer. I am going to start with The Lunar Collective and their chat. Speaking with Sofia Camara around the release of her single, Girls Like You, it was one of those big summer songs that helped push her music and name wider than ever. One of the most consistently brilliant young artists in the world. I do think that she has a very long future in music:

“LUNA: You teased “Girls Like You” online and during live shows. Did that initial response have any influence on how you approached the release?

CAMARA: My idea was to bring it to the live show and see how people react. When you’re in person, it’s a whole different vibe. You see the crowds chanting and dancing and having fun—that’s the exact type of reaction you want for a song like this. I think the key to posting online and teasing songs is being genuine and honest. So if that means propping up your phone and dancing and singing out your car window, then that’s exactly the type of energy I wanted to have.

LUNA: The videos have that exact energy. In the lyric video and visualizer, it’s super laid back.

CAMARA: When you think about summertime, hanging out with your friends, and enjoying time with your girls, it’s always laid back. In the summer, I remember sitting in the car with all of my friends with the windows down, the wind blowing in your hair, and there isn’t a care in the world. There’s no destination. You’re just driving to drive around, and listening to music. When we were writing the song, we wanted to capture that emotion.

LUNA: What are you listening to this summer?

CAMARA: “Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter. I also feel like there’s still so much time [for summer releases.] I’ve been listening to my songs (laughs). I’m wrapping them up so I’ve been locked into the world of finishing songs!

LUNA: Speaking of summer, you’re going to be playing Lollapalooza. How are you feeling about that?

CAMARA: It is so overwhelming. I try not to think about it so ahead of time because it’ll really make me anxious leading up to the show day. It’s so crazy to even be able to be there. It’s something that I feel like every artist dreams of doing. It’s really exciting.

LUNA: Are you hoping to catch anyone’s performance while you’re there?

CAMARA: I know that Sabrina Carpenter is going to be there. I’m on the same day as Gracie Abrams for Osheaga in Montréal. She is someone I really look up to right now. I’m excited to watch both those artists live.

LUNA: Are you much of a festival goer yourself?

CAMARA: I get really anxious in crowds! Even performing, I just worry. It makes me nervous as an artist because I’m like, “Wait, everyone, space out!” I always worry about safety issues. It’s so cool to bring such a big community of people together to listen to music, which is really beautiful in so many ways, but it makes me a little anxious!”.

Sofia Camara’s E.P., Hard to Love, came out late last year. She were interviewed around this incredible released. Principle Magazine spent some time with this amazing artist. It is revealed during the interview that she is working towards an album. Last year was a particularly productive year for Camara. Someone who has this deep and intense passion for music. What she is producing at the moment is her very best work. With every release, she grows stronger and more astonishing:

“The Portuguese-Canadian pop star began writing songs at the tender age of 13 and later created buzz after she shared performances of herself covering familiar songs online. Now, as a more mature 23 year old, Camara is officially on the rise – and there’s no stopping her. She’s selling out headline tours, racking up millions of streams, and has already played huge shows with Dean Lewis and Stevie Nicks.
On Friday 10th October, Camara dropped her second EP of the year, Hard To Love, a six-track release which further proved that she isn’t afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve and bare her emotions. The era was led by the single “Girls Like You,” which marked a bright, energetic turn to her ballad-heavy discography. Meanwhile, its follow-up, “Parking Lot,” showcased her raw vocals and positioned her alongside contemporaries like Olivia Rodrigo and Tate McRae.

You are back in Europe right now. How does it feel to be back? I know it holds a special place for you.

Yeah, I love it here. It’s been a couple of months since I’ve been here, but it always feels like a second home. It’s where I did my first headline show, which has always been an unforgettable experience. So it’s really nice to come back to somewhere that feels familiar.

You just released your second EP, Hard To Love, this year. How are you feeling about this one? You’ve been very vocal about the emotional process.

Not to take away from the first EP I did, but with this one, the vision was more clear. We wanted to be honest and vulnerable. The story we wanted to tell was about wearing our hearts on our sleeves. I feel really connected to each of these songs—they’re all very special to me. It all happened quickly, which makes it even more special because it felt natural. We didn’t have to go into too much detail about things. It all just flowed out of us one by one.

It’s been a busy year of shows for you. That said, you’re about to embark on your first headline tour across Europe. How are you feeling?

It’s insane. I’m so excited and happy. There are so many things I didn’t think you had to plan, and now that we’re here, it feels so real. I feel like I didn’t have enough time to process that we were going on tour, and I won’t until the first show. It doesn’t feel real until I’m on stage and see the fans. I haven’t really experienced what it’s like to be in front of people who came just for me. I’ve always been the opener, hyping up the crowd for someone else. So I’m excited to see what that’s like, and I feel like everyone else is on the same wave.

How do you deal with songs not performing as well as you hoped?

It’s hard. There’s pressure from your team because you want to impress them, make them feel like you’ve got this. They do their best to remind me not every song has to be “it,” but after “Who Do I Call Now?”, I definitely felt like, “This next one is it, I swear.” But each song has been successful in its own way. “Girls Like You” had a totally different kind of success than “Who Do I Call Now?” They’re all different, but each has its own win.

How have you felt about your rise in the industry so far?

In the beginning, I thought it would happen a lot quicker. But I’ve learned you have to be patient. There’s still so much I’m learning—as an artist, a songwriter, even just being in the room. I have to trust myself, trust my gut. Patience is key.

Have you started to think about an album yet?

I’m really excited to start a new body of work and work on the album. But to write music that feels like me, I have to experience life. I don’t want to write about something I feel disconnected from. I need time to do the tour and not think about writing. That’s how I wrote this EP—I took a break from writing for four months. Then I did a week in LA and we wrote “That’s Just How You Feel.” I didn’t do anything for two months after that. Then we wrote the rest. Giving myself time helped me figure out what story I wanted to tell, what visuals we wanted. I know it’s different for everyone, but I just haven’t put too much thought into the next album yet because this tour is the biggest dream of mine. Right now, that’s the most important thing”.

There is actually a new interview I found from Rolling Stone Canada. That move from Sofia Camara performing covers to telling her own story. That truly changed everything. This is a really exciting point of her career. If you do not follow her already, then do go and seek out Camara. I think that she has one of the most astonishing voices in music right now. Her songs are so powerful and distinct:

“There’s a clarity to Sofia Camara’s rise. Not the kind built on display, but one that’s come from steadily showing up, first through covers, then through songs that feel far more personal.

She first gained traction online with covers, building an audience before breaking through with her original single “Who Do I Call Now? (Hellbent)”, which went viral across platforms and charted on Spotify’s Viral 50 in multiple countries.

Since then, the Toronto-based artist has steadily built momentum. Her single “Girls Like You” reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Canadian CHR/Top 40 chart and crossed onto the Canadian Hot 100, marking her first major radio breakthrough. Her 2025 EPs Was I(t) Worth It? and Hard to Love further established her as one of Canada’s emerging pop voices.

Her growth has extended onto larger stages too. She has performed at major festivals including Osheaga and Lollapalooza, delivered the Canadian national anthem at the CFL Grey Cup, and was nominated for Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year at the 2026 Juno Awards, where she also performed.

Now, as part of a new generation of Canadian artists finding global audiences early, Camara is still figuring out what to hold close and what to share. It’s a process that sits at the centre of her music, and one she’s not rushing.

You’ve grown in the public eye, in real time. What’s been the hardest part of that kind of visibility?

There’s definitely pressure, but I don’t think it’s from the public. You create that pressure within yourself because you want to be enough. I feel like I’m constantly searching for validation, whether it’s from the audience or somewhere else. Especially with my own music, because it’s so vulnerable and real, you just want people to like it. So there’s definitely that pressure of just being enough.

What do you think artists in your position today have to navigate that didn’t exist even a few years ago?

Artists today navigate a lot of marketing on their own. Working with a label is incredibly helpful, but now a lot of artists are responsible for much of that themselves, posting online and constantly showing up. It adds another layer, and it can sometimes feel a bit uninspiring when your main focus should be the art and your craft. Social media being such a big part of how music is shared definitely adds another level.

When everything is moving this fast, how do you know what’s actually you versus what’s just working?

It depends on who you surround yourself with. When things feel overwhelming, I try to lean on people I trust and care about to keep me grounded and remind me who I am and where I came from. Having that helps guide my decisions.

Is there something you’ve consciously pulled back on sharing, even though the internet rewards openness?

Yeah, for sure. The most heartbreaking things are the scariest to talk about because they come with a whole other level of pain and heartache. There are definitely layers I haven’t shown the world yet, but that’s something I’ll get more comfortable with as the years go by.

What are your thoughts about the Future of Music in Canada?

There’s so much talent here. There are so many artists with the inspiration and motivation to work really hard. It’s all here, I just think more people need to be aware of it”.

I am really looking forward to a Sofia Camara album. At the moment, she does have those tour dates. Promoting her latest work. I guess there will be some additional dates later in the year The U.K. would love to welcome her. Connect with Sofia Camara on social media, as this is an artist that you cannot miss out on! A simply phenomenal songwriter, we are going to be hearing about her for a long time to come. She is impossible to forget. This Portuguese-born treasure is…