Women In Music: Silver Sphere
Interview from May 2019
Nineteen-year-old and Chicago native Sophie Cates, aka Silver Sphere is an up and coming musician taking on the music industry. On Spotify alone, she has gotten more than two million views and has over 300,000 monthly listeners. She made the hit “Drinking Games” and has only been getting better. Her music style, while it changes slightly from time to time, can best be described as the kind of music you would hear in a daydream
Jawbreaker: Who were you before music?
Silver: I’ve always made music and performed, since I was really young. I can’t remember the first time I played an instrument or write a song, it's just always been a part of me.
JM: How would you explain your music to a new listener?
S: I think I classify my music under the pop genre, but it's a bit more experimental at points. I guess I would describe it as pop with unexpected other influences every once and awhile.
JM: How do you think your sound has changed since your first song?
S: My sound has changed a lot since Darling Don’t. I wrote it when I was 16 I think, and at 17, recording it was the first time I’d ever even been in a studio. My influences have changed, my perspectives have changed, and I’ve gotten a lot more confident in collaborating on production and speaking up about it in sessions, I think that's why my music has been a more unique take on pop since that song, because I feel more comfortable with my ideas and really making sure I like what the producer is doing.
JM: Do you remember the first song you ever made? What was it about?
S: I don't remember the first song I ever made but I do remember the song that made me really start taking music seriously as a career. In 2016 I wrote lost cause and released a version of it on bandcamp, and I was super proud of the lyricism. Now that I’m bringing it back for the new ep, starting over with production has made it feel really me again, but the lyrics are all the same as they were when I wrote it back in 2016, and I’m proud that the song has aged well at least with me.
JM: Where do you see your music going in the future? Are there anythings you really want to try out with you music?
S: I definitely want to help break the stereotype that pop music is vapid or not intelligent. Pop music is going in such a great direction in my opinion and there's so many ways to do it. I just want to explore pop and make meaningful music while having the freedom to explore different production.
JM: What are some artists that inspire your music style?
S: Growing up Taylor Swift was my biggest inspiration, I think listening to her music throughout middle school and high school, while having my first crush’s my first kiss, etc, is what turned me into a bit of an extreme romantic which definitely influences my lyrics and the themes of my songs. In highschool I was all about the indie music and LOVED The 1975, and I think they really influenced my ideas about production and experimenting within the pop genre. I still love musicians like Big Thief, Mitski, Wet. Now I’m really inspired by experimental pop like my friends Dylan Brady and Umru, LAN Party. Charli XCX is probably my favorite artist at this point in my life.
“Boys in Bands” screenshot
JM: What’s something you recently learned?
S: Recently, I’ve learned how important it is, as a woman in music, to know what you want. Whether that's career goals, specific sounds in your music, etc. Because even once you do know what you want, your gonna have to fight for it everyday and prove yourself constantly to the men who dominate the industry whether that's producers, industry execs, or other songwriters. Being a female musician is half talent and half navigating around people who don't take you seriously as an artist. So really pinning down your goals and being sure of what you want will make it ten times easier.
JM: What is the first song that you remember that made you want to be a musician?
S: I remember hearing Our Song by Taylor Swift at school when I was maybe 6 or 7? My parents didn't let me use Youtube or the internet really so I had no way of finding it. I remember I had a babysitter who let me go on youtube and look up the lyrics to find it and I listened to that song probably 10 times in a row. I’m pretty sure after that, I looked up Hold On by the Jonas brothers because I’d seen the video on Disney Channel.
JM: Do you play any instruments? Are there any you really want to learn?
S: I play a decent amount of guitar and a little piano. I really wanna get back into writing songs on my guitar because recently I’ve been writing in my sessions to tracks, and I miss just being in my room with my thoughts and my guitar and coming up with something really meaningful to me, not worrying about what people will think of it.
JM: What’s something most people don’t know about you?
S: A lot of people don't know that I used to be a cheerleader. Whenever I tell people that they are shocked. It definitely does not fit my personality now, but I have so much respect for the sport, its intense athleticism. I bet if people tried hard enough they could find my old cheerleading team videos on youtube.
JM: Whats your favorite song that your made and why?
S: That's really hard. Most of my songs are about real life experience, so my favorite ones are usually the ones I’ve written most recently. But one song that I’m super proud of is called disappear, and I think it’s my best attempt at storytelling, which is something I admire in country music that I don't often do, but in this song I’m super proud of the way I did it. It’s not out yet but it will be.
JM: Whats typically the process of your song making? Like do you tend to make the beats or lyric, etc
S: Before this was my full time job, I would always start in my room on my guitar. Usually 1 lyrical idea would come first and I would kind of figure out the melody and the rest of the lyrics together. Now it depends on the people I’m in a session with. I love trying different songwriting techniques so sometimes I’ll start with a beat, and other times I’ll bring in a lyrical idea and from there we figure it out.
Screenshot from Silver’s latest song ‘Sucks 4 U”
JM: Are you friends with any other musicians or creative in general that influence you? How do they?
S: Yeah definitely. One of my best friends Wyatt, who’s artist project is called LAN Party, happens to be one of my favorite musicians. Through doing sessions I’ve met so many amazing producers who are now friends and I’m so lucky to be inspired by the people around me constantly.
JM: What’s your guilty pleasure song?
S: Oh wow, definitely Bottoms Up by The Boy Boy West Coast right now. But of all time? Our Song by Taylor Swift.
JM: I loved your song “boys in bands”. For the music video, did you have any hand in the concept? What were you trying to convey with the imagery and such.
S: Thanks so much! Yeah I brought my idea to the director Maya Cruz and together we kind of worked out the video. I knew I wanted to throw eggs and band boys, I also knew I wanted to take some inspiration from the video for Girls by The 1975, and pay homage while also putting my own spin on it.
JM: Are there any dreams you have outside of being a musician? Do you have any sayings that you live by?
S: Someday I want to spend like a year in the middle of nowhere. Just like get a cabin and live in solitude once I’m tired of cities, maybe near a lake. I don't have any sayings I live by, but I definitely think it's important to remind yourself often what your intentions are with your actions and to be aware of your goals. I want to make sure I never let my goals change based on what other people want from me, which can be pretty hard in this industry.
JM: Is there any message you would like to say to your fans?
S: YES!!! I love you guys so much. I see y'all becoming friends in my comment sections on instagram and it warms my heart. Thanks so much for being so supportive of every release and I hope I get to tour soon and see all your beautiful faces <3
JM: Do you have any advice for creatives?
S: I think the most important thing I realized pretty quickly was that even if you love making music, if you want it to be your job, you have to treat it like a job. There are parts of every industry your not gonna like. Being in music isn't all fun and games, sometimes it’s 2 8 hour sessions in 1 day and a 7 am flight the next, but if you have the passion to keep going and keep working, it’s totally worth it.
JM: What are 5 obsessions you’ve had recently
S:
I just watched Aidy Bryant’s show on Netflix!! Shrill, it's so good
- New Big Thief Album.
- Spring Cleaning
- Bottoms Up by The Boy Boy West Coast
- Spending time with my roommates because I’m finally home for more than a week!
JM: Lastly, make us a 5 song playlist
S: Okay here’s what I’ll be listening to this May
Thick and Thin, LANY
Plan On You, Adam Melchor
Open My Eyes, Ravenna Golden (Feat. Dorian Electra)
Without A Blush, Hatchie
Somebody, Jim-E Stack
Find Silver on instagram at @silver.sphere and on Spotify and Soundcloud as Silver Sphere