There’s a reason Sophie Castillo’s discography doesn’t focus on one genre, one language, or any one rhythm. The London-born Colombian-Cuban is a multi-faceted artist whose music is a testament to the cross-cultural environment she grew up in. You might recognize Castillo from TikTok, where her song “Call Me By Your Name” became one of her most listened-to tracks. Her ability to seamlessly blend Spanish and English over a bachata beat has undoubtedly earned the admiration of listeners.
Castillo began singing at the age of 3. Growing up, her Colombian mother and Cuban father, who were the first people in their respective families to migrate to the UK, only played Latin music – specifically salsa. “My family was always playing a lot of salsa, so Grupo Niche, Brava Fruko y Sus Tesos, Joe Arroyo, Celia Cruz,” Castillo says. And her love of and talent for musical theatre was recognized early. Around when Castillo was 5, she performed in a school show and left an adult audience teary-eyed. This resulted in her mom and uncles placing her in an after-school drama program that allowed her to practice music and pursue acting, singing, and dancing. “This has been a lifelong dream of mine,” the now 26-year-old says.
Reflecting on her childhood, Castillo’s representation of the Latine community in UK media really stands out. “I definitely had my issues as a kid growing up with not feeling represented. ” As a result, she idealized Eurocentric features in Barbie dolls, films, and toys. Castillo says she didn’t see herself in any of this media growing up: “I never saw any type of Indigenous representation of Latina women.”
“When I was a kid and didn’t have the language to have those conversations, I had insecurities, but then as soon as I could express my feelings about that, I had a lot of support, and it really changed the way that I viewed myself,” she continues. Castillo’s advice for women who, like her, don’t feel represented in the media is to “remember you have the features of your ancestors.” She reflects on a beautiful sentiment she came across online: “You look the way you do because two of your ancestors loved those features in each other so much that they decided to come together and create a child. That child passed those features on, and eventually, they became yours.”
Honoring the legacy of those who came before her has been crucial in the artist’s journey to self-love. When insecurities arise, Castillo reminds herself: “Hold on 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 when it comes to prioritizing her mental health and self-image. “What I’ve learned over time is actually just how much power we have within our own lives,” she says. “I’m in control of my thoughts, my feelings, my mind. I can always change something to make myself feel better. I can always cheer myself up.”
Pride for her heritage doesn’t only serve her confidence physically but also spiritually as she navigates her way into the music industry. “Being Latin American, our continent has gone through so much trauma as a land, and our ancestors went through so much trauma that we need to honor them for what they gave us and how much they fought to survive in the midst of everything that they had to face,” she says.
Evidently the influence of Castillo’s Latin American heritage inspires the sound of her music – but most importantly, the influence of her ancestors serves as an inspiration for perseverance as she navigates her rise to stardom. Beyond her upbringing influencing her sound as a singer-songwriter, the artist credits several important values to growing up with Latine parents. “There are many, but one of them is having that inner strength and general positive outlook on life – being able to pick yourself back up when you’re down, dust off your knees, and continue,” she says. This mindset is something “everyone in our family, and in a lot of Latine and immigrant families, have had to do.”
These days, through adapting the language and sounds of her childhood into her storytelling, she’s able to honor these sacrifices and alchemize them. Integrating components of music that originated in Latin America, while weaving in other inspirations 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 has not only been building a platform for her music but also working to provide the representation she yearned for growing up. As she shares on her TikTok, she’s patiently waiting to become a mainstream representation for “brown skin/Indigenous features women.”
As she puts it, “A lot of girls message me or comment that they love that I look like them and their primas, and how they love seeing me with my features representing us in the music industry. They’re rooting for me.” And so are we.
Ashley Garcia Lezcano is an audience strategist, writer, and producer with a passion for highlighting Latine culture and stories. 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 Latin voices and narratives.
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