Mark StefanosEditor’s note: This story went to press before the LA fires. Since then, Sophie Lloyd has committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from her show at the Whisky and will be auctioning off one of her signature Kiesel Guitars in support of charities helping those impacted by the fires. Read her full statement here.
Not everyone with a guitar and a dream becomes a global sensation — but not everyone is Sophie Lloyd. Growing up in a small town outside of Reading, England, Sophie was cast out for her love of rock music in a place where it wasn’t exactly celebrated. “I even got suspended from school for wearing a studded bracelet once,” she shared with us.
The guitar became her refuge. And undeterred by the haters around her, Sophie turned to the internet to find a community, starting a video diary in 2012 to track her guitar-learning progress. As the years progressed, those clips would go on to showcase her incredible talent and gain her a massive following, earning her over 180 million YouTube views to date. Then came big-time collaborations including touring as Machine Gun Kelly’s guitarist, two full-length solo albums, and her U.S. solo performance debut coming Thursday, Jan. 16 at the Whisky a Go Go. The guitar that was once her escape from the world is now taking her around it.
In the interview below, Sophie talks about her journey getting to this moment, the emotions behind her most recent album Imposter Syndrome, and gives us a bit of insight into how she has become a beacon for a new wave of rock ‘n’ roll.
How the hell did you learn to shred like that?
A lot of nights noodling on the guitar for hours on end! I started by learning covers and studying different guitarists’ playing styles and techniques. Trying to figure out their thought process and theory behind their solos and riffs. I then started to write my own music, this helped me really become creative and think outside the box and develop my own unique sound.
What inspired you to start posting your music and performances online?
I came from quite a small town where there wasn’t really a music scene so I didn’t have anyone to jam with or connect with musically in real life, so I think that’s why I turned to the Internet to have a place to express myself and maybe meet like-minded people. I originally started posting videos in 2012, which was before being a YouTuber or online content creator was really a thing. So originally I started posting just as a video diary to myself to track my progress, and it was a bonus if anyone actually saw them.
Your music has gone viral all around the world — are there any differences in what audiences like, and how they respond to you, in America vs. England vs. globally?
The power of the Internet is really incredible, you can reach people from all corners of the globe. I’m relatively new to live performances. So I haven’t really had the opportunity to see a big difference in their response yet. At my London show people traveled from all around the world to come and see me at my debut show, it’s incredible to see the passion people have for music.
My show at the Whisky on the 16th of January in Los Angeles will be my first live solo show outside of the UK, so that will be really interesting. I’m so excited to see how the American audience reacts. They’re definitely the loudest online and where the majority of my fan base comes from. I absolutely love performing in America with Machine Gun Kelly so I imagine it’s gonna be an amazing night.
Sophie Lloyd performing with Machine Gun Kelly (Sam Cahill)
What kind of sound are you trying to create with your solo work?
My heart lies in the classic rock ‘n’ roll sound. Heavy riffs, crazy solos and powerful vocals. So that will always be something that is consistent in my original music. However I tried to be versatile with it, I’m into a bunch of different genres from R&B to heavy metal, pop and orchestral music, and I love to mash up these different genres with rock guitar playing. So at the moment, I don’t really want to pigeonhole myself into one particular sound, as I’m having so much fun exploring the versatility and differences in different types of music. For example, I’d love to collaborate with people from the classic rock world, such as Slash, however, I’d also love to work with DJs and rappers to create something truly unique. I think working with the MGK guys has really opened my eyes to how rock music and shred guitar can have a place in all genres of music.
Your new album title and lead track are named Imposter Syndrome – do you still have imposter syndrome?
I think it’ll be an ongoing battle. Some days I feel I’ve overcome it, whereas other days it comes back in full force. But throughout the process of writing this album, I’ve gone from a girl who was scared to play live, even in front of my own family, to performing in stadiums and arenas around the world and collaborating with some of my heroes. So although imposter syndrome and anxiety are still a part of my life, I no longer let it stop me from being who I want to be, and taking chances and opportunities, as that’s what life’s about.
What’s some advice for fighting against those feelings?
I think, just being aware that the feelings are totally normal and that literally everyone in the world feels like that at times, is quite comforting. While working on the album I got to talk to some of my heroes and hearing their stories of such similar things made me realize I wasn’t alone and that it was possible to overcome these feelings and be successful. In a world of social media, everything can be edited, photoshopped and filmed multiple times to be perfect. That can create a really high expectation of a bar that is impossible for anyone to meet. However, it’s actually the human aspect and connection that is what people really appreciate and gets you further. So never be afraid to show that you’re not perfect, you make mistakes, but that’s what makes you unique and special and helps you to grow and learn.
(Adam Brazier)
You talk about being ostracized from social circles and finding solace in the guitar. Why do you think you weren’t accepted?
I just came from a very small town where rock music wasn’t really a thing and anything that stepped outside of the norm was looked down upon. As I progressed into a teenager and got really into rock and metal, people found that very weird and just didn’t know how to react to it. I even got suspended from school for wearing a studded bracelet once. People can see the rock and metal culture as quite scary and aggressive when really it’s the complete opposite.
How did that adversity help you cultivate your talents?
Although it was a tough time, I’m actually so grateful for it because when other people were going out with friends or partying, I would be at home practicing guitar and honing my skills. All my lunch times were spent in the music room practicing and writing songs.
Imposter Syndrome has a different lead vocalist for each track — what was the writing process like for the vocals?
The album was written during Covid times so unfortunately there wasn’t much that could be done in person. We started with the guitar, drums, and bass and basically made a glorified vocal backing track. We had ideas of who we wanted the vocalists to be, so when we would write, we would kind of write in the style for that particular vocalist, and then we just crossed our fingers and hoped the vocalist would say yes. Which surprisingly most of them did. We sent them the song and they would write the lyrics and melody on their end, then send it back over where we would give any feedback and maybe alter the backing to fit the melodies better. And we basically just sent it back-and-forth until we were all happy with the final result. In the future, I’d definitely love to get into the studio with people and work on music face-to-face, I’d be really interested to see what that dynamic brings to the music.
(Sam Cahill)
Having a different vocalist for each song sounds challenging, how did putting together the album come about?
It was definitely a lot more challenging than we first anticipated. As I’m an independent artist, I don’t have the backing or expertise of a label, so just trying to align releases with everyone’s schedules was a bit of a nightmare. It took quite a long time to put everything together with the first song being completed in 2021 and the last song not being finished till 2023. It was definitely a challenge, but we got there in the end and learned so much.
Have you ever thought of being the vocalist yourself?
I’ll never say never, but the guitar is where my passion lies. I’ve never really had an urge to sing other than in the shower. I’ll leave the singing to the experts and stick to what I do best.
Is there something special about creating your own music versus playing someone else’s?
Definitely writing original music is where my passion truly lies. The feeling you get when the crowd is singing back your own songs to you is like nothing else. When people come up to you and tell you that the song you wrote changed their life or helped them out of a dark time, that is truly what creating art is all about.
Even when I cover other band songs, I still try to do it in my own unique way. I think what makes music so exciting is how people can interpret it differently to create something new that resembles their own style.
Where do you get the inspiration for the solos you rewrite in the covers you do?
I’ll start by learning the vocal melody on guitar then I’ll try to rock it up a bit by adding bends and slides. Then where I feel it’s needed, I’ll add different licks or a crazy run, making sure I’m always hitting keynotes of the melody throughout that lick so people can still follow it.
I’ll spend a lot of time studying the guitarist of the bands that I’m covering, looking at their specific licks and techniques that they use, and I’ll try and emulate that, but I’ll “Sophi-fy” it, maybe changing the fingering pattern or something to what feels more comfortable for me. But still keeping the essence and feel of what was intended by the original guitarist.
(Adam Brazier)
What is the Sophie Lloyd quality you bring to covers?
I’ve never really had the desire to just do basic covers and copy the guitarists exactly. I’ve always just wanted to be creative and take something and turn it into something completely different. With the covers, I’m honestly just having fun with the guitar, challenging myself and creating something that people haven’t heard before and I hope makes them smile.
With your covers, you’re reviving music and introducing it to a young audience — what kind of responses have you got from younger fans, and what’s that feel like to help them discover classic music?
The shred covers are a really good way of reaching a wider audience but still showing the fun and creativity that can come with playing guitar. One of the most incredible things to me is when young fans come up to me saying I inspired them to play guitar, especially young girls. I’m honored to help shape a generation of young rockers. I’m also very open about any struggles I’ve faced, and I hope that gives them the courage to pursue their dreams and shows them it’s possible to overcome any adversity and be who they want to be and rock out!
You’re having your first U.S. headlining solo show here in LA at the world famous Whisky — why did you choose LA and the Whisky for the show?
It’s such an iconic legendary venue. I think all of my favorite bands have played there at some point or another. It’s a staple in rock ‘n’ roll history and I’m so honored that I get to be a part of that.
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What do you like about coming to, and performing in, LA?
Being from the UK myself, whenever I go to America it literally feels like Disneyland for adults, it’s such an exciting place full of opportunity. Los Angeles is really the home of rock ‘n’ roll so I feel a very special connection to it. There’s so much history that revolves around this city, some amazing things and some dark things, but all equally important in shaping how rock ‘n’ roll is today. And I hope one day people will tell the story of the legendary night that was my first show at the Whisky!
There’s a lot of hullabaloo over you being a woman stepping into what some would say is traditionally a man’s role of hard rock guitarist — what do you think of all that?
I’ve always loved seeing powerful women in male-dominated fields, I think it’s so badass!
I’m sure being a woman has helped me have the success I’ve had, as it is still a somewhat unique thing to see. I think smart women can utilize that fact to their advantage. However, I do think the tides are turning and we’re actually seeing a lot more women in rock music nowadays which is awesome. As it becomes more normalized, young girls may see it as a more accessible option for them which is amazing.
However, there is definitely still an air of underlying misogyny and harassment in some areas of the industry which needs to be addressed. But we are seeing a shift in the right direction and I think the future of rock definitely has a strong female edge and I’m so excited for it.
Do you have any advice for women in male-centered fields or positions?
Building a good support system around you is important, having people you trust that can help guide and mentor you with your best interests at heart is very powerful. Also, remember that your views and opinions are so important. Be confident, dominant and assertive. Don’t let people interrupt you or dismiss you. You deserve to be there.
(Sam Cahill)
I read that you picked up the guitar after watching The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie — are you still a Spongebob fan?
Yeah, embarrassingly that is true. I wish I had a way cooler rock ‘n’ roll story about why I picked up the guitar but it was the episode of SpongeBob where they turned the Twisted Sister song ‘I wanna rock’ into ‘I’m a goofy goober, Rock’ and SpongeBob levitates into the air playing that killer guitar solo as everyone watches in awe.
Although I don’t watch SpongeBob anymore, I still think it’s one of the best cartoons to ever exist! It’s so funny, even for adults and actually has a lot of good life lessons! The world would be a better place if everyone watched one episode of SpongeBob SquarePants a day.
Have there been other pop-culture phenomena that have impacted you like that?
A lot of scores for video games and movies have had a big impact on me, especially recently. Being able to set a whole soundscape that alters the mood and feeling of a moment is very powerful. I’d definitely love to look into creating music for that.
What are you listening to these days?
My music taste is so vast at the moment. I have my girly pop playlist which I love to listen to in the car, full of Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish and GloRilla.
And then I’ve got my rock playlist which includes the likes of Ghost, Sleep Token, Bad Omens, BMTH and Linkin Park.
(Sam Cahill)
And what is some music you always return to?
For me, something that will always be a staple in my playlist is classic rock Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, Pink Floyd, Van Halen and Led Zeppelin just to name a few.
What can we expect from Sophie Lloyd in 2025 and the coming years?
I’m loving performing live so much, so you can definitely expect a lot more of that including both original shows and also maybe a separate shred cover style show as well. I’m so excited to explore new opportunities, I’d love to perform at things such as sporting events, maybe even the WWE!
I’d also love to explore writing music for video games and movies and collaborating with a bunch of different artists from a wide variety of genres. I’m excited to help bring rock and roll back into the mainstream and inject some blistering solos into everyone’s ears.
Sophie Lloyd will be performing at the Whisky a Go Go on Thursday, Jan. 16. Click here for tickets. Interview edited for length and clarity.
The cover of LA Weekly Jan. 10, 2025 (Cover photo: Adam Brazier; cover design: Jewel Baek)
(Sam Cahill)
(Adam Brazier)