It’s finally here, you guys! Yep, afters weeks of waiting, Sophie Pecora‘s brand new single, “7th Grade,” finally dropped on Friday, August 28, and we cannot stop listening to it!

In honor of its release, we got the chance to chat with the singer about the inspiration behind the powerful new song, which is all about being bullied. But that’s not all, she also spilled on her upcoming music and how she’s staying busy amid the coronavirus pandemic!

J-14: Tell us about “7th Grade!” What’s it about?

Sophie Pecora: The song “7th Grade” expresses what it feels like in school when kids bully, reveals the internal struggle and angst and finally getting through your sadness. Although you’ll never forget, you no longer carry the hurt.

J-14: Was it inspired by anything or anyone in your real life?

Sophie: Just like most of my songs, “7th Grade” is a story I made up. It’s about a kid being bullied and it’s written in the first perspective so it feels more personal when people listen to it. I wanted to write this song because I know so many kids deal with bullying and I haven’t seen many songs out there about it. I have had my share of bullying when I was younger and I don’t remember many details (my mom does) but I’m sure I have subconscious feelings that also helped me write the song. Almost everyone deals with some kind of bullying at one point in their lives, so I really feel that this song can relate to a lot of people and hopefully it inspires them to keep moving forward.

J-14: Is it nerve-wracking to release something so personal?

Sophie: It wasn’t nerve-wracking in that regard, but it definitely brings up anxiety to release a song I wrote in general. Especially since this is my first official release and I’ve kind of been keeping my songs to myself for a long time. It’s crazy to actually be starting to release them but it’s mostly just super exciting.

J-14: What message do you hope fans take away from the song?

Sophie: That no matter what you go through, you can always come out on the other side stronger. You are not forever defined by your experiences.

J-14: Any advice for people dealing with bullying?

Sophie: Just know that the bullies are hurting enough to bring someone else down. Also, there is something about you that they are jealous of. Of course they would never admit it, but you have a quality about you that is different that they don’t have. There is a reason they are paying so much attention to you. Know your worth and trust that this hard time will not last forever.

J-14: I know you have an EP coming soon, can you tell us a little about it? What can fans expect?

Sophie: This is my first EP so I wanted to start by releasing songs that I’ve written a couple years ago that you may have heard clips of, but now they are produced and finished. It’s cool because I have already seen fans’ reactions to the rough acoustic versions of these songs so I think they’ll really enjoy the finished studio versions. The studio versions are much different but I made sure they still had the original charm and feel that they had when I first wrote them alone in my bedroom. The authenticity in my writing has always been very important to me so I never want to lose that.

J-14: What’s your favorite song off of the EP and why?

Sophie: I’d like to keep which songs are on the EP a surprise, but what I will say is that my favorite is my next single coming out in September. Stay tuned!

J-14: How are you staying busy during quarantine?

Sophie: Mostly working on music and writing more songs. I’ve been doing a lot of TikToks too! Now school has started, so that keeps me busy. I focus on schoolwork in the mornings and my music in the afternoons.

J-14: Any advice for people feeling down during quarantine?

Sophie: Find a hobby or something you want to learn. It’s good to focus on something. Even if it’s just something random and fun. Also, just know that you are not alone in feeling down. The pandemic is something the entire world is experiencing and it is completely fine and normal to not feel your best.

J-14: What’s next for you?

Sophie: I have 100 songs that I’ve written and am in the process of producing and releasing them. I am also still constantly writing songs and constantly improving and elevating my style, so I’m just so excited for the future and continuing my journey as an artist. I feel like I’ve been doing this forever (rapping since I was 7 and singing/songwriting since I was 9), but this is only the beginning of the next chapter which is releasing professionally recorded songs. I am also looking forward to doing collaborations with other artists one day and going on tour. I really can’t wait to go on tour, perform on big stages and meet people in person!

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