Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Her audition: Sophia Liano, “I Surrender” by Celine Dion: The Voice aired only part of Sophia’s performance. But she showed ample vocal firepower, held one glory note forever and earned chair turns from Queen Latifah and Riley Green. Queen Latifah loved the passion in her performance and the way she “fired off” at the end. Riley praised the emotion with which she delivered the song and said he felt it. Sophia opted to join Queen Latifah. (Watch her audition below)

Here’s more about Sophia:

* She’s a singer-songwriter from Stuart, Fla., and graduated from the University of Central Florida in the spring with a degree in criminal justice.

* Sophia released her first two singles over the past year — “Hold Over Me” last October and “Can’t Get Over It” earlier this year. Check out the music video for the catchy “Can’t Get Over It” below.

* Her third single, “Mama’s Boy” is coming out Sept. 18, just days before the Season 30 premiere of The Voice. And judging from her Facebook post, it looks like Sophia got down and dirty in the accompanying music video.

* Sophia writes that she grew up listening to Sade and jazz legends like Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra.

* And she describes her music as blending “retro synths with modern pop to create emotionally charged anthems that hit just as hard on the dance floor as they do in the heart.”

* She also served out two contracts as a performer on the Norwegian Cruise Lines, visiting 40 countries in the process.

* Writes Sophia about that experience: “So grateful to have been able to travel the world and do what I love alongside many talented individuals. I’ve learned so much and will forever be thankful to the casting director who saw something in the 18-year-old girl figuring out her life in the middle of college. And when all is said and done, the contracts have taught me my passion will always lie in the art of theatre and the craft of singing.”

* The backup plan? Well, there is that degree. Writes Sophia in one of her Facebook posts: Ready to put on my poker face when I join the FBI one day … unless singing works out.”

Sophia on social media:
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
YouTube