On “I Don’t Know,” a single off her eponymous debut EP, we bear witness to SONIA’s display of raw unperturbed emotion. The setting: a room inside a large daunting medieval European style castle in Belgium. SONIA destroys her room and its furnishings, smashing plates and glass, presumably in anguish from the aftermath of heartache.

The theme of romance, relationships, and the emotions associated with love are a constant in SONIA’s music. She divulges her personal journey towards maturity and adult love. SONIA also lends her voice for refugees displaced by war and poverty via Everyday Refugees Foundation. To learn more about SONIA and her work, please read our exclusive interview below.

How did you develop your passion for music?
I credit my growing love for music to my family. At an early age, they had me in piano lessons, where I discovered classical music. My dad also plays the drums and my grandma sings opera.

Having spent most of your life in Paris, how has the Parisian music scene influenced your style?
There is this cool effortless and timeless aura to Parisian style, both in music and fashion, that have influenced my style in many ways.

Has moving to Los Angeles changed your style?
I think the city you live in will always change you a little in one way or another, but I feel like I have stayed true to myself and my style.

In the two years spent writing and recording the “SONIA EP,” what were some of the most memorable milestones when developing the album?
Last summer, we wrote I Don’t Know in a day. As soon as I got the demo back, it was the first song I knew was going to be on the EP. Shooting my music videos was also my favorite part of the process because I love visuals and bringing my ideas to life.

Congrats on the EP and the debut of your single “Joyride.” What inspired this song?
Joyride is a sad yet fun song. I didn’t want the lyrics too be to straight forward or about someone specific, so they are poetic, in a way. It was more about internal battles I was dealing with.

Your song “I Don’t Know” has a very different energy to “Joyride”. We would love to know the story behind this song and the music video.
When I wrote I Don’t Know, I felt in a very unstable place. It wasn’t sadness, it was more like self-destruction, and being constantly torn between two ends, being stuck in the middle. I was very aware of what I was doing and the situations I was putting myself in, but I didn’t know what to do about it. I met my director Elliott Sellers and told him I wanted my videos to look cinematic, almost like new-wave French films. So that’s what we did. We created characters, a narrative.

So, you have to tell us. How fun was it making the video for “I Don’t Know” and trashing that room?
It was so much fun. It was also terrifying at the same time because while we used a lot of props, the room itself is located in a historical castle in Belgium and I didn’t want to ruin anything in the room. Fun fact, they told me the glass on the floor would be fake but it cut my feet!

Romance heavily influences your music. Can you tell us a little bit about this journey?
I think romance and relationships, in general, make you find out a lot about who you are, especially when you’re growing up. I learned about my boundaries, how much I’m willing to give of myself, and how I wanted to be treated. I don’t think romance is the center of my life, but heartbreak was something I was experiencing at the time, so I wanted to write about it.

Can you tell us a little bit about your work with the Everyday Refugees Foundation, and what they do?
They are an incredible small non-profit foundation run by my dear friend Muhammed Muheisen (Pulitzer prize winning photographer) and his wife Roos. They focus on the individual rather than the mass and help people displaced by war, poverty and violence. I have helped them with a couple of projects (such as mothers and babies in Serbia, and unaccompanied minors) and will continue to.

How did you get involved with the Everyday Refugees Foundation?
For an art project in school, I researched about Mohammed and found his work, which then led me to the foundation. I was always drawn to the refugee crisis and posted his images on my Instagram a couple of times, which lead to him reaching out.

The refugee crisis is a major issue in both America and France. Can you please discuss your thoughts on this?
It is the one issue that has always had a place in my heart. Growing up with immigrant parents and then moving to America myself, I relate to the feeling of not belonging, even though I haven’t experienced anything like refugees have. I believe we are all equal and deserve to have a good life. No one wants to leave their home unless they are forced to. This is not a question of politics.

What do you think is the best resolution for the refugee crisis?
To be honest, I’m only 20 and I’m learning more and more everyday so I don’t have an answer for you, but I think it is a complex issue that doesn’t necessarily have one specific solution. I just hope people can be more empathetic and accepting towards refugees.

What is next for SONIA?
Collaborations with other artists!

What is your life motto?
I don’t have a specific motto. I just try to be kind, compassionate, generous, and think with my heart.