Life & Work with Sofia D’pols of East Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sofia D’pols

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Well, I was born and raised in Chile, ando moved to Los Angeles about two years ago with hopes of solely becoming an actress. Along the way I discovered different worlds that caught my attention, some of which I previously had started mingling with before moving. Growing up, art could be found everywhere around me, both my parents, my family and most of the people around me had artistic hobbies or had a deep appreciation for the arts. Art has always evoked such a strong feeling and has represented a way of speaking up in my country, with so many creative people with so much talent that have given up their dreams for a more stable life, but it made me want it even more, not only for myself but for all the people around me who couldn’t. So as i grew up, when the struggle of choosing between stability or a creative career came, after a lot of internal fights about it, I eventually decided i had to try and give it my all, so i did the paperwork, packed my bags and started this journey. I had my first job being a part of crew in a movie called “The Italians” in September 2023, where I discovered more in depth the different aspects and roles different crew members play on a set and started exploring the other side of the camera, which made me realise i wanted to create on a broader spectrum than just bringing a character to life. So i started studying and testing it out as more than one thing caught my attention. As for music, i had been toying with the idea of establishing a project and had been making very low quality demos since around 2022, but was terrified of putting anything out because of fear, but then i met my friends, who were a big inspiration to start being okay with not making a perfect product, but to keep practicing and getting better as you move along. They grounded me to a reality i was okay with, that I was capable of doing instead of an idealization of what i thought the music industry was. My current project is very much striving to be a mix between music and film, at the end of the day they go hand in hand for me, my heart is in art as a whole, not specific representation of it.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Well, the journey definitely hasn’t been without it’s challenges. Moving to LA wasn’t easy, especially the first year, with adapting to a new city, and a new culture for the first time. The cultural shock was immense. Having to start from scratch in a new country, not knowing anybody, not being familiar with how things work or how people interact is definitely a challenge that will take some time to figure out. I think the biggest obstacle up until now has been related to letting go and acceptance, it has sort of felt like playing tetris with what i thought i knew and the beliefs that no longer fit or serve me going into this journey, with my work vs. my needs, the need for family and closeness vs. working for a purpose, and the balancing on a scale what takes precedence and what i’m willing to sacrifice to get where i want to be. I think at the end of the day, practical problems can be solved relatively fast and easily, but in my experience, your own limiting beliefs, wounds and perceptions are the ones that end up being your biggest adversaries when stepping out of your comfort zone. I think as long as there’s a willingness to question old structures, and an openness to change and trying different ways of doing things, most challenges can be overcome. I’m also very thankful, even at the difficulties, because it has been a road paved with growth and a lot of beautiful moments and people who wouldn’t otherwise be in my life if it wasn’t for the ups and downs of the road.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As for my work and my art, i am a singer-songwriter, actress and creative director as a focus, although i dabble on some other fields from time to time. With music i am currently developing the project “Sofia D’Pols”, a musical project that blends indie and alternative rock, synth wave industrial, and dark pop to create a hopeful but nostalgic storytelling style, showing different journeys in different ways with each song, where I’m also merging my knowledge of visuals in film with the music in itself. With creative direction, I started a few years ago organizing and making photoshoots for myself, which transitioned into creative direction for film, in which i personally focus on telling a story from the visual aspect, doing production design and art department for my own and other people’s projects. I think what sets my work and especially the project “Sofia D’Pols” apart is the narration style of both visuals and lyricism, i try to make what you see and what you hear a little world that people can experience.

How do you think about happiness?
I think happiness comes in the moments where you are willing to accept it, no matter what it is you’re doing, but it is definitely easier to feel it while doing things you enjoy. Personally for me happiness most often comes in the times when i am having fun, either by myself or with the people i love, whether that is playing around and making a silly song, acting a fool, creating something just to do it, talking about dreams or new ideas, or sometimes even when doing nothing with friends. I think the two main things that bring me happiness most often are sharing moments with people i am close with and starting new projects and bringing them to life, i think feeling, connecting, exploring, being curious, fixing things, getting to know how things work and bringing things to life is something that always facilitates happiness for me because it gives life a meaning. In a world that is so big and a life where so many things happen on a daily basis, where so much information is put out and our senses are constantly overloaded, it becomes easy to detach and for things to become meaningless sometimes, so finding and giving meaning to things, even if it sounds absurd and might sometimes be harder than just detaching, is something that brings me joy, caring about things, projects and people, as much as it might make life harder sometimes, is something that fulfills me more than anything else ever could. Also, clothes and all things that are visually attractive or interesting make me happy.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofiadpols/profilecard/?igsh=NDNybm82em14d3Uw
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sofiadpols?si=wBySQcgGTYvg8cCj
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/sofia-pollak-882378242
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/wrapped/share/share-984e1172e788469f88c7641a973aa673?si=QOtNG78dQVGtjX_bHeuCFQ&artist-id=1va8n3VDgaeU0kvQJhWD04

Image Credits
Ian Russell
Catalina Stocker