Meet Sonja Midtune

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonja Midtune.

Sonja, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Like many artists, I started very young with the arts. The trickiest part for me was deciding which passion to focus on, and I’ve felt pulled in every direction the entire time.

From doing theatre and singing in rock bands in high school, I was interested in classical composition and choir in college. I studied orchestral composition and music theory at St Olaf College in MN and aspired to be a composer and professor. However, after I graduated and completed an additional composition program in Paris, I felt a pull to write and perform my own music -and not the string quartet kind. I moved to LA.

After almost nine years in Los Angeles and saying “yes” to almost every opportunity (and job) that I could, I can finally say that I’ve narrowed it down to songwriting, performing as an independent artist, being a professor/lecturer, and theatre. I suppose I haven’t changed at all, except now I know I don’t have to choose one passion.

I started teaching Songwriting levels 1 & 2 at two CA universities, made my off-broadway debut in NYC in a musical, released four singles as an artist, as well as playing a few sold-out shows, all within the last year.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely has not been a smooth road.

From working anywhere from 2-4 jobs at a time to breaking my leg last summer, there are always bumps in the road.

I started teaching Songwriting at Cal Poly Pomona last August and I was in crutches for my first class. Of all the setbacks, breaking my leg was the worst. I had to completely stop everything I was doing for several months after playing a sold-out show just days earlier. If you believe in “signs”, what would this one mean? I spent a lot of time giving up in those months.

Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I’m an independent artist and songwriter. I specialize in performing my music and teaching songwriting at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and Mount Saint Marys College. I like to think I was hired because they enjoy my music!

It might sound cliché, but I’m known for keeping it real and being consistent. I have a nagging goal to create music that is beautiful, poignant, nostalgic, and honest, and I try to inspire my students to do the same. Never use “filler” lines, always find the heart of the song.

In the industry, I’m reliable and interested in helping others’ goals come to fruition. I’m on the steering committee for SONA (Songwriters of North America), an advocacy group for songwriters that sued the DOJ and helped pass the Music Modernization Act. I’m passionate to #gettherateright with streaming services for independent artists and songwriters like myself.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My survival method is a consistent, weekly “regroup”.

Some weeks I need to practice and write music, other weeks I need to put in extra hours at work. Sometimes I need to “give up” for a few days, then I get it together and make a plan.

Regrouping and setting small goals is what keeps me going strong and a fresh mindset.

Pricing:

• All my released music is on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, etc to stream for free

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sonjamidtune.com
• Email: sonjamidtune@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonjamidtune/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonjamidtune
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/sonjamidtune

Image Credit:
Michelle Lanning Photography

Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.