Sofia Hoffmann: Dolce Far Niente 2.0

ZOOT: For those discovering you for the first time, how would you introduce yourself as an artist and as a person?

Sofia Hoffmann: Rationally, I’d say that I’m a multicultural artist, not attached to genres but unavoidably related to jazz and to the so called “world music”, which actually encompasses a vast array of music styles. Emotionally, I’m happy when I create, sing or play melodies and rhythms which allow me to express myself, to share my love for humanity and when this music of mine supports others’ emotional and mental processes. As a person – determined to work on me to become a better human being, to myself and also to others. I’m a dreamer but keep my feet on the ground. I love to work, if I’m doing something meaningful and if it resonates with me in terms of impact and mission. I like my rituals but dislike monotony and I very much need to give myself to people and to projects. And I have the best friends in the world, who are the family I chose.  

ZOOT: How did your relationship with music begin?

Sofia Hofmann: Music has been present in my life since I was a baby – my German grandparents used to expose me to children’s stories and tales, and I used to sing them all by heart. Later on, guitar took over when I started to go to summer camps, and found it so cool – the fact that you can take the guitar everywhere and play it for a group of friends, singing along. My school friends used to say that I was always singing, and I was even part of a school band for which I wrote my first original songs. Vocal training came as I was 17, with Maria do Rosário Coelho, who “gave wings” to my voice, and after my return from Italy, with Maria João who took me deeper into improvisation and body movement on stage, to expand my pitch range. 

ZOOT: Indian culture seems to play an important role in your life—how has it influenced your artistic and personal identity over time?

Sofia Hoffmann: Indian culture has shown me a different side of life in several aspects. Artistically, through its complex, sophisticated yet intriguing and mesmerising hindustani classical music, with all the thats used in specific times of the day and seasons of the year – which makes so much sense to me. It took me to see music from a different angle – as an art form to improve one’s life and state of mind, as we do not wake up with the same mental and emotional state as we go to bed. This made me consider writing music with a new intention (even if whatever flows in my creative process is mostly not controlled and is genuine). 
As for my personal identity, Indian culture allowed me to develop myself as a person, as I embarked on a spiritual journey based on self-study through meditation, nada yoga (through sound and sacred music) and swadhyaya (the so-called study of the self). I also love the ayurveda concept, although it is difficult to follow in the west.

ZOOT: Your late guru, the Acharya Roop Verma, has been an important presence in your journey—how have his teachings, along with your experiences in India, meditation, and your spiritual practice, shaped the way you live and create music?

Sofia Hoffmann: Roopji used to say that “we are what we hear”, and that “music isn’t meant for entertainment, but it rather supports the spiritual process and experience”.

I was initiated on both, meditation and sitar by Roopji, this influence shaped some of my most spiritual songs and mantra which I have in my albums. I strongly believe that music contributes to any healing process, as it impacts not only the physical body but also the emotional one, giving us the so-called goosebumps when we listen to a beautiful voice or melody. Seeing the shift in so many people touched by his words and teachings at the retreats in Comporta, and having experienced it myself, took me to humbly write some of my music with the intent of contributing to someone’s emotional process.  

ZOOT: Do you follow any particular morning rituals that help ground you before starting your day?

Sofia Hoffmann: Yes, I chant a mantra while lighting an incense stick after getting up – it helps me to ground, to appreciate the present moment in gratitude and to look forward to a positive day. A short meditation is also often part of my waking up process.

ZOOT: With your background in marine biology, how do you relate today to the urgency of climate change?

Sofia Hoffmann: It worries me a lot, and mirrors the urgency in doing something more, as we are simply not taking care of our home, our planet. I do recycle and try to be as sustainable as possible, and I confess that it isn’t easy. It very much depends on discipline, government waste management and providing less pollutant alternatives especially in terms of transportation. What I experienced while doing standup paddle in Bali, 2 years ago, was shocking: a massive tide of garbage coming towards me and literally hijacking my board. Waste and overall pollution are a critical issue worldwide – and ultimately it will affect us all. The delivered food and online orders, the packaging, the plastic and fast fashion.
All this has a significant impact on our planet.   

ZOOT: In a world shaped by migration, displacement, and ongoing human rights challenges, how important is empathy in the way we perceive and treat people around us?

Sofia Hoffmann: I believe that empathy is important in every context and should be transversal to all cultures, as “it walks side by side” with the concepts of freedom and respect – for ourselves and for others. The fact is that very often, the lack of empathy derives from deep cultural differences which lead to misconceptions, and from issues people have with themselves. It also comes with a lot of lack of consciousness. I’ve been learning and experiencing that if we are connected with ourselves, with our essence, and are aware of the present moment, it is much easier to act in a positive, constructive manner. We are all human beings, with our different backgrounds, skin colors, languages, rituals and ideas, and live on the same planet. Yet, we are still struggling to co-exist without bullying or wanting more money or power than the other. This is where art and music step in – as a call for consciousness and as a harmonizing and aggregation element. 

ZOOT: As this interview takes place around April 25, a symbolic date of freedom and anti-fascism in Portugal, what does freedom mean to you as a person, and do you see tendencies in Europe where we are losing parts of it—and is this already impacting society and right wing parties rising?

Sofia Hoffmann: Freedom is essential to the human being to live to its full potential, obviously without prejudice to other beings. We all know what is right and wrong within a community or a society, and again – consciousness should be applied within this freedom in which we have to live, act, express ourselves as an individual with our own identity. From my perspective, any fundamentalist or rigid ideology or position, which disconsiders the other person’s rights and freedom, is not socially and humanly sustainable and may generate disorder and eventually, wars. Rules are required within specific society contexts and support their processes and organization, but as human beings, we should have the right to have and express our own opinions – as long as it will not interfere with someone else’s free existence.   

As an artist, I think it is wonderful to be able to fully and freely express my feelings, emotions, thoughts, ideas and dreams through my music – either melodic wise or through lyrics. Crossing genres freely (but in a tasteful manner) also speaks to my heart as again, it units artists and listeners with different backgrounds. I may give you the example of the sitar which I play in my theme “[In]LOVE”, or played by Arjun Verma on the theme “Nunca Me Esqueci de Ti” – my Portuguese and overall western audience had probably never heard the sound of this symbolic Indian instrument before, and loved it. If we are open to difference and novelty, co-existence becomes much simpler and easier 🙂 

ZOOT: You’re releasing a new single, a reimagined “Dolce Far Niente,” created during your time in Milan, in collaboration with producer Nitin Sawhney—known for bridging cultures through music—how did this collaboration come about, and what did he bring to the project?

Sofia Hoffmann: This collaboration is the result of my immense admiration for Nitin Sawhney’s work, either in terms of his melodic sophistication, yet simplicity, or in terms of the different rhythms and music dynamics which are part of his collections. Also the outstanding diversity in terms of sound experience and combination of music genres – namely the blending of Indian instruments and sound within western music – was something that always made me wish to work with Nitin. Luckily, I met Nitin in person through a dear friend of ours after one of his concerts in Lisbon right after the lockdown and here we are – with a track which blends our music essences 🙂

ZOOT: What inspired you to revisit and reinterpret this particular song?

Sofia Hoffmann: To be completely honest, this song was written during a moment in which I was exhausted from work and really needed a break. Knowing that Italians are experts in the art of “doing nothing” and also having experienced it during the 3 years I lived in Milan, I got inspired, wrote the song and sang it for a group of close friends, who loved it. While compiling the [In]LOVE album’s tracks, it became evident to me and to Ivan Lins that this Dolce Far Niente bossa nova should be part of it. Revisiting this particular song and directing it to a summer, Italian / Spanish / Brazilian sunset vibe came from my willingness to take this track to the dance floor and even dance to it, as I think that right now, we all need a break of positivity, romance and good vibes 🙂 Nitin was brilliant within his production and remix process, in the way that the essence and sophistication of the song was preserved, but the samba rhythm and the orchestration, including his guitar playing, take us to a very different “stage” and state of mind, inviting us to loosen up and to have fun! 

ZOOT: How did working with Nitin Sawhney influence the final sound and direction of the track?

Sofia Hoffmann: It was actually very easy and a great pleasure to work with Nitin, not only because of his concern in meeting the purpose of the remix, either in terms of its sound context or in terms of the feelings and emotional states which it should translate to the listener. Being acquainted with his work and artistry, and also to his intentions and the way Nitin envisions music and its impact on our emotional side and society, I fully trusted his creative process and loved the result.

ZOOT: You have upcoming concerts this year, including one on May 27— what makes this moment special for you?

Sofia Hoffmann: The Dolce Far Niente concert on the 27th of May at Cinema São Jorge, in the heart of Lisbon, means a lot to me, as not only it celebrates this collaboration and new version of the theme exploring the fun side of our lives, but it also marks a new cycle, on a prestigious and iconic stage in which I presented my original songs for the first time, approximately 8 years ago. In addition, I’ll also be singing in Italian (which is my favorite language!) and will present a more upbeat repertoire, inviting the audience to sing along and to have a positive, relaxed music experience. 

ZOOT: If you could give advice to your 20-year-old self, what would it be?

Sofia Hoffmann: Be gentle with yourself, work on your body, mind and soul in a balanced manner. Prioritize your needs but also take care of your loved ones when they need, without compromising your health. Speak up for yourself when your intuition tells you so. Cultivate good friendships – your friends are the family you choose. And definitely, follow your dreams – they do come true with the intention is good, and if you work hard and direct your energy and efforts to them. 
Thank you!