What would you do for a dream? We have all imagined ourselves being courageous enough to take the first step towards achieving it, whatever it is for you. For Sorana, the dream that would begin the biggest journey of her life was to become a singer. Her determination and moxie led her to her own first big step, moving out of her hometown in Romania.
Like a flower outgrowing its pot, Sorana found herself seeking new soil to allow her creativity to flourish. She packed up and headed to London where she worked tirelessly at a pub to support herself while filling her days off with songwriting sessions. Her unwavering ambition and drive paid off with a publishing deal. Later, the multi-talented singer-songwriter moved to Los Angeles where she now resides, and continues to make her mark with music.
Her debut single ‘redruM’ brings unique and addictive lyrics woven together with David Guetta’s driving bass and signature synths. The twisted and captivating music video is inspired by the iconic film The Shining as Sorana is hunted down the halls of a hotel by another version of herself.
[apple_music_ad artist=”Sorana x David Guetta” song=”redruM”]“My debut single ‘redruM’ tells the story of two people falling in love with the same person,” says Sorana. “In the end, one will be happy in love and the other one will be heartbroken.”
This is not her first foray into songwriting, though. Just a few of her songwriting credits include the platinum-certified song ‘Takeaway’ by The Chainsmokers, ILLENIUM, & Lennon Stella, Ava Max’s ‘OMG What’s Happening,’ and ‘Heartbreak Anthem’ by Galantis, David Guetta & Little Mix which was nominated for a BRIT Award. Through co-writing, features, and her new single, Sorana is now past 1 billion (yes, billion with a ‘b’) global streams.
We had the exciting opportunity to speak with Sorana about ‘redruM,’ songwriting, traveling, and her love of Sailor Moon. Keep reading and listen to ‘redruM’ on your favorite streaming platform here!
Check out the official ‘redruM’ music video.
Congratulations on your debut single ‘redruM!’ You said that this song being released feels like a dream. What part of the process of creating ‘redruM’ did you enjoy the most?
The thing I enjoyed the most about this process was the day I wrote ‘redruM.’ It’s always such a rush when I leave a writing session knowing that I wrote a good one. My heart could explode with joy. The chorus for this song popped into my head almost like a revelation, during a silent moment in my writing session. The rest of the song snowballed from there. It felt like I didn’t even have to write it and almost just sang what was already so clear in my mind. The melodies, the words, and the rhymes were already there. I love these kinds of songwriting days, when the song pours out of me because it feels like divine intervention and in that moment, I connect to a different place where only music or love can take me. Music is truly magic.
Going from enjoying David Guetta’s music to releasing this song with him has to be an incredible feeling. Is there one memorable moment that came from your collaboration?
I remember going to the club some years ago with my girlfriends. We were always dancing to David Guetta’s records and I would think about how it must feel to sing on one of them. I never imagined I would get the chance to write one too. Collaborating with David Guetta on my debut single ‘redruM’ is insane and when he told me he loved my voice and the song I wrote, I thought of that girl in the club dreaming to have such an opportunity! I worked really hard for this and wrote so many songs to get here, including David’s ‘Heartbreak Anthem’ with Galantis and Little Mix. The song was nominated for international song of the year at the BRIT Awards!
If you could go back and speak to your younger self dancing to his music in the club what would you say?
I would say “Don’t worry so much! You work hard and if you keep doing that, nothing will stand in your way!”
The song and music video are influenced by the classic horror film The Shining. Have film and television inspired any of your other songs? What usually inspires your lyrics?
I am a Kubrick fan and when I saw The Shining I thought that ‘redruM’ would make a really cool song title and I had it in my head for years before I wrote it. In the lyrics, I used the horror medium to describe a very dramatic way of looking at heartbreak, which sometimes is so hard to get over that it feels like it’s the end. In the video, I use the horror scenes to express emotional struggles and being stuck in my head like the overthinker that I am. The two characters I play are two of my personalities that are chasing each other on the corridors of my mind because they are having a fight with no conclusion. My lyrics are always inspired by my own experiences and feelings but I love to use different mediums to talk about relatable things like heartbreak and love because that way I can add layers of depth to the story I’m telling. It’s not enough for me to say “you broke my heart” and instead I have to say “Emergency room, they said bruises on a heart” or “I called 911 from a telephone booth, I said help her she’s dying from hearing the truth,” because when you’re that specific, you get a complete visual and feeling with each lyric.
You have co-written hit songs for major artists such as Little Mix and The Chainsmokers. Can you share the differences between writing a song for yourself and writing a song for another artist?
Since I started my career as a songwriter, I don’t usually know if the song I just wrote is for me or for another artist. I actually wrote all my own artist project songs with other artists in mind which is amazing because it takes all the pressure off and that way, I can be objective. I never write an amazing song when I go in the session thinking the song has to be more and it must be the best thing I’ve ever written. When I co-wrote `Takeaway,’ I had this gut feeling that it belonged to The Chainsmokers so I asked my team to only send it to them. The songwriting process or the path of a song can’t be thought out. Once songs are written, they have their own little lives and I feel like they always end up in the right hands.
How has your songwriting process changed from when you first began to now?
I think my songwriting process changes every day. There is no song that comes about the same way each time. Sometimes it’s in a session, sometimes it’s me writing on my own, sometimes it’s a melody over a beat, and sometimes I write on piano or guitar. I love not falling into patterns with my songwriting because if that happens the songs become patterns too. One thing that never changes for me though, is that I write my favorite songs when I have a title in my head that gets me excited.
You moved from Romania to London to LA. What was the most rewarding part of experiencing living in different countries? How did those big changes affect your creativity and music?
I think it’s a blessing to be able to live in multiple places and experience so many different cultures. I learned so much about the world this way and I made so many friends along the way. Music took me so many places. I lived in Romania, London and now in Los Angeles but I also got to go all over Europe to write songs. One of my favorite memories is when I went to Sweden and celebrated midsummer with my new Swedish friends, after writing ‘redruM‘ together. It’s very important for my creativity that I stay on the move. When I’m in a new place, my mind rests and I stay present. I also felt like an outsider growing up, because my dreams were too big for the place where I was born so it’s amazing to find people that I can relate with all over the world.
You said, “Love comes and goes so we might as well enjoy it while it lasts.” Is there an experience in your life that brought you to believe that?
Yes! I went through a really tough breakup, where the guy cheated on me and I was very heartbroken for a while. For weeks, it was hard to get up in the morning because I felt I would die of heartache. I thought I’d never love again, but a few months later I fell in love again, and I realized that all the heartbreak was a bit of an overreaction because nothing is ever as tragic as it feels in the moment. So, I promised to myself that I will enjoy love without being afraid of heartbreak and if that happens again, I won’t waste my time dwelling on it.
On TikTok you’ve covered songs by several artists including Selena Gomez and Pixies. Which artists would you say have influenced your own music style?
I’m not sure specific artists influence my music. I love hit songs, pop songs, and all the songs that have a soul and make me feel something. I make notes in my head every time I hear something I love. I study it and learn from it. My favorite artists are the ones who write or co-write their own music. I think songwriting brings depth to any artist because no one can write what is unique to you, better than you can.
We heard you have a Sailor Moon obsession! Which of the Sailor Guardians is your favorite and why?
Oh My God! Sailor Moon is my first obsession, and my favorite guardian is Sailor Moon! My life was somehow influenced by that show, from my hair looks to my group of seven girlfriends that I used to party with and get in all sorts of trouble with. Sailor Moon is all about girls with superpowers which is something I could always relate to and I think it was a great influence especially when I grew up in a system where men were always put before women.
If you were making the perfect playlist to start your day, what top two songs would you include?
Right now I would choose ‘Beg For You’ by Charlie XCX and Rina Sawayama which I’m proud to say that I co-wrote. Also, the new ‘redruM’ remix by MistaJam, because it slaps!
You have fans all over the world hyped with ‘redruM,’ can you tell us if there is an album in the works that we can look forward to?
I have a lot of singles with very cool visuals and concepts that I’m planning on releasing this year and when the time is right, I will be releasing my debut album.
The new year has just begun and we’re already looking forward to everything Sorana has planned. With her debut single, she solidifies what her songwriting and features have previously stated: Sorana is an emerging, fierce force in the music industry and has arrived to make some waves.
Listen to Sorana’s Perfect Morning Playlist and be sure to stream ‘redruM!’
How many times have you already listened ‘redruM?’ Drop a comment below, tweet us @TheHoneyPop, or comment on our Instagram and Facebook.
Looking for more new music? We’ve got you covered! Check out our round-up of new song releases.
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