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One of the most self-evident realities of human prediction is how wrong one can be when imagining who is trustworthy, whose intentions are backed up with integrity. Basically, who isn't a piece of shot. Sometimes we guess right and sometimes we fail to see the good. All this and more builds the emotional crux of Sophia Alexa's  "Hit & Run."

Although just her second single, the London-based artists emanates a veteran presence on "Hit & Run." The construct of the single is fast and fun, but the lyrics are forlorn and foreboding, describing the sensation of feeling trapped in a relationship, regardless of its merit. Curious as to how this young talent could provide such a intriguing and introspective story over such catchy production we reached out to Sophia to learn more about her and her new single.

Ones to Watch: Who is Sophia Alexa?

Sophia Alexa: I'm an artist born in California, raised in Amsterdam, and living in London, so someone in a constant identity crisis.

What is "Hit and Run" all about?

I wrote "Hit and Run" after I felt the need to escape when I got too close to someone. I was afraid of feeling trapped or attached to this relationship before I even gave it a chance. I guess the escape was like a defence mechanism, and writing this song was a way to acknowledge it.

You've hidden the darkness of the lyrics behind a beautiful uptempo optimistic sound. Why did you opt for that choice?

That's kind of my favourite thing to do, contrasting sad lyrics with some uptempo drums. I'm not sure if it's me hiding the reality of the lyrics or my inability to write an uptempo track with an optimistic concept.

Did you collaborate with anyone on the track? Who produced it?

I work with RISC, a sick producer in London. He's great at getting the perfect mix of modern yet organic production. He brought "Hit and Run" to life and gave the chorus the energy it needed.

As a new artist, how did you settle on your sound? It feels very confident and polished despite being only a few songs in.

Thanks! It was a bit of a journey settling on my sound. At one point, I worked with a bunch of different producers, which made it harder to find my own identity and sound as an artist. I remember giving myself a break by writing on my own and rinsing my favourite music I grew up on. That helped me re-discover my voice and sound. I slowly started to work with a few producers I trusted and found confidence in my sound and lyrics.

Can we expect more of this style in the future, potentially on an upcoming EP or album?

For sure! My songwriting will always be a consistent thread throughout everything I write. In terms of the sound of the next Ep, I am playing around with a more '70s live organic feel. I'm obsessed with the harmonies and the storytelling from that time.

Besides this excellent single what else should we be on the lookout for?

I am putting out my EP in March and will be doing a bunch of live shows! I also am getting more involved in the NFT community and putting out songs on various platforms.

What’s inspiring you right now outside of music?

Right now, I'm reading M Train by Patti Smith, I was a big fan of Just Kids so i had to pick up another novel of hers. In M train, Patti narrates a different part of her life when she decides to take a break from music, and it's just beautifully written.

Valentines Day. Dread it or can't  wait?

I might go out and buy a bunch of chocolate and watch Succession, that sounds like my ideal evening.

Musically, who is emerging but making all the right moves?

Alix Page is great, her songwriting is beautiful and extremely honest. I also love the production, it's a kind of Phoebe Bridgers meets Gracie Abrams world.

Who are your Ones to Watch?

Right now, Dijon's new album has been on repeat. I've also been rinsing some of Jackson Browne's albums; it's just quality songwriting.