Sophie Castriota is an Australian musical artist and singer songwriter from Brisbane, Queensland Australia
Sophie is of English/Italian heritage and a bloodline descendent of Gjergj Kastrioti “Skanderbeg”, Lord of Albania through her mothers Arbëreshë line. This link is proven by a marriage between Giuseppa Castriota Scanderbeg and Vincenzo Bernardini of Lecce her 7th generation grandparents.
Sophie has been involved in music since an early age taking up the violin at 4 years old. She quickly progressed under “Russian School” teachers and became one of the youngest members of the Queensland Youth Orchestra at the age of 11. During this time she was mentored by John Curro AM MBE, founder of the Queensland Youth Orchestras and Nigel Kennedy.
In 2012 she performed at the Melbourne Albanian Independence celebrations for the 100th anniversary of Independence.
In 2016 she performed at the Hardhfest Festival in Rahovec, Kosovo
Since 2018 she has acted as an ambassador for Stonecastle Vineyards & Winery promoting a Vranac wine dedicated to her ancestor Gjergj Kastrioti. The wine bottles have her signature on the neck of every bottle and label.
In 2017 she began seriously writing music and developing music production skills concentrating on studio tracks and working collaborations with fellow artists in Australia, Europe and the US.
Tøngue tied – the first song to be written and produced by Sophie Castriota and Brandon Jonak which was released on the 21st of April 2020 has already been successfully picked up by several of Spotify’s major R&B, Hip Hop and Urban playlists.
Several major record labels have also shown interest in Sophie’s musical talent which has remarkably pushed through this particularly difficult time in the world showing something good coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The song “Tøngue Tied” was written to inspire and empower other females who have found themselves in toxic relationships and who are afraid to leave.