Meet Sofie Gamboa
Sofie Gamboa is a 19-year-old rising artist and music education major at Cal State Dominguez Hills, studying under Dr. Lynn Atkins. Born and raised in Torrance, she graduated high school in 2024, where she was involved North High’s Show Choir directed by Keiko Clark. She is the oldest of three sisters and loves spending time with family and friends while also staying involved in her local music community. She has been performing with South Bay Music Connection for a few months now and loves connecting with people in her community through music. She hopes to one day teach music and write songs that resonate with young artists.
Tell us about your musical background ? My musical journey started during quarantine in 2020, when I taught myself to play the ukulele. I began posting song covers on Instagram for fun, and the support I received from my family and friends really pushed me to keep going. In my sophomore year of high school, I joined my schools show choir, which became a major turning point for me. That’s where I gained a lot of my confidence and stage presence and it made performing feel like second nature. My senior year I was elected the president of the show choir program then went on and started a Ukulele club at my school where I found a love for helping people through music. Now, as a music education major at CSUDH with a focus in voice, I continue to grow through my private lessons with Dr. Lynn Atkins and by performing gigs around my community with SBMC. Every performance, every rehearsal, and every piece of feedback helps me get better and fuels my love for music even more.
Is there a particular moment or experience that led you to pursue music as a career? Definitely! One moment that really stands out was during our Show Choir winter recital in my sophomore year. I performed a solo with my ukulele “All I Want for Christmas” by Mariah Carey. I remember being so nervous before going on stage. But once I started performing, I felt this sense of ease and excitement that I had never felt before. It didn’t feel like my first time performing. That experience made it clear to me that music was something I wanted to keep pursuing long-term
Can you share a specific experience that contributed to your growth as a musician? I’m beyond grateful for the many experiences that have helped shape me as a musician. My time in show choir really showed how important it is to be a character on stage with confidence to bring your audience closer to you. My college journey is really helping me find my voice as an individual and teaching me so many techniques as a vocalists. And my gigging opportunities I’ve received through SBMC have allowed me to connect with new people and experience different audiences each time. Most of all, I thank my family for their constant love and support from the very beginning.
What is one thing you would like your fans to know about you? I want people to know that I didn’t grow up confident or outgoing, it was music that brought me out of my shell. So if anyone feels like they’re too shy to chase something they love, I hope this shows that it’s very possible. I’m so thankful for everyone who’s supported me so far. I also love hearing from people, whether it’s a song request, kind words, or even constructive criticism. It helps me grow, and I genuinely want to hear it all. My next step as a musician is to start putting out original songs, so stay tuned! there’s so much more to come!