SOPHIE LLOYD: ORIANTHI Was 'An Absolutely Massive Inspiration For Me'

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Mistress Carrie Podcast", British guitar sensation Sophie Lloyd spoke about how legendary Eddie Van Halen changed rock guitar, from popularizing "finger tapping" to modding out his guitars. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was what no one had ever really heard before. I guess when I was growing up, there was other artists that were doing kind of what he was doing. I'm sort of maybe a bit too — I was a bit too young or I was born too late to like experience the true, like, when it first came out. But even now, and that's just a testament to how amazing he is, his technique is still so unique and no one can get it exactly like he could, and get the feel exactly like he could. So I think that's why he's such a staple. It's stood the test of time and still inspires new guitarists today. They still kind of have that moment of before Eddie and after Eddie, even though there's people that do similar things, but he's still just so unique in everyone's eyes."

Regarding where she thinks a guitarist's tone comes from, Sophie said: "That's a good question. I think, for me, it's not even so much from the guitar or the equipment. It's from your hands and from your fingers and how you do different things. My vibrato is completely different to B.B. King's vibrato or something like that. The stylistic is so different and you do develop your little nuances — you develop licks that you that you know inside out, so they always sort of pop up in your playing in some way or another. Everyone kind of develops these things that are so unique to them, and I think that's the sign of like a really successful guitarist, is when they can kind of pick up anything — literally you could pick up some broken guitar off the street and start playing and it sounds like you. If Steve Vai probably picked up any old guitar, if he picked up B.B. King's guitar, he could sound like Steve Vai, even though it's on a [Gibson] 335 [guitar] or whatever. So I think that's really where it comes from, is your own expression of how you decide to form the licks, of just your little micro nuances that you have that make your playing really specific."

Asked who the women were that she saw playing the guitar that taught her it was possible, Lloyd said: "I think a big one for me was Orianthi. It was just after the 'This Is It' documentary with Michael Jackson. We went to the cinema and saw that, 'cause my mom was a big Michael Jackson fan, so we went to the cinema and saw that. And that was kind of the first time I'd really seen a woman that looked kind of similar to me as well just absolutely kind of rocking out, playing the craziest solos on such a massive stage with a massive artist and just absolutely owning it. And she was almost the star of the show. And that was a really unique moment where it was just so special to see. And then I got really into her and started listening to her music. And, yeah, her career has just been so inspiring, and the fact she's still just absolutely killing it, still playing live all the time, releasing incredible music. And she's just, yeah, an absolutely massive inspiration for me."

Sophie released her debut full-length album, "Imposter Syndrome", in 2023. The LP saw Lloyd teaming up with some of rock's biggest names and her own personal heroes to create a stunning collection of work spanning a variety of genres from the rock and metal world. Released totally independently via her own Autumn Records, the album debuted at No. 3 in the rock charts and 11 in the indie charts, receiving rave reviews in the press.

Last October, Sophie played her debut headline show at a sold-out London Underworld. Sophie also announced a concert at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, California on January 16, 2025.

"Imposter Syndrome" featurea blazing singles and guest collaborations like "Judge And Jury" (featuring THEORY OF A DEADMAN's Tyler Connolly),"Fall Of Man" (featuring TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy),"Do Or Die" (featuring Nathan James),"Lost" (featuring Cole Rolland),"Runaway" (featuring STEEL PANTHER's Michael Starr),"Hanging On" (featuring Lauren Babic)", "Imposter Syndrome" (featuring HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale) and "Let It Hurt" (featuring BLACK STONE CHERRY's Chris Robertson).