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Before Solya<\/strong><\/a> took her throne on stage at Club Dada, we talked about her signature look, that classic analog sound, and what it really feels like to represent the Lone Star State right now. When I caught up with her on Friday night, she\u2019d just finished her VIP Meet & Greet at Dada Dallas. She had a warm, gracious presence with just a hint of nerves as the show was going to start soon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We sat down on a couch in a tiny backstage room where Solya was waiting for the show to begin. <\/span>This tour marks a milestone for Solya: her first time hitting the road with a full band, sharing the talents of guitarist Jason Chronis and drummer Danny Reisch. With the muffled sounds of people chattering outside echoing through the walls, we sat down and got right to it.<\/span><\/p>\n Melodic Magazine: You wear white dresses a lot, and then also I noticed that several fans lined up outside were wearing white dresses. Is there a significance to that?<\/strong><\/p>\n Solya: <\/b>I think that they just want to dress like me, and I think that\u2019s really cute. It\u2019s fun like, I guess that\u2019s how I know I\u2019ve made a signature look and I guess I did it kind of accidentally. I think I was just drawn to white dresses and then I did go on tour and I saw that everybody was in white dresses. And I was like, \u201cOh, so this is my signature look now.\u201d So I\u2019m going to stick to it because people like it.<\/span><\/p>\n MM:<\/b> Yeah, and it works! And like, even the crosses. Sometimes you wear a hat too.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n You know, and the cross thing, I just really liked my cross necklace and then I noticed people started\u2014like, this was at the very beginning\u2014people started just like drawing me with the cross necklace on. And then that again I was like, \u201cOh, okay, that\u2019s like my signature thing now.\u201d Like, so now I just always have it on.<\/span><\/p>\n MM:<\/b> I bet! How does being from West Texas show up in your music or your style?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m always in cowboy boots. And in my music, especially the new record, there\u2019s lots of slide guitar and baritone guitar, lots of twangy feel, and that is brought to you by Jason Chronis. He really helped me be able to get that, to capture that Texas vibe because of his, like, his playing slide and baritone tremolo guitar.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n MM:<\/b> Nice! Your fans call you the \u201cQueen of Texas,\u201d and now that\u2019s the name of your tour. How does it feel to officially take on that title tonight? What does that mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Queen of Texas. I think that it actually is a nice thing to where it gives people, maybe a new perspective on Texas because I think a lot of people do have a negative opinion on Texas because of the\u2014I mean, the political state of Texas, especially right now.<\/span><\/p>\n And so I kind of hoped that my album and just my presence as a queer woman can give people some kind of hope as like a\u2014I don\u2019t know, somebody that\u2026 I don\u2019t know. . .<\/span><\/p>\n MM:<\/b> Like representation?<\/strong><\/p>\n Yeah! And it\u2019s like, I don\u2019t know, it\u2019s okay to be different and it\u2019s just like a new perspective, a new outlook on Texas.<\/span><\/p>\n MM:<\/b> Totally. So what has changed for you since you were 16 making music in your room?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n My outlook on life has changed. I think I had a pretty negative outlook on life when I was 16 and that really came through in my first songs. They were pretty dramatically sad. And I was just a very depressed 16-year-old. And so I guess where I am now and having the support system I do within my family and my friends and my band, my outlook on life is much more positive than it was and I feel like I\u2019m getting to have all kinds of opportunities that I never thought I would have because, I mean, I have such wonderful people that support me.<\/span><\/p>\n MM:<\/b> Love that! It is really cool seeing your family here helping you on tour too. [Solya\u2019s father, mother, and brother were there working on the tour]. Can you describe the mood of your shows, or even the mood that you\u2019d like to have at your shows?<\/strong><\/p>\n Well, last tour, I was just on stage by myself with my looper, and I would just loop synthesizer sounds and guitar sounds. It was just a one-man show, and now, this is my first show\u2014it will be my first show with a band. And I hope that I can bring a really high-energy performance and like pump up the crowd and just\u2014I hope it\u2019s just really energetic and a lot of fun, is what I hope. But I\u2019ve never played a show with a band before, so I guess we\u2019ll see if that happens. <\/span>[Spoiler alert \u2013 Solya and her band absolutely brought the energy and the crowd loved it.]<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n MM:<\/b> Yeah, it\u2019s a good goal for the tour. I think it\u2019s great. What is your favorite instrument to play on stage?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019d say my favorite instrument to play on stage is definitely the electric guitar. And then maybe my favorite instrument just in general is the synthesizer, but I think guitar\u2019s more fun to play on stage.<\/span><\/p>\n MM:<\/b> Which track of the album are you most excited for people to hear?<\/strong><\/p>\n Out of the new ones, maybe \u201cAim to Kill.\u201d That one is very \u2018<\/span>50s-inspired, very Buddy Holly, but also very \u201960s inspired\u2026 it was inspired a lot by The Ronettes. And the whole album was done on analog equipment. I wanted it that way because it sounds like the records I grew up listening to, which are from the \u201960s and \u201970s. I wanted to capture that warmth in this record.<\/span><\/p>\n MM:<\/b> The album talks about the challenges of growing up queer in a conservative town. Is it healing for you to play these songs live in Texas cities like Dallas and Austin tonight?<\/strong><\/p>\n Actually, yes. Yeah, I\u2019d say so. I\u2019d say that seeing people so happy to hear these songs that empower them, that makes me very, very happy, and it makes me feel like I\u2019ve achieved what I wanted to. It makes me feel like I have a purpose in this world.<\/span><\/p>\n MM: <\/b>Aww, that\u2019s wonderful. What is your favorite part about meeting your fans in person versus seeing them online?<\/strong><\/p>\n Meeting them in person makes it feel much more real than it does online. I think it was the first time I ever met any fans that, like I was just like, \u201cOh wow, this does actually exist offline.\u201d And these people are moved by what I do, and that means a lot to me because it\u2019s different seeing it in person\u2014it makes it feel\u2026 it makes it feel like it\u2019s more meaningful. And then it also helps like, before a show, it actually makes me feel less nervous doing these meet and greets before the show because I see how nice everybody is. It makes me feel more like, welcome to go on and do my set because I know everybody\u2019s there just to have fun and support what I\u2019m doing.<\/span><\/p>\n Tickets for the Queen of Texas Tour are still available and can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Remaining Solya Tour Dates:<\/strong> Photos by Jenn Terrell (<\/span>@jennterrellphotogaphy<\/span><\/a>) \/ www.jennterrellart.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Keep up with <\/strong>Solya<\/strong><\/span>: Facebook<\/a> \/\/ Instagram<\/a> \/\/ X<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"YouTube](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/VGqFrDNykk0\/hqdefault.jpg\"\/)
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3\/6 \u2013 San Antonio, TX \u2013 Paper Tiger
3\/7 \u2013 Houston, TX \u2013 The Bronze Peacock at House of Blues
5\/26 \u2013 Nashville, TN \u2013 The End
5\/27 \u2013 Atlanta, GA \u2013 The Masquerade (Purgatory)
5\/29 \u2013 Raleigh, NC \u2013 Kings
5\/30 \u2013 Richmond, VA \u2013 The Canal Club
5\/31 \u2013 Washington, DC \u2013 The Atlantis
6\/2 \u2013 New York, NY \u2013 Bowery Ballroom
6\/3 \u2013 Somerville, MA \u2013 Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre
6\/5 \u2013 Pittsburgh, PA \u2013 Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall
6\/6 \u2013 Grand Rapids, MI \u2013 The Pyramid Scheme (with Tele Novella)
6\/7 \u2013 Chicago, IL \u2013 Subterranean (Upstairs)
6\/9 \u2013 St. Louis, MO \u2013 Off Broadway
6\/10 \u2013 Kansas City, MO \u2013 Encore at The Uptown Theater
6\/11 \u2013 Oklahoma City, OK \u2013 89th Street Collective
6\/17 \u2013 El Paso, TX \u2013 The Lowbrow Palace
6\/18 \u2013 Tucson, AZ \u2013 Club Congress
6\/19 \u2013 San Diego, CA \u2013 SOMA (Sidestage)
6\/20 \u2013 Los Angeles, CA \u2013 Moroccan Lounge
6\/24 \u2013 San Francisco, CA \u2013 Rickshaw Stop
6\/26 \u2013 Portland, OR \u2013 Polaris Hall
6\/27 \u2013 Seattle, WA \u2013 Vera Project
6\/28 \u2013 Vancouver, BC \u2013 St. James Community Square
6\/30 \u2013 Boise, ID \u2013 Shrine Social Club (Basement)
7\/1 \u2013 Salt Lake City, UT \u2013 Kilby Court
7\/3 \u2013 Denver, CO \u2013 Marquis Theater<\/p>\n