A Texan singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is set to perform her debut studio album at the Marquis Theater in Denver Sept. 30.
Solya Ava Lowe — known professionally as Solya — began making music at age 16. Now, four years later, she released her debut album “Queen of Texas” after signing with an independent label in 2024.
Lowe, whose music “blends elements of indie pop, psychedelic and grunge rock, country and electronic,” according to her website, is currently on a 25-date tour of the U.S. and Canada, during which she will stop in Denver before concluding the tour in Oklahoma City and Austin, Texas.
When asked what initially sparked her love of music, Lowe recalled listening to her parents’ records while growing up and falling in love with David Bowie’s work.
“I heard ‘Starman‘ by David Bowie, and then I watched ‘Labyrinth,‘” Lowe said. “And I knew, like, at that moment, ‘I want to be like David Bowie when I grow up.'”
In addition to Bowie, Lowe said her love for music was hugely inspired by country singer Patsy Cline and English rock band T. Rex.
“T. Rex has really inspired me,” Lowe said. “I always wanted to sound like Patsy Cline when I was growing up.”
She explained the DIY startup process that took her from recording songs on her computer at 16 to now as she is on tour for her debut album.
“I got Pro Tools on my laptop, and then I started recording the songs that I had written,” Lowe said. “I’d been writing songs before that, but I didn’t really record them or put them out or anything.”
When asked about her songwriting process, she said it feels as though “the songs just write themselves,” often starting with a melody and an idea of what the song will be about and allowing lyrics come to her along the way.
While having instrumental training, she said she has never had singing lessons and is mostly self-taught.
“I was classically trained in piano when I was six, and I did that until I was 18,” Lowe said. “And then I never really had any training for my voice.”
Additionally, when asked what she would want fans to know about her, she explained she wanted people to know she personally writes her songs.
“I write all my own music, and I play, like, the majority of the instruments on my songs,” Lowe said.
Solya’s debut album “Queen of Texas” features 10 tracks and has a runtime of 30 minutes.
“I wrote alone in my bedroom, and then I brought it to my producer Danny,” Lowe said. “We recorded the whole thing in 10 days.”
She said she has so far loved the tour and noted the connection with the fans has been one of her favorite parts.
“Hearing everybody sing along is obviously really wonderful,” Lowe said. “It’s like I can see how my music has connected with these people and impacted their lives.”
At 20 years old, Solya has over 400,000 monthly listeners on Spotify with one album, one EP and a number of singles.
“Just put your shit out there and focus on that,” Lowe said as advice to young, aspiring musicians. “I’d say that that’s the most important thing.”
She noted how she’s learned more through performing music and experiencing this process than school could teach her. To other artists, she suggested they follow their passions and get as much real-life experience as they can.
“Just actually putting (music) in and getting in the real world is the most important thing,” Lowe said.
Reach Olivia Kyazze at entertainment@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.
