SOZI grew up in a household filled with music. She and her sister spent their days singing and dancing at home, surrounded by a family that loved music. At seven, she began taking piano lessons, and her mother, who had grown up playing the piano herself, would occasionally guide her and help refine her skills. By the age of ten, SOZI began writing her own songs, discovering a personal language through music to express what was inside.

Adolescence? You know, usually everything goes to hell during those years. You want to drop the old stuff, find something of your own, get away from parental schemes. SOZI continued. Her parents gave her freedom, showed her direction, supported her. She took the talent and developed it further, made it her own thing.

photo by ivener

And logically, she went further—started recording songs, studying the industry, performing. It was a natural step for someone who’d lived music their entire life. Her new EP is called Dream, and here everything converges: a dream that grew from childhood in that house where someone was always singing, turned into reality.

For SOZI, this is her second mini-album, in which she demonstrably shows that she meticulously works on the quality of each song so that listeners receive a top-tier product. And she truly succeeded 100%! Dream is a story about illusions that live inside us. About how we invent things for ourselves, what we fall in love with, what we then wake up from. Summer mood through frosted glass: warmth, glitter, emotions, and all that light unreality. SOZI digs into how we cling to fantasies—sometimes deliberately, sometimes without realising it, just to protect ourselves from reality. And what it all leads to in the end.

“Superstar” evokes memories of the disco era: bright, dynamic, full of sequins and bold moves to prove something to those around you. The track is full of energy, light and movement. It’s impossible to stand still whilst listening to it. And the most interesting thing: the melody takes precedence over the vocals. A bright and beautiful illusion is created, one you really don’t want to escape from. Therefore, on first listen, it’s quite difficult to concentrate on the lyrics to understand SOZI’s message to the listener—the song’s too infectious, or is it actually a deceptive song? Because the message here is very important: SOZI talks about two contradictions that people sometimes don’t consider, taking only one side. About the thirst for fame and glory, and at the same time the emptiness and loneliness that follows. The track is dynamic, but if you listen a bit more closely, you realise that behind all the “glittering tinsel” hides emotional pain from numerous wounds, mistakes, and a desire to warn the listener who might also be starting their path in the creative sphere.

“Out Of The Blue” is the complete opposite of the first track. If “Superstar” was a bright, sweet dream, here SOZI wakes up. Moreover, she wakes into a dark nightmare that holds tight and clearly isn’t planning to release its victim. The track is full of pain, unshed tears and incomprehension of the entire situation: because at its core is betrayal, hidden under the illusion of friendship and love. Personally, for me, a pleasant feature is that SOZI skilfully combined the melancholy and pain of such an unpleasant event; she masterfully conveys emotions through her vocals. At the same time, you feel her strength, a desire to act comes forward, even despite the emotional trauma and incomprehension of why a close person acted this way. Yes, SOZI grants the right to emotional pain, but pushes you to act, not to drown in your resentment and hurt.

photo by ivener

“Good Girl” is an unusual combination. On one hand—a dynamic and cheerful rhythm that makes you move, eliminates even a hint of depression. But on the other—in SOZI’s vocals there’s irony regarding those who prefer to consciously live within boundaries, for the sake of a phantom chance to be understood and accepted by society (which ultimately leads to the opposite result). This is simultaneously a light mockery and a kind of friendly warning that removes the main illusion: if you’re like everyone else, they’ll understand and accept you, won’t mock you, will give you attention and love. But this is all a mistake, because it will never happen. A person loses more than they gain if they choose this path.

And the album’s final track, “Lost In You,” slows the pace compared to the first three tracks. Here, SOZI explores the intensity of merging completely with another person, capturing the full depth of romance. The track’s melody flows gently, highlighting the beauty and expressiveness of her vocals. It is soft and tender, filled with light melancholy.

Zest for life, drive, positivity—all of this comes from family. Her parents instilled in her one simple thing: in any situation you can find something good, you can hold on, you can move forward. And this is directly audible in her music. You put it on—and immediately you want to move, smile, live to the fullest. Dream, in places, charges you like a battery, like the first coffee in the morning, like meeting an old friend. SOZI makes music that genuinely makes things better.

The tracks here are light, downright airy, but make you think—what’s actually happening in your life and why exactly like this. SOZI packaged complex themes in bright wrapping, and honestly, it works brilliantly: you’re listening to enjoyable pop, whilst internally digging through your problems. She knows how to talk about important things in a way that’s also catchy.

‘Dream‘ can simply give you reason to think, or it can push you to action—start changing something, moving, making life brighter. You put it on when your soul feels grey, when you’re angry at your partner, friends, relatives, when you’re doubting everything—and the tracks sort out this internal chaos. They pull you out of negativity, charge you with positivity, help you make decisions you’ve been putting off for months. SOZI has made a record that genuinely changes mood and thoughts. Such works are rare, and for this, enormous human thanks to her.

*This review was made possible by SubmitHub