MAKING MUSIC THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME
Solya at ACL Fest. Photo: Pablo Herrera / TMN.
Solya began writing songs from personal experience as a teenager. She left school a year early to focus on music, recording at home and finding guidance in the interviews and work of Marc Bolan and David Bowie. At 20, she is building a sound shaped by her own life, with an approach that puts feeling ahead of trends.
AUSTIN, TX | Interview by Pablo Herrera | Austin City Limits 2026
On a rainy afternoon, we spoke with Solya after her first performance at Austin City Limits. Light rain fell during her set, but she said she felt happy to be there and found the experience less stressful than she had expected.
The singer-songwriter released her debut album, The Queen of Texas, in March 2026. Since then, her career has gained momentum, taking her beyond her West Texas home to major festival stages and bringing her a growing, loyal fan base.
Solya wrote “Butterfly” when she was 16. The song came from a relationship that lasted three years, and it remains part of a body of work she describes as closely tied to her own life. She recorded the album in just ten days and hopes to take more time with her next one.
“All of my music is me. It’s my life. It’s my personal experience. It’s all true.”
Music had already become Solya’s priority before she left school. She would skip class, go home, open her laptop, and record. Her parents supported her decision, and she found inspiration in older musicians whose interviews made her feel understood.
“I was really inspired by other musicians like Marc Bolan and David Bowie. I watched interviews with them and related to them so much. That kind of mentored me in a way.”
Watch: Solya performing at ACL Fest. Video by Pablo Herrera / TMN.
Solya began piano lessons at six and learned guitar around 14. She says there is no single correct path into music, and that people can find their own way as long as they keep making the work.
Onstage, Solya plays without worrying about the size of the venue or how people perceive her. Performing in front of others scared her at first, but she gradually learned to let go of that fear.
“I just take things as they come. I don’t really think about it in that way. I think about it like I’m just here to play. I don’t really care.”
Solya’s creative process includes a lot of analog recording and mixing. Asked about music made for TikTok, she says she wants her sound to last beyond the moment a song becomes popular. For her, analog equipment and writing from genuine feeling are part of that goal.
“I want my sound to be timeless. […] I don’t think people in 10 years will go back and listen to a song that was just made to sound like something made in 2026 for TikTok. […] Writing how you feel, that’s the most important thing.”
Her latest album was made in just ten days, leaving her with a clear idea for the next one: take more time, refine the songs, and get the sound exactly where she wants it. She also returns to older material and revises lyrics when her perspective changes.
Solya’s songs continue to change as she grows. She stays committed to writing what feels true to her, whether she is working on a new track or revisiting one she thought was finished.
Our full interview with Solya is now live. Watch it below.
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