STORY: CALEB FRANCIS PHOTOGRAPHY: RECHELLE ZAMMIT
Greater Shepparton is best known for its orchards, dairy farms, and the iconic SPC factory.
But recently, the town has given rise to a talent poised to become a global sensation in the music industry: Sophie Giuliani.
A guitarist, Sophie has defied norms, pushed boundaries and found her own rhythm in the mecca of the music world — Los Angeles.
“Born and raised in Shepparton,” Sophie remembers her early years with palpable affection.
“I went to Notre Dame College and went to primary school here as well,” she said.
However, her journey took a turn when she moved to Melbourne for her final year of high school.
Sophie said that her move was a calculated one.
Notre Dame wasn’t offering music subjects that could fuel her passion for the guitar.
“From the age of 15, I already had the plan to move to the US if the opportunity was there, so moving to Melbourne was sort of a step for that to happen,” she said.
While in Year 12 at Blackburn College in Melbourne, Sophie auditioned for American colleges and was successful, setting her on a path that would change her life.
However, the move to the US came with its own set of challenges.
Sophie took a gap year to work at St Brendan’s, helping her parents financially before taking her giant leap.
Just as she was preparing to move, the pandemic delayed her plans by over a year.
Yet Sophie remained undeterred, doing classes remotely and eventually relocating to LA in June 2021 and graduating in March 2022.
Sophie’s initial impressions of LA contrasted sharply with her upbringing in regional Victoria.
“When I moved there, I saw more in three months than I had in my entire life here,” she says, citing the city’s high homelessness and crime rates.
But for her, the trade-off was worth it.
“I’m kind of just used to it now,’’ she said.
“It’s a risk you’ve got to take.”
What has become clear is that Sophie is a woman of action and tenacity.
Her time at the Musicians Institute on Hollywood Boulevard provided more than just an education — it opened doors to celebrity encounters and a network of opportunities, something she feels Australia couldn’t offer her.
“I did move to Melbourne, but there’s not really the opportunity to be performing and doing that kind of work full-time,” she said, explaining how she could make a living doing what she loves in LA.
Her grit and talent have led her to tour with artists like Alexander 23 and Benson Boone.
However, the landscape is not without its challenges, and it’s clear that Sophie’s journey wasn’t just a geographical transition, but also a psychological and emotional one.
She opened up about the challenges of being an international student and musician, striving to make a mark in a city where competition runs rife.
While being homesick and navigating complex visa rules, Sophie was simultaneously grappling with financial regulations.
“I was lucky that my parents supported me. But if the opportunity wasn’t here, there’s no way I’d move because I love home,” she said.
On top of school fees and living expenses, Sophie was unable to work while on a student visa.
This meant turning down opportunities and risking a halt to her career.
“I was getting opportunities as soon as I moved over there and had to turn them down, which is pretty scary because, as they say, you don’t want to stop the snowball, but luckily, it kept going when I finished school,” she said.
Despite barriers that “just kept appearing,” Sophie overcame these obstacles, albeit not without a cost.
Living away from family remains a crucial aspect for Sophie.
While the musician is a long way from Shepparton, her connection to home remains robust.
The recent loss of her 15-year-old dog, Lulu, was a significant reminder of the sacrifices made to pursue a dream.
She expressed her heartbreak on Instagram, writing, “I don’t remember the times before you entered my life, and I don’t know how I am supposed to breathe without you; I’m hurting so bad.”
The physical distance also puts emotional distances to the test, but Sophie credits her mother as her bedrock.
“It takes one person to believe in you, and that was my Mum (Jacci Giuliani),” she said.
Sophie’s journey also involves a degree of self-awareness and humility.
Sophie advises budding musicians to practice, believe in what they do, and, importantly, “be able to be self-critical.”
As for any regrets, Sophie said she “could’ve skipped the pandemic.”
But apart from that unprecedented global crisis, Sophie wouldn’t change anything about her journey thus far.
A journey that has seen her go from the quiet streets of Shepparton to the bustling avenues of Hollywood Boulevard, performing with artists like Olivia Rodrigo.
And this, one can safely say, is just the prelude to Sophie Giuliani’s magnum opus.