About "Oh Sweet Tragedy - anthems from the ashes"
 

     Sonia V's new CD release "Oh Sweet Tragedy - anthems from the ashes" is a riveting & pure offering of hard edged rock anthems, revealing honest confessions of an artist clinging to faith despite the desperate & trying turns life has taken.  Co-produced with the phenomenal Kenny Lewis (Stryper, Michael Sweet) and rocked out with the talents of Michael Sweet (guitars/vocal duet) & Tracy Ferrie (bass) of Stryper, Derek Kerswill (drums) of Unearth, and McKendree Augustus (keys) of SonicFlood, these original tunes penned by Sonia V. come from a place of brokenness and raising one's anthem amidst the ashes & despite the darkness and aftermath of broken dreams.  Into a place of hope and finding "Beauty for Ashes", "Oh Sweet Tragedy" is a solid rock offering from a credible artist who has earned her place among the standout female rock artists in the industry today.

Sonia V's former CD "a thing or 2" includes credits of  "Contemporary Christian Album of the Year" by the Independent Music Awards, followed by numerous chart topping hits, songwriting awards from Gospel Music Association, American Christian Music Awards, VH1, Billboard & International Songwriting Contests, vocalist awards & nominations, as well as countless interviews, features and international radio airplay & commercial licensing opportunities. 

Despite the attention and breakthrough into the music industry as a prominent independent artist, it would also be one of the most challenging times Sonia faced both as an artist and spiritually.  It ended with a long sabbatical from the music business for a few years. With a story to tell about the journey, Sonia V. emerges with the strongest and most transparent works of art of her career to date with the new release "Oh Sweet Tragedy....anthems from the ashes".

Here is Sonia's story behind the new album:

I really believe in the message of this album and I think it's one that many people will be able to relate to.  I wrote these songs during the darkest and most vulnerable time I've ever experienced in my life, coming from a place of complete brokenness and truly "beginning again", standing in the aftermath of my dreams being broken, my heart being broken, being bruised and burned by not only the industry but people in my life, and my faith being challenged to the point that I found myself in the deepest pit I've ever been in.  All I could do was cry out to God every day. I was stripped to the core. And that's where He wanted me to be. But I was finally able to see the "beauty for ashes"  and claim with true joy Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

I had walked away from music completely thinking that God was done with me & that I'd never sing or write again. I laid it all down and decided that if this was truly what He was going to have me do again, that He would need to bring it about, not me.  I just rested in that and learned to just desire only Him, not what I could do for Him, and not what He could do for me.  I came to a new and deeper place in my spiritual walk I thought I had already found, having been a Christian my whole life.  But until you are standing on the other side of tragedy and know the sweetness of it, you really haven't experienced God at this kind of level.  This is why I can say "Oh Sweet Tragedy".  I've finally seen truth I've never seen before.  Not only did God start inspiring me to write songs again from a place of complete honesty of where I was, He kicked open the door to rekindling my dreams of recording & performing in ways I never dreamed possible.   But more importantly, I was able to come to a deeper place with God with renewed vision and passion and not worry about the rest of my life.

So being able to write & record again after some very dark times in my life has been a miracle and a blessing beyond words I could ever express.  It's been a journey about learning to keep living, keep persevering, keep hoping, keep believing and lifting my anthem despite the tragic turns life can bring. The things we face in life sometimes are enough for anyone to just want to quit and "check out" for good, but thankfully, we have a higher power working on our behalf when we seem to be in our darkest hour.  I pray that this music will inspire people, bring them to a better place, and into the light.

One of the blessings I've experienced recording this music is the opportunity to work with some of the most gifted and amazing people in the music business.  I had an amazing time recording this album and working with awesome pros like Michael Sweet & Tracy Ferrie of Stryper, Derek Kerswill of Unearth, McKendree Augustas of SonicFlood and the amazing producer Kenny Lewis who has worked with some of the best musicians out there.

 I had the honor to record a duet with Michael Sweet of Stryper. This is the first duet, at least with a female, that Michael has recorded to my knowledge, and my first duet as well.  It's a dream come true to work with my favorite male vocalist on the planet and someone who has influence my life personally with his music. It is an honor to finally work musically with him.

These songs are the story of where I've been, still struggle, and my determination to keep the faith when I face difficulty and feel like giving up.  They reveal times when I just needed someone to "Sing Me a Hallelujah", for some kind of revelation, for an angel, for God to speak in the dead silence but seemed so far away.  To come to a place of being who I am and not worrying about what anyone else thinks of me.  This is what we all go through.  To think we are above it is foolish and arrogant.  To come to the place where we embrace tragedy as something good for us that can make us better and stronger, and where we can truly thank God for it is one that results in victory.