Who will perform at iHeart’s Jingle Ball Village, get mentored by Grammy Winners and Win $10,000? You decide!
Sofia Sampaio
Must finish first in their group to advance to the Semifinals.
BONUS MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITY Must be first in their group on Monday, 11/16 at 11:59 PM ET / 8:59 PM PT for a chance to be selected for a one-on-one mentorship with Kevin Jonas Sr. (The Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato).
Voting for this round ends on November 19, 2026 at 10:00 PM EST
About Sofia Sampaio
I’m Sofia Sampaio a Brazilian-American indie rock singer-songwriter. I should be the next music star because I blend raw emotion, sharp lyricism, and nostalgic guitar-driven sounds into music that feels both intimate and unapologetically alive.
Performances & Content from Sofia Sampaio
Soma
better off bored
America
Learn More About Sofia Sampaio
What makes you the Next Music Star?
My music has two homes: Salvador, Bahia, where I was born, and Houston, where I grew up. I bring my Brazilian roots into alternative rock, with honest, intimate songwriting at the center. Through my releases like “America,” “Soma,” and “better off bored,” I’ve already started building a sound and a body of work that are my own. I want people to connect with the person behind the songs, and I want other artists who grew up between cultures to see room for themselves in alternative music. I’m ready to bring that perspective to a bigger stage, take creative risks, and keep earning people’s attention through my songs.
What do you love about music and performing?
I love that something you write alone can become something you share with a whole community. Music gives me a way to be honest about feelings that are hard to explain in everyday conversation. Performing adds another dimension: the same words can feel softer, angrier, or more hopeful depending on how you sing them. I love having that freedom, and the vulnerability of letting people hear it. My goal is for someone to leave a show feeling a little more understood, or with a new way to understand themselves. That possibility makes me want to keep writing and keep getting onstage.
Who are your biggest music inspirations and dream collaborators?
Two of my biggest inspirations are beabadoobee and Sir Chloe. I’m drawn to beabadoobee’s intimate songwriting and the way her guitar sounds can feel warm one moment and huge the next. I love Sir Chloe’s intensity and the room their music leaves for complicated feelings. Both inspire me to be braver in my own writing, and both would be dream collaborators. I’d love to bring my perspective into a writing session with either of them, trade ideas, and build a song that surprises all of us. Getting to hear how they approach a lyric or shape a melody would be just as exciting as the finished track.
What would you do with the $10,000 Grand Prize?
I’d put the $10,000 straight back into my music. My first priority would be my next original release: studio time, production, mixing and mastering, and fair pay for the people helping me bring it to life. I’d also set aside part of the prize for a music video and focused promotion, so the songs have a chance to reach people beyond my current audience. I want every dollar to lead to something concrete: finished music, paid creative work, and a release I can build on. Winning would give me the resources to take a bigger creative step and keep building after the competition ends.
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Participation supports Musicians On Call, a 501(c)(3) charity, which brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients, families and caregivers in healthcare environments.
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