Sophie Lloyd, the rising shredder from outcast beginnings who went from a YouTube sensation to performing on stages worldwide
Sophie Lloyd is a rising star and an absolute shredder in the world of heavy metal guitar. Known for her blistering solos and virtuosic playing style, Lloyd has made a name for herself through her YouTube channel, collaborations with popular artists like Machine Gun Kelly and Matt Heafy (TRIVIUM), and her own solo work.
Beginnings
Sophie Lloyd was born and raised in the United Kingdom, where she developed an early interest in heavy metal music. She began playing guitar at the age of 10 and quickly fell in love with the instrument.
According to Sophie: ““I started playing guitar when I was around 10 years old after listening to Led Zeppelin in the car with my dad. Because I was a bit of an outcast, I had a lot of time to practice and this gave me an escape from reality, helped me overcome my anxieties and really gave me a sense of fulfilment.”
Inspired by iconic guitarists like Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, and Yngwie Malmsteen, and blues players like Rory Gallagher and Joe Bonnamassa, Sophie would practice relentlessly, honing and developing her own set of skills. Sophie‘s rhythm playing would be greatly inspired by the bludgeoning sound of punk bands like THE OFFSPRING and MISFITS, coupled with a strong influence by the strait up crunch of classic rock and metal artists like IRON MAIDEN, LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and PANTERA.
The budding guitarist would spend countless hours as a bedroom player, rushing home from school every day to pick up her Yamaha Pacifica, plug in and self teach until the late hours of the night and early morning.
YouTube Channel
In search of a creative outlet to unleash her fierce guitar playing to the masses, Sophie Lloyd launched a YouTube channel in 2011. She began posting videos of herself playing guitar covers of popular heavy metal songs, and quickly gained a following thanks to her impressive playing style and infectious enthusiasm.
Sophie‘s musical abilities eventually began to catch the attention of brands such as Amazon Prime, Hard Rock Café, LiveNation, Redemption Brand Clothing and Harley Davidson, who would all go on to collaborate with the rising musician.
Sophie would also launch her own Guitar course on Truefire, sharing her honed abilities with other would-be shredders.
Lloyd‘s YouTube channel quickly became a popular destination for fans of heavy metal music, and she began to attract the attention of some of the genre’s biggest names, all the while releasing a series of solo singles that showcase her guitar skills and unique musical delivery. Her solo work combines elements of heavy metal, hard rock, and alternative music, creating a sound that is both familiar and fresh.Her playing style is characterized by its speed, precision, and technical proficiency. She combines complex guitar runs with shredding solos and intricate harmonies, creating a sound that is both aggressive and melodic.
EPs And Singles
Lloyd would eventually release her own EP in 2018 called “Delusions“, followed by the single releases “Bulletproof Revolver” (2019), “Beethoven’s 5th Symphony” (2021), “Do Or Die” (2022) and “Fall Of Man” (2022) featuring TRIVIUM frontman Matthew Heafy. That track comes off Lloyd’s upcoming first full-length studio album, “Imposter Syndrome“, which is set to arrive in 2023 via Autumn Records.
“Working with Matthew K. Heafy has been a dream come true!” says Lloyd of the collaboration. “Trivium have been one of my favorite bands since I was a kid, I used to dye my own Trivium t-shirts and wear them everyday.”
“Sophie Lloyd is an immensely talented force of a musician and songwriter,” said Heafy of the collaboration. “I recall first seeing Sophie’s guitar playing online and being truly blown away – so having been a fan of Sophie’s for several years, I was honored when asked to guest on an upcoming track. When I learned that Trivium had been a long-time favorite band of Sophie’s – I was humbled and appreciative.”
“My co-writer/drummer Christopher Painter and I had a lot of fun experimenting with different time signatures and using some scales that I don’t traditionally use,” Lloyd explains of the song itself. “Also, Matt writing and recording the song on Twitch was really cool as we got real-time feedback from fans on what they want to hear. He really elevated the song into a metal masterpiece and I’m so excited for people to hear it!”
MACHINE GUN KELLY Band
In May of 2022, It was announced that Sophie Lloyd, would be joining Machine Gun Kelly’s live band for his “Mainstream Sellout” tour.
Sophie was spotted rehearsing with Machine Gun Kelly and his band on an Instagram post dated May 24, which was posted on MGK’s account and then re-shared to Lloyd’s story, which confirmed that the YouTube star was in fact joining the rapper-turned-rocker’s band for his then forthcoming European Trek.
She later then shared a second story in which she wrote: “Secret’s out! I’ll be joining Machine Gun Kelly on his Mainstream Sellout Tour this year!!”
This is not the first time that Lloyd has mingled with top-tier musicians. In March of 2021 she was endorsed by MUSE‘s Matt Bellamy, who sent her a reimagining of the Origin of Symmetry Manson MA EVO Floyd Rose Sustainic Guitar as a gift.
2022 Best Rock Guitarist
2022 also saw Sophie Lloyd being voted the Best Rock Guitarist Of 2022 by the readers of Music Radar.
In Conclusion
Sophie Lloyd‘s net worth keeps rising as does the demand for her musical capabilities. Her playing is always grounded in a deep love for heavy metal music and a desire to push the boundaries of the genre. Whether she is performing with Machine Gun Kelly or releasing her own solo work, Lloyd’s passion for heavy metal guitar is clear, and her talent and dedication are sure to continue to earn her fans and admirers in the years to come.
