“I had to snap out of my imposter syndrome and be like, ‘No, it’s OK. You do belong here. You deserve this’”: Sophie Lloyd on touring with Machine Gun Kelly
The British guitarist also reveals the surprisingly smooth process of how she got recruited.
Image: Erika Goldring / Getty Images
Sophie Lloyd has opened up about her struggles with imposter syndrome when she first joined Machine Gun Kelly’s band as his touring guitarist.
Speaking to Guitar World about how the MGK gig came about, Lloyd — who started out as a YouTube guitarist — says, “It was the drummer’s dad who found me, actually. Then Kels reached out and we had a FaceTime.
“We vibed and all went well. I sent over a video compilation of me performing live. This was only a few weeks before they had to go on tour; they had to make a decision quickly. I’m grateful that they kind of took a chance on me. I didn’t have to do an audition or anything.”
Explaining that she pretty much ‘just showed up for a rehearsal in the US’, Lloyd says that MGK’s absence the first couple of days actually made things a little less stressful.
“They sent me over songs to learn, and I spent a lot of time going over them and making notes. I felt prepared. The guys were lovely and made me feel welcome as soon as I walked in.
She adds, “Kels wasn’t there on the first few days, so that was a bit of pressure off. The first day was quite stressful, though, because it was such a different environment for me – there was this massive crew and everything. I had to snap out of my imposter syndrome and be like, ‘No, it’s OK. You do belong here. You deserve this.’”
The guitarist also shares how playing with MGK’s band affords her a good amount of musical freedom, saying “He said from the beginning that he’s super-open. He loves the live experience and the idea of changing things around. He loves showcasing the talent of his bands because the bands are so talented.”
“The other guitarist I play with, Justin Lyons, is one of the most amazing guitarists I’ve ever seen,” Lloyd continues. “Kels wants to give everybody a chance to shine. He always likes to say. ‘We’re Machine Gun Kelly together.’ It’s just really nice. I know a lot of people make comments: ‘Oh, they’re not talented, blah blah blah. They’re not good.’ But if you could be in the room with us, you’d be amazed at the talent.”
Earlier this year, Sophie Lloyd reflected on people who accused her of having an affair with MGK. Putting the rumour down to misogyny, she said: “What I found especially upsetting was, the second there was some sort of drama, fingers immediately pointed at me. It was like, ‘Oh, the girl musician – of course she’s at the root of it. Nobody would have said shit if I were the new dude in the band; they wouldn’t have suspected a thing. It was a bit unfortunate to be exposed to the toxicity of the media.”