From Shepparton to superstardom: Sophie Giuliani on touring with Charlie Puth and BLACKPINK's Jennie

7NEWS

04-05-2025

Before she was on stage with Charlie Puth, or sending reverb-soaked riffs into sold-out arenas with BLACKPINK's Jennie, Sophie Giuliani was behind the counter at Bakers Delight in Shepparton, dusting flour off her jeans and saving for studio gear.
Now based in Los Angeles, the 25-year-old is entirely self-managed — no label, no agent — yet she's playing guitar for two of the biggest names in global pop.
'No matter the size of the show, I focus on the details and give it everything I've got,' she told 7NEWS.com.au.
'Being a great player is important, but being a good person is what really keeps you around.'
Playing with Charlie Puth: A masterclass in musicality
Few artists today blend technical brilliance with commercial impact like Charlie Puth. With over 23 billion global streams, four Grammy nominations, and hits like Attention, We Don't Talk Anymore, and See You Again (which has racked up more than 6 billion YouTube views), he's not just a pop star — he's a sonic architect.
'He's one of the most musical and naturally creative individuals I've had the privilege to work with,' Giuliani said.
'Whether it's a rhythm in a conversation or a random noise in the background, he hears music where most people wouldn't even think to listen.'
One show that stopped her in her tracks was Rock in Rio — one of the world's largest music festivals, with crowds of up to 100,000.
'It was a bucket-list festival and my first performance with Charlie,' she said.
'We finished the set with See You Again. I played the melody while he sang the final chorus… It was really beyond anything I could have dreamed. My family joined the livestream. It made everything feel worth it.'
She also remembers moments of quiet magic on stage.
'Charlie would sit at the grand piano and play two or three songs solo. Even in the biggest stadiums, he made it feel intimate. We'd look at each other in awe. It reminded you, 'Yeah, this is special'.'
With BLACKPINK's Jennie: Sound design meets stagecraft
Jennie is no ordinary pop act. As one quarter of BLACKPINK — the most-followed girl group on Spotify and the first K-pop girl group to headline Coachella — she's a force of nature. Her debut solo single SOLO has earned over 900 million YouTube views, while 2023's You & Me debuted at #1 on the Billboard Global 200. She also starred in HBO's The Idol alongside The Weeknd.
'Jennie's shows are a true work of art,' Giuliani said. 'From the music and choreography to visuals and styling, every element is carefully crafted.'
Giuliani's role in Jennie's world was less about taking centre stage and more about shaping its edges.
'For Jennie's set, a lot of my role felt centred around sound design,' she said.
'I was given reference samples that weren't originally played on my instrument… it was about supporting the sonic narrative.
'It wasn't about showing what I could do. It was about serving the overall sound and story.'
From home recordings to headlining tours
Growing up in regional Victoria with no live music scene in sight, Giuliani turned to the internet and her own instincts.
'I built a little home studio and taught myself the basics,' she said. 'I was working part-time at Bakers Delight, saving every dollar to buy gear; mics, interfaces, whatever I could afford.'
She moved to Melbourne in Year 12 to study music full-time, then earned a place at LA's Musicians Institute. The pandemic delayed her move, but she landed in LA in 2021 — and her career kicked off fast.
'I was already getting offered work while studying, but I couldn't legally take it until I had my visa. Once I graduated, everything snowballed.'
Her first major gig was a tour with Alexander 23, co-producer of Good 4 U by Olivia Rodrigo. It gave her a crash course in the realities of the industry.
'I'm fully independent — self-represented and hands-on with everything,' she said. 'No middlemen, no managers — just me.'
'One of the biggest lessons I've learned is how important it is to retain a lot of music quickly. Being a great player is only half the job. Contributing positive energy and being someone people enjoy working with is just as important.'
While she can't reveal the name just yet, Giuliani is already gearing up for another major international tour — this time with an artist she's worked with before.