Before she started showing too badly, Ethan and Roberta were married. Since she wanted to be close to her family, and because she came from greater means, they settled in London right away. The twins were born on the 9th of November, fifteen minutes apart, with Zofia as the "older" of the two. Although they had rushed quickly into the seriousness of a relationship, Ethan and Roberta both were determined to provide a good home for their kids and if they didn't love each other, then at least they were fond of each other. Zofia and Dominic did not have a particularly interesting or a unique childhood. Almost a full two years after they were born, a younger brother came along for them to gang up and torment, as older siblings are wont to do. Sure, Zofia loved pop music even as a child, particularly the Spice Girls, but she was sort of bored by her dad's old record collection and though her mother insisted she learn piano, she'd have preferred to go off and play with her friends instead.
Things changed in the Allyne household when Zofia was eleven. Although Ethan and Roberta had never lost their fondness for each other, both agreed that they weren't quite happy in their marriage. They tried and tried, but no matter what -- romantic love wasn't on the table. A month after Zofia's father left to move back to his old life in New York, Roberta discovered that she was once again pregnant. The fourth and final Allyne child, Juno, was born in February of 1999. Zo thought that having another kid would bring her father back for more than just the occasional visit, but he intead stayed right in New York. The combination of her parents' divorce and growing social isolation made Zofia go through what she now deems her 'angry phase'. Zo was still going through her 'angry phase' a few years later when she discovered that punk wasn't dead if you knew where to look for it. Although Zofia started at punk shows, she had a growing appreciation for all music and expanded her horizons to all sort of live shows, parties, and raves. Eventually, she and her brother Dom both became well-known fixtures in the party scene. Perhaps surprisingly, she still managed to apply herself to her studies and passed her A-Levels, but it was apparent that even though she dutifully planned to go to university, her heart wasn't in the academic world by any means, but instead fully devoted to music.
So when Zofia decided to go to school in America because NYU had a great recorded music program, no one was really surprised. At first, Zo only wanted to learn all she could about the business so that she could begin working for an already-established label, and maybe hope to rise within the ranks. In time, her ambition grew and she began to have designs on starting her own, based on the UK's more singles-based model. Her plans were mostly for a vague, distant future, for in the moment she was content to focus on her schooling and friends and making connections and, as always, socializing. Toward the end of her first semester in New York, Zo fell into a volatile and emotionally abusive relationship that lasted over a year and a half. When things ended, Zofia decided to start her label right then, as a means of proving to herself how capable and strong she was. Both she and her brother pooled their resources, borrowed from their family, and established Neon Gold, a boutique label based in the city and their hometown of London, which would release limited vinyl-pressed singles for indie musicians looking for exposure. After two years, shortly after Zofia graduated college, Neon Gold would go on to sign a joint-venture with Columbia Records.
Things were going rather successfully in Zofia's life - professionally and personally. Just before she had graduated, Zo had even married her latest boyfriend. Admittedly, it was an impulsive decision but neither could see reason. While one of those successful ventures held up in the long run, with the label starting to earn her and her brother some money, the marriage fell apart after a year and a half. Zofia was mostly to blame for a number of factors: she was always busy, she tried to cite it as an open enough relationship where she still hooked up with women, and when things went to shit, she treated it liked a failed business venture and put her focus something new. This time, it was the formation of a band with a male friend - Epicene. Zofia would take vocals, and he would play instruments and produce. Their first demo was recorded in 2011. Though Zofia could have easily put it out through Neon Gold, she wanted to see if they could sink or swim by their own merits. So, they anonymously released their first EP, Candy Bar Creep Show (so named after an episode of Rugrats) through tumblr and began touring with one of Neon Gold's own acts, leaving much of the business in her brother's hands. The end of 2012 saw Zofia embarking on a two-year long international tour to support Secondhand Rapture, Epicene's debut album that dropped in May 2013, while her label celebrated turning five years old.
Lately, Zofia has been back in New York -- although Epicene has played some shows, most of their attention has been turned toward recording a sophomore album, which they have been putting the finalized touches on. In the meanwhile, she's also been at work at Neon Gold. Though the future is still uncertain at this point, Zo has never needed guarantees. She's certain that the band can only do better and better and that the label is going to grow, and with that kind of attitude, how could she fail?
