Sonya was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Berkeley, California. Brought up by native New Yorker Rita Lilly, a professional classical singer and Nitash Balsara, a polymer scientist and chemical engineering professor from India, she grew up with a passion for both academia and the arts. With the support of her parents, she began singing and acting at a young age, performing at local community theaters in the Bay Area and participating in vocal competitions on the west coast. She decided to return to her home town to finish her final year at NYU Tisch School of the Arts where she graduated with a BFA in Drama, a concentration in Musical Theatre, and a minor in business. When she is not performing or studying, she loves writing, hiking, camping, traveling, and volunteering.
