Sophie (musician)

"SOPHIE" redirects here. For the astronomical instrument, see SOPHIE échelle spectrograph. For other uses, see Sophie (disambiguation).

Sophie
Sophie performing in 2018
Sophie performing in 2018
Background information
Also known asSophie Xeon
Born(1986-09-17)17 September 1986
Northampton, England
Died30 January 2021(2021-01-30) (aged 34)
Athens, Greece
Genres
Occupations
  • Music producer
  • DJ
  • songwriter
Instruments
DiscographySophie discography
Years active2008–2021
Labels
Websitemsmsmsm.com

Sophie Xeon (/ˈziːɒn/; 17 September 1986 – 30 January 2021), known mononymously as Sophie (stylized in all caps), was an English[7][8][9] music producer, songwriter, and DJ. Her work is known for its brash take on pop music and is distinguished by experimental sound design, "sugary" synthesized textures, and incorporation of underground dance styles.[10] It would help pioneer the 2010s hyperpop microgenre.[11]

Sophie rose to prominence with a string of breakthrough singles led by "Bipp" (2013); these were compiled on the singles collection Product (2015). She concealed her identity early in her solo career, but came out publicly as transgender in 2017. The following year, Sophie released the studio album Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides, earning a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. She worked closely with artists from the PC Music label, including A. G. Cook and GFOTY, and also produced for acts such as Charli XCX, Vince Staples, Kim Petras, Madonna, Hyd, Gaika, and Namie Amuro.[10]

Sophie died in January 2021 after an accidental fall in Athens, Greece. AllMusic eulogized her as a "fearless trailblazer in electronic music" who "bridged the mainstream and the avant-garde like few other artists",[10] while Rolling Stone credited her work with "revolutioniz[ing] the sound of underground dance and pop music".[12] A self-titled second studio album, reportedly "nearly finished" at the time of her death and completed by her brother Benny Long, was released posthumously in 2024.[13][14]

  1. ^ Fitzmaurice, Larry (10 October 2013). "Sophie". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  2. ^ "GAIKA announces debut album BASIC VOLUME, featuring production from SOPHIE". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Hyperpop Pioneer SOPHIE Dead at 34". Paste. 30 January 2021. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  4. ^ Day, Laurence. "SOPHIE reveals piercing new single "L.O.V.E."". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  5. ^ Huckabee, Sawyer. "Emerging Music Genres to Watch in 2024". Rock & Art. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  6. ^ Musikinstrumenten-Museum (16 April 2021). "How Experimental Pop Producer SOPHIE Pushed the Envelope". Google Arts & Culture. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Glory To Sound was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYT2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Siblings was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b c Simpson, Paul. "SOPHIE – Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  11. ^ "Hyperpop Pioneer SOPHIE Dead at 34". Paste. 30 January 2021. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  12. ^ Shaffer, Claire (30 January 2021). "Remembering Sophie: Hear (Almost) Every Song the Avant-Pop Artist Ever Made". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).