Tuesday 30th of January 2024

The day this is published marks the 4 year anniversary of the passing of Scottish Producer and Artist SOPHIE, also known as SOPHIE Xeon who was a visionary and still is due to their presence still being found in music today. Their legacy is forever immaterial with Asteroid RE1 (discovered by Antonín Mrkos at the Kleť Observatory, Czech Republic, 1980) being renamed ‘Sophiexeon’.

SOPHIE means so much to me. I remember never really feeling like I had a true identity, I was always just fitting in. Listening ot her music felt so wrong at the time, it was so different, I had never heard of her or anything like this before while feeling euphoric. I was addicted. I then was introduced to other artists who SOPHIE had produced for and I felt like I had found gold. This exploration pushed me to explore myself and who I really am.

I vividly remember the day that news broke that she passed, I felt numb. I was on twitter and remember seeing an update/fan account post about it, with nothing being truly confirmed which led me to a spiral of panic, with nothing being confirmed I tried not to believe it. After more and more stories from SOPHIE’s close circle of friends were shared, this is when reality hit and I did not know how to feel. Until that point, I have never processed death before - I felt like an anomaly processing a death of someone who I have never met before, but meant so much to me. I spent the day driving, walking doing whatever I can while playing her music on repeat, while doing so for the following months. After seeing more people commemorate her death than I expected numerically and also from whom they were from, it truly made me realise the impact that she made on the music indusrty and the void that there would now be.

I want to take you along SOPHIE’s journey as an artist, at a topline level and some moments in her career that stand out to me.






Taking a look at SOPHIE’s first release which is Nothing More to Say, which is a 3 track EP. Tracks with the title of Nothing More to Say take the listener on a journey of Euphoric Climax which is a complete juxtaposition to the track of Eeehhh which is a cathartic release.

2 years down the line, SOPHIE would release the first singles of their EP ‘Product’. Product was a release that the industry was longing for. It introduced sounds never heard before which introduced the feelings of curiosity yet joy to listeners. Product is the Product that got SOPHIE caught by many listeners. Single ‘Lemonade’ was utilised by McDonald’s to promote McCafé’s new lemonade drinks. At this time, SOPHIE had no human identity for listeners to assign their too, there was huge curiosity around this. Live DJ shows featured stand-in for SOPHIE, and in an interview with BBC R1 where unfortunately at the time SOPHIE was taken ill by a cough, viewers were still unable to put a human identity to name. The Silicone product exclusive Product track ‘UNISIL’ was released 8 years later alongside with the only ever official released remix of their work 2 days before SOPHIE’s passing.




OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES would mark SOPHIE’s debut album release coinciding with the unveiling of SOPHIE’s true identity. An album so intimate in its meaning, exploring Gender identity, body image & alteration, and transformations against tracks with that ‘hyperpop’ metal clanging & banging along with the soundscapes of tracks like pretending & Whole New World.

The album was receptive to positive critical recognition and again was another genre defying release with people unfamiliar with something of the sort. The album also scored a grammy nomination under  Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards however was unsuccessful in winning.

Later released after being teased on the Grammy red carpet, a non stop remix version of the album in a clutch format.

SOPHIE was also the face and track of the Louis Vuitton SS 2020 show with audience members listening to a 13 minute remix of the opening track “It’s Okay To Cry’ with the striking music video being played on the runway.


SOPHIE pictured with Rihanna
There is a huge catalogue of unreleased tracks that SOPHIE has that have suffered leaks. Cult favourites like Kitty Kat, Burn Rubber & Take Me To Dubai which can all be found on YouTube / Soundcloud showcase some of SOPHIE’s best production. Their live shows which are also available on the sources mentioned above showcase these tracks being mixed perfectly with other tracks that SOPHIE has produced, released or not, which makes it clear as day that SOPHIE has such a distinct and irreplaceable sound - anyone that attempts to recreate comes to nothing alike.

While SOPHIE’s official releases under their name may be minal but substantial to please the ears 11 years after release, she has produced tracks with Charli XCX which aligned her with the PC Music genre of artists such as A.G. Cook, Danny L Harle and Caroline Polachek. While these names may be unrecognisable to some, the likes of Madonna, Vince Staples and Shygirl will be sure to ring a bell.

An article published by billboard highlights the artists that were netranced by SOPHIE’s work, a few majorly recogniseable names being: Annie Mac, Sam Smith, Rita Ora & Jack Antonoff

Since SOPHIE’s passing, Benny Long - SOPHIE’s Brother has confirmed posthumous releases, when they are, has no date. Long worked very closely with SOPHIE, and SOPHIE being a frequent collaborator, means that the 100’s if not 1000’s of unreleased tracks will be tricky to comb through.

SOPHIE will forever live on.

Sources
Archived Interview with Lenny Letter - Link
SOPHIE live DJ show with stepin - Link
SOPHIE BBC R1 Interview - Link
Billboard Article - Link