Three Years After Tragic Fall, SOPHIE’s Family Sets Posthumous Album Release

SOPHIE’s family has unveiled plans to release a posthumous album almost three years after the renowned producer’s tragic death. Born Sophie Xeon, SOPHIE passed away at the age of 34 in January 2021 after an accidental fall in Athens while trying to watch the full moon.

The album, titled SOPHIE, is set to be launched on September 27, 2024. It is the culmination of efforts that SOPHIE was heavily dedicated to before her untimely departure. As both a debut and concluding work, it will mark SOPHIE’s first and final posthumous album release.

SOPHIE’s record label, Transgressive, alongside her management firm, Future Classic, have been pivotal in bringing this project to life. The album, which SOPHIE co-produced with Benny Long, was reportedly almost finished at the time of her passing. In a press release, it was referred to as “the final SOPHIE album release,” emphasizing its importance as her ultimate musical offering.

“A couple of years ago Sophie’s family approached us regarding an album release honoring her legacy, drawing from the material that she was so close to completing,” Transgressive shared on X. “Since then, this self-titled and final Sophie album was lovingly brought to life by Sophie’s family. As label partners, we’re humbled and overjoyed to share this music in celebration of Sophie’s life and her extraordinary cultural impact. The official statement from the family will be the only statement made at this time.”

The decision to release this album stems from a desire to showcase SOPHIE’s final artistic vision to the world. In a heartfelt statement, her family wrote on X, “When we, Sophie’s family, took our first steps towards bringing this project to fruition, we contacted the dear friends with whom she envisioned the album. We wrote, ‘We have been finding comfort in the music Sophie left us. It is a gift that we truly cherish as we try to find a way forward, with Sophie forever at the center of our worlds.'”

The family continued, “Sophie didn’t often speak publicly of her private life, preferring to put everything she wanted to articulate in her music. It feels only right to share with the world the music she hoped to release, in the belief that we can all connect with her in this, the form she loved most. Sophie gave all of herself to her music. It’s here that she can always be found.”

The album is anticipated to highlight SOPHIE’s distinctive soundscapes, described as “a cacophony of skill and creative vision eclipsing time and genre.” It aims to encapsulate her unique style, which often emphasized contrasts in sound and material, transcending pure auditory experiences to create multidimensional sonic landscapes.

SOPHIE was a trailblazing transgender musician and producer, collaborating and writing for numerous high-profile artists such as Madonna, Charli XCX, Kim Petras, and Lady Gaga. Her innovative approach to pop music, which included the use of vocal modulation to explore gender identity, earned her widespread critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase.

In 2018, SOPHIE’s debut album, Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, received a Grammy nomination, solidifying her status in experimental pop music. The first single from the posthumous album, titled “Reason Why,” was released on June 24, 2024. The track features pop singer Kim Petras and R&B duo BC Kingdom, offering fans a preview of the collaborative nature of SOPHIE’s final project. Petras expressed her emotions about the release on Instagram, writing, “Soph you’re still changing music!!! I’m so happy to have this piece of you with me, I love you forever.”

In a 2018 interview with Billboard, SOPHIE spoke about her identity as a trans woman in the music industry, stating, “Transness is taking control to bring your body more in line with your soul and spirit so the two aren’t fighting against each other and struggling to survive. On this earth, you can get closer to how you feel your true essence is without the societal pressures of having to fulfill certain traditional roles based on gender.”

With the release of this final album, SOPHIE’s family and collaborators aim to honor her artistic legacy and share her music with the world, allowing fans to connect with the artist in the form she cherished most.

Source: Various