In Memoriam
SOPHIE
September 17, 1986 – January 30, 2021 · aged 34
Electronic · Hyperpop · Avant-Pop
Sophie Xeon, known simply as SOPHIE, was a visionary Scottish record producer, singer, and DJ who radically dismantled and reconstructed the architecture of modern pop music. Born in Glasgow in 1986, SOPHIE pioneered the highly influential 'hyperpop' subgenre. Her incredibly distinct production style combined the sugary, synthesized melodies of 1990s Eurodance with aggressive, metallic, and surreal sound design. Early tracks like 'Bipp' and 'Lemonade' sounded like pop music from the distant future, leading to high-profile collaborations with artists like Madonna, Charli XCX, and Vince Staples. In 2018, SOPHIE released the Grammy-nominated masterpiece 'Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides,' stepping out of the shadows to present herself openly as a transgender woman, becoming a profoundly important icon in the LGBTQ+ community. Tragically, her brilliant trajectory was cut short when she accidentally slipped and fell while climbing to watch the full moon in Athens, Greece, on January 30, 2021. She was 34 years old, leaving behind a completely revolutionized pop landscape.
Milestones
Bipp, Lemonade, Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides
Chart legacy
Also remembered in 2021
- Charlie Watts (1941–2021)
- DMX (1970–2021)
- Dusty Hill (1949–2021)
- Joey Jordison (1975–2021)