There are some musicians who are considered “artist’s artists.” They serve as an inspiration for their peers, breaking down boundaries and paving the way for their peers. The artists may not quite have the amount of commercial success they deserve, but they are certainly reserved by the artists around them who do end up seeing more commercial success. SOPHIE was an artist who fit into that mold perfectly. SOPHIE was seen as a revolutionary in hyperpop music, and by proxy, modern Pop music as a whole. They transcended genres and combined sounds in a way that was so different from their peers. Al lot of the most riveting, boundary-pushing Pop and Electronic music that has come out over the last several years was either inspired by or produced by(at least in part) SOPHIE. They were considered a direct inspiration for many of the biggest Pop, HyperPop, and Electronic artists right now, and produced music for Charli xcx, Madonna, and Vince Staples. Charli xcx in particular was so influenced and enthralled by SOPHIE that she dedicated a song from her album BRAT to SOPHIE. ‘So I’ is not only dedicated to SOPHIE lyrically but also samples one of SOPHIE’s most iconic songs, ‘It’s Okay to Cry.’ Unfortunately, SOPHIE never got to experience the hype and success within their own music in the manner they deserved. SOPHIE tragically passed away(RIP)  in January of 2021 after they fell from a rooftop while trying to take a picture of the full moon. Although SOPHIE is not with us anymore, their impact and legacy live on. Recently, SOPHIE’s team and family announced that they are going to release a posthumous album for SOPHIE. This record was completed right before SOPHIE passed, and the people closest to them have decided that now is the time to put out this piece of music. Four singles were recently released in anticipation of this record. Below, I wanted to highlight the two singles that have made an impact on me since they have come out. They are titled ‘Reason Why’ with Kim Petras and BC Kingdom, and ‘Exhilarate’ with Bibi Bourelly(the other two singles, ‘Berlin Nightmare’ with Evita Manji and ‘One More Time’ with Popstar, have more of an ambient electronic sound than those two. They are both also very high-quality, but are a bit tougher to describe the sound of for me). With that being said, here is how I feel about SOPHIE’S ‘Reason Why’ and ‘Exhilarate.’ Please let me know in the comments below what you think of these new singles from SOPHIE, and also comment the names of any other Pop or HyperPop artists you think I should check out!

If there was a style of music or sound I would say that I would expect to hear from SOPHIE, what we get on ‘Reason Why’ is probably exactly that. Some people may say they would expect to hear something slightly more eccentric from SOPHIE, but a lot of the best music they have produced sounds like this one. If I were to compare ‘Reason Why’ to anyone or any type of Pop, I would say it sounds like the most Poppy stuff that we get from Charli xcx. The melody for this song is so bright, warm, and sweet. ‘Reason Why’ has the kind of blazing and pleasant melody that can put anyone in a good mood when it comes on. I love how fat and textured the synths that drive this melody are. These synths have a very warm and sweet tone that remind me of a cool summer day. The beat for ‘Reason Why’ has a pretty standard upbeat Pop tempo and an overall mix. This is not the most riveting drum pattern you will ever hear, but it is certainly pretty fun and will get you dancing. Both Kim Petras and BC Kingdom do their thing on this track, adding to its light and entertaining feeling. I like the way their tones contrast with each other, as this gives the track texture. ‘Reason Why’ is not comparable to some of SOPHIE’s more eccentric stuff in the slightest, but it is still very cool for what it is. ‘Exhilarate’ definitely leans a bit more into the weirder music that one may expect from SOPHIE. This one is not nearly as light and accessible as ‘Reason Why.’ Everything about ‘Exhilarate’ is unique. The tone of the synths that drive this melody is so insanely fat. Even though this melody has a very bright and heavenly tone, the distortion and power of some of the synths have almost made the track feel abrasive. The drum pattern on ‘Exhilarate’ is very off-kilter as well. The pacing of the beat has a marching band and an almost anxious quality. The strange timing of these drums gives the song a looming feeling that I think is pretty strange, but also super appealing. Bibi Bourelly totally kills it on this track. She exhibits a pretty awesome vocal range throughout this one. The emotion she is singing with is palpable, and her flow adds even more texture to this complex track. ‘Exhilarate’ is a great example of a song with a slightly more zany feeling where SOPHIE shows their prowess as a producer. Both of these tracks, as well as ‘Berlin Nightmare’ and ‘One More Time,’ show off some of the many different sides SOPHIE had. These tracks have me excited to hear the new SOPHIE album when it comes out, as I am sure it will be a very unique and high-octane piece of music.