Sophie, acclaimed avant-pop producer, dies aged 34

Sophie, the Grammy-nominated Scottish musician whose high-intensity digital productions pushed the boundaries of Twenty first-century pop, has died aged 34.

Sophie’s administration confirmed to the Guardian that the artist died round 4am at dwelling in Athens, “following a sudden accident. At this time respect and privacy for the family is our priority. We would also ask for respect for her fanbase, and to treat the private nature of this news with sensitivity.”

The assertion stated the producer was “a pioneer of a new sound, one of the most influential artists in the last decade. Not only for ingenious production and creativity but also for the message and visibility that was achieved. An icon of liberation.”

Sophie Xeon was born and raised in Glasgow, and launched debut single (*34*) More to Say in 2013. Sophie broke by way of to a wider viewers with one other launch that 12 months, Bipp, and a subsequent run of acclaimed singles have been compiled in 2015 on Product.

2018 noticed the discharge of debut album Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, which was nominated for a Grammy for greatest dance/digital album and was one of many 12 months’s best-reviewed releases in any style. The Guardian wrote: “Sophie has crafted a genuinely original sound and uses it to visit extremes of terror, sadness and pleasure.”

The freshness of the productions, knowledgeable by pop and trance however with abrasive industrial thrives, led Sophie to be courted by Madonna, and co-wrote her 2015 single Bitch I’m Madonna. Sophie additionally collaborated with rapper Vince Staples, indie duo Let’s Eat Grandma, pop singers Charli XCX and Kim Petras, and extra.

Sophie was transgender, and mentioned gender id in a 2018 interview with Paper journal, saying: “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 … It means you’re not a mother or a father – you’re an individual who’s looking at the world and feeling the world.”

Among these paying tribute was Christine and the Queens, who stated Sophie was “a stellar producer, a visionary, a reference. She rebelled against the narrow, normative society by being an absolute triumph, both as an artist and as a woman. I can’t believe she is gone. We need to honour and respect her memory and legacy. Cherish the pioneers.”

Model and activist Munroe Bergdorf stated she was “heartbroken”, including: “Our community has lost an icon, a pioneer and a visionary bright light.”