For the past decade, the late auteur and visionary known as SOPHIE was at the forefront of music’s rapidly changing soundscape. Her game-changing brand of hypersynthetic pop has influenced Charli XCX, Vince Staples, and even Madonna. To honor her memory, we've pulled 12 songs from her catalog that trace her undeniable impact on music.
"Bipp" - SOPHIE (2013)
Largely remembered by critics and artists as her most influential song, "Bipp," a minimalistic deconstructed club track, was one of the world's first instances of hearing pop synthesized to its extreme.
"JUST LIKE WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE" -SOPHIE (2015)
This surging and soaring song about parting ways never reaches that satisfying climax, and instead finds a weird peace in the optimistic act of waiting.
"Lemonade" - SOPHIE (2015)
The founding model of what ASMR would sound like if it was made into pop music.
"Bitch, I'm Madonna" - Madonna (2015)
SOPHIE's streaky and kinetic production found its way onto Madonna's "Bitch, I'm Madonna," one of the legendary singer's most out-there songs to date.
"Vroom Vroom" - Charli XCX (2015)
This Charli XCX fan favorite would be nothing without SOPHIE's steely percussion and part-cat meow, part-tire screeching sound effect.
"Yeah Right" - Vince Staples (2017)
Vince Staples' "Yeah Right," featuring Kendrick Lamar and pounding production work from SOPHIE, paved another avant-garde path through hip-hop.
"Faceshopping" - SOPHIE (2017)
An ode to the power of self-customization and visual identity, SOPHIE's clashing "Faceshopping" with its tongue-twisting lyrics feels like a euphoric refusal of the establishment.
"Queen Of This Shit" - Quay Dash (2017)
The clanging production on Quay Dash's "Queen Of This Shit" is classic SOPHIE, and at this point, it has become her calling card.
"Hot Pink" - Let's Eat Grandma (2018)
SOPHIE's production is at its most extreme on electronic pop duo Let's Eat Grandma's "Hot Pink," which sounds like sonic equivalent of the color.
"Immaterial" - SOPHIE (2018)
Arguably SOPHIE's crown jewel, "Immaterial" is anthemic in the truest sense of the word as the singer leads hordes of "immaterial" girls and boys through simple chants that do nothing more but acknowledge their existence.
"Ponyboy" - SOPHIE (2018)
A true feat of production genius, SOPHIE's clattering, honking, groaning, and growling "Ponyboy" felt like an apex in her career.
"La Chíqui" - Arca, SOPHIE (2020)
This glitched-out, meditative, and near melody-less track with fellow experimentalist Arca was one of SOPHIE's last releases, and proves that she was forever at music's edge, beckoning something unknown into being.