Trailblazing Grammy-nominated music artist and producer SOPHIE died early Saturday. She was 34.
Reps for SOPHIE said she died at home in Athens “following a sudden accident” but did not provide additional details.
“Sophie was a stellar producer, a visionary, a reference,” tweeted French singer Christine and the Queens. “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.”
Canadian artist Peaches tweeted: “I’m heartbroken. Thank you Sophie Rest In Power! You will always be remembered as a true game changer, powerful presence and an incredibly original producer ! Your music and production brought me so much joy!”
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, she became Sophie Xeon and made her debut in 2013 with a series of singles, including four – “Nothing More to Say,” “Eeehhh,” “Bipp” and “Lemonade” – that would end up on the 2015 compilation album Product.
“Listening to BIPP for the first time was like being shot 1000 years into the future,” read a tweet from UK band Squid on Saturday. “Totally changed the face of electronic and pop music.”
SOPHIE’s only studio album, Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, earned a Best Dance/Electronic Album nomination at the Grammys in 2019.
Her list of songwriting and production credits is long and includes tracks by Madonna (2015’s “Bitch, I’m Madonna” ft. Nicki Minaj), Cashmere Cat (2017’s “Love Incredible” ft. Camila Cabello) and Vince Staples (2017’s “Yeah Right” ft. Kendrick Lamar and KUČKA).
She co-wrote and co-produced for Charli XCX, including tracks like “Vroom Vroom” “Girls Night Out” and “After the Afterparty” ft. Lil Yachty.
In 2018, SOPHIE told Interview that being trans was “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.”
She added: “On this earth, it's that 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. It means you're not a mother or a father — you're an individual who's looking at the world and feeling the world. And it's somehow more human and universal, I feel.”
Heartbroken fans are flooding social media with tributes to SOPHIE.