It’s just been announced that fans can expect a posthumous album from SOPHIE (Picture: Getty Images)
Electronic music fans are beside themselves after the recent announcement that the first posthumous album from pioneering musician SOPHIE, who died in 2021, will soon be released.
The self-titled album from the artist (real name Sophie Xeon) was first hinted at with a cryptic video on the icon’s YouTube channel, causing many to speculate that new music was on the way.
Now that the album has officially been announced, a single called Reason Why featuring BC Kingdom and Kim Petras has also been dropped to the delight and shock of SOPHIE fans.
SOPHIE tragically passed away at the age of 34 due to an accidental fall in Athens, Greece, in January 2021.
She released her only studio album, Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, in June 2018, which earned her a nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
Since her death, few of SOPHIE’s musical works have been made public. Notable releases include the Jlin collaboration ‘Jsloipnhie’ and productions for Hyd and Basside, but fans were not expecting another full length album from the icon.
Despite only releasing one album in her life, SOPHIE was an electronic music legend (Picture: Getty Images)
SOPHIE is remembered as a pioneer of dance music, and worked with other artists like Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj, and Madonna throughout her groundbreaking career.
Despite her continued relevance, SOPHIE only released one compilation – Pearl in 2015 – and one full-length album – Oil of Every Pearl’s Uninsides in 2018 – making this posthumous release her second album ever.
In the wake of the news of the new album, SOPHIE fans have flocked to social media to express their joy and disbelief.
X user @lowpolysound wrote: ‘SOPHIE is probably the most important artist of the century so far. This is probably the last of her music we’ll hear. I’m glad we’re getting a new album and I’m gonna do my best to savor it.’
@mafiapositions agreed, writing: ‘We will be streaming this to honor the greatest producer of all time and an lgbt icon ❤️’
Reddit user StemOfWallflower posted: ‘This makes me so emotional. I secretly hoped for something like this (but of course would never have asked for it, as it would be totally understandable if her family and friends would want to keep everything private) – so it’s beyond beautiful that they want to share her art with us. May she ever live on in her music.’
SOPHIE worked with icons like Madonna throughout her career (Picture: Getty Images)
@Bidal4Life wrote: ‘I don’t care what albums come before or after this. This is the ONLY album I’ll ever be anticipating this much in my whole life.’
SOPHIE’s family announced the album on June 24 with a moving message that reads: ‘When we, Sophie’s family, took our first steps towards bringing this project to fruition we contacted the dear friends with whom she envisioned the album. We wrote, “We have been finding comfort in the music Sophie left us, it is a gift that we truly cherish as we try to find a way forward, with Sophie forever at the center of our worlds.”
SOPHIE’s self titled posthumous album will be out on September 27 (Picture: Joseph Okpako/Redferns)
‘Sophie didn’t often speak publicly of her private life, , preferring to put everything she wanted to articulate in her music. It feels only right to share with the world the music she hoped to release, in the belief that we can all connect with her in this, the form she loved most.
‘Sophie gave all of herself to her music. It’s here that she can always be found.’
SOPHIE’s frequent collaborator Ben Long told Billboard following SOPHIE’s death: ‘I don’t want to be like, “We’re going to put everything out,” because sometimes Sophie didn’t want it to or it wasn’t finished. But it was quite clear with a lot of songs, just from the fact that we had been working on them and mixing the album, that I know the direction a lot of things were supposed to be going.’
SOPHIE’s posthumous self-titled album is set to be released on September 27th, 2024.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.