SOPHIE

Yes, I am guilty! Since I started my second, late career as a musician in 2019, I’ve been searching for the right genre that roughly describes my music and for musicians who follow a similar artistic approach as me.

A few days ago, I stumbled across the term “hyperpop”, with the hint that there was a Spotify playlist of the same name. There, in turn, the first places were reserved for SOPHIE – on the occasion of her death, which is already tragic enough.

When I then took a closer look at the artist, the tragedy took on unexpected dimensions for me. There was an artist in the overarching POP category who had already been releasing music since 2013 that came close to my artistic approach, without me having found her in two years of intensive searching. And then there was the tragedy of her death at such a young age, without being able to enjoy the really big success she undoubtedly deserved.

I published an article only yesterday (Electronic Music Is Not a Style!) that once again addresses the problem of genre classification, and that was also SOPHIE’s burning issue. The numbers, which are visible on Spotify, speak for themselves. SOPHIE was no unknown, but compared to the hit lists, a marginal phenomenon. That’s the way it is with artists who break new ground – and it’s always been that way.

I used to tell my trumpet students that it takes an average of 10 years to be let into the honeypots. I’ve known that for a long time, but today, as a newcomer at the age of 65, I’m reluctant to accept it. But your example shows that it is probably true after all.

I am infinitely sorry that you, SOPHIE, did not have this time of life. But your fans will never forget you, and as of today you have a new fan – R.I.P.