Following her exceptional sold-out headline show at London’s Village Underground, bubbling jazz/soul talent Sophie Faith shares her beautiful 5-track EP The Right Side Of Wrong. With the EP being exec-produced by 5x GRAMMY-nominated Linden Jay, and featuring collabs with some of the UK’s most gifted musicians namely: Stormzy, Swindle, Lydia Kitto (Jungle), Matt Zara and Kwaye to name a few, it was no surprise why she was on our 2022 One's To Watch list.
Find out more via our conversation with the singer/songwriter below.
Tell us a bit about your story: who are you and what has your journey looked like so far?
I got into singing unconventionally. Some rappers heard me casually singing and invited me to the studio to record with them. The hooks and melodies I wrote ended up on their album and then they said I’d have to come on tour with them to perform. I fell in love. I’d found something I was good at after feeling like I’d failed in other things I’d tried previously. I steadily kept collaborating, writing my own music, and started dropping singles that people really resonated with. All of this culminated to this point where I’m finally sharing my debut EP with the world.
Who inspires you musically and creatively?
I’ve been getting deeper into my 70s soul, people like Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder but also soulful artists now like Jazmine Sullivan, Yebba, Gaida, Sinead Harnett and Cleo Sol.
What is the creative process behind your music?
Most of the time I lean on my ability to create melodies and write off the top, freestyling, leading with feeling before putting pen to paper. Typically when I go to the studio, the producer and I figure out the vibe we want to work with, then I'll just start freestyling over it. I’ll listen back to the voice note or recording, pluck out melodies and sections that are the strongest and then build on this. I’ll continue this process of refining, adding lyrics to my notes and continue this process until it feels right.
What’s the best advice you’ve received during your journey?
Comparison is the thief of joy. Also, my lawyer told me early on that not everyone is your friend. I’ve learned over the last couple of years that the music game can be gnarly and self-preservation and self-care are very important.
How do you nurture your creativity
I love to take time out for self care, whether that’s taking long baths and listening to music or switching off and reading books. I also love being in nature and finding perspective amongst the busyness in the life of a creative. I think it’s really important to spend time not being a singer as well and just be a normal human, wholesome activities are a vital part of my life.
What do you hope your music will reveal to your listeners?
It’s no secret that I’m definitely an emotional being, and I’m not afraid to express that anymore. I was worried about releasing a project that was full of quite sad songs, even if it were an upbeat song like ‘Flowers’, but I’m not now. I recognise that was a moment in my life that this EP documented and I'm excited for my evolution and growth into the next chapter of my life.
Are there any upcoming shows or projects we can look forward to?
I’ve just released my debut EP and I’m really proud of this body of work and the collaborations that made it happen. I’ll also be dropping my EP in Vinyl format which I’m really excited about, make sure to follow my socials for details on how you can grab yours.
Is there any advice you want to give to new artists?
Make sure that you have good legal representation. Make sure that you sign up to PRS, MCPS and PPL. Make sure that you don’t release without contractual agreements. Watch out for the sharks, because if you’re talented people will smell it like blood and want a piece of it. This world is increasingly in favour of the artist over the major label and speaking from an independent standpoint I’ve learnt that I’m not going to be a part of something that doesn’t fully align with my vision. Take your time and don’t rush.
First image by Toby Corton & second image by Word Play Magazine
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