Exclusive Premiere // Sophie Colette 'Version'
Indie-pop artist Sophie Colette returns with Version, an intimate track based on Colette’s experience with a past toxic relationship. We can’t get enough of her dreamy, lush sound + captivating vocals, and we’re so stoked to bring you a first listen of the release. Version follows a handful previous releases, including her most recent Run Around, all of which evince her dark, romantic charm. We chatted with Sophie all about the track, relationships, love + her unique transition into music after studying fashion.
photo by Ogata Saito
// listen here first:
Asymmetric Magazine: Congrats on Version—we can't stop listening! What does this track mean to you?
Sophie Colette: Thank you! So jazzed you’re into it. This song is significant to me because it’s a reflection of one of the most tumultuous romantic relationships I’ve ever been in. My boyfriend at the time was dealing with a lot of personal issues and had a different personality each day. One day he showed me the deepest love and affection, the next day rejection—on repeat. It was like, ‘Wait, do you love me or not? Are we together or not? Who ARE you?’. I didn’t know which version of him to believe in, and couldn’t tell who I was in love with anymore. In my stubbornness to make it work, I poured all my emotional energy into being supportive and ended up sacrificing my own sense of self. My own life started to fall apart. Ultimately, I had to be honest with myself, walk away and accept that it wasn’t meant to be.
AM: What would you say to others who are in similar relationships?
SC: Take care of yourself first. If you’re the only one contributing to a relationship and being taken for granted, it’s time to really question if it’s worth staying. Honor yourself, and leave when a relationship becomes toxic on any level.
I couldn’t tell who I was in love with anymore.
AM: How does this track compare the your 2017-2018 releases?
SC: This track has a certain groove and nonchalance that I really love, with lots of harmonies, ceramic drums, and dreamy guitar riffs that give it a lifted spirit. Lyrically, it’s just as introspective as my other songs but much more danceable. Gotta dance!
AM: Are there any consistent themes you typically pursue through your music?
SC: I’m inspired by love in general—the fantastical pursuit, the loss, the unrequited, the confusion, the reality, the desires, the buzzy highs, the moments of spark and connection between two people that may or may not grow into something deeper. Love sits in its own world.
AM: You got started in music after being scouted at your high school reunion—can you tell us about that encounter? What was your initial reaction?
SC: It was a special moment—totally unexpected and amazing. My friend Erica and I hadn’t seen each other since graduation, and over chips and guacamole at our reunion, we chatted about New York City and how she was a bassist in her indie rock band The Party Faithful. I reminisced about playing the piano as a kid, and she asked me on the spot to audition for her band, as they were seeking a keyboardist. The next day I went into their Brooklyn studio and jammed with them for three hours. A week later the lead singer emailed me saying I was in and offered me a place in their next show. It went from there.
AM: For first time listeners, how do you like to describe your sound?
SC: Dark dream pop. Softcore. A bit cinematic, down tempo, vibe-y.
photo by Ogata Saito
AM: What other musicians are you currently listening to?
SC: I’m always listening to a mix of old and new. At the moment I’m really into Billie Eilish, Wet, The Japanese House, boygenius, and Jungle, mixed in with HAIM, Blood Orange, Portishead and Nirvana. I’m also in love with Thom Yorke’s ‘Suspirium’—it’s simultaneously meditative and haunting.
AM: Where is one place that you feel completely in touch with your creative self and your music?
SC: In my studio apartment sitting at the piano, next to big windows facing a garden, where nobody’s watching—to my knowledge. My piano was the first piece of furniture I bought when I moved in—didn’t even bother with a couch—and it’s the place where I allow my fingers and voice to wander, experiment and get weird until a song reveals itself. That’s the beauty of music and songwriting: It’s an oasis to pour all the emotions out, pick them up and sculpt something magical from the mush.
AM: What can we expect to hear from you next?
SC: I’m back in the studio working on a few songs that I’m really excited about! Stay tuned and visit sophiecolettemusic.com for updates.
// Listen to more Sophie Colette on Spotify + SoundCloud.
