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Samantha N. Olson
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SOPHIE, Grammy-Nominated Musician and 'Icon of Liberation,' Dies at 34
SOPHIE, the 34-year-old artist and music producer that paved the way for the hyper-pop genre and revolutionized pop music as we know it today, died in an accident on Jan. 30, 2021.
Image by SOPHIE/YouTube
Grammy-nominated transgender music icon Sophie Xeon -- known mononymously as SOPHIE -- died in an accident on Saturday morning, according to a public statement from her record label, Transgressive.
In a public statement posted to Twitter on Saturday, Jan. 30, Transgressive said that SOPHIE slipped and fell to her death at home in Athens, Greece.
The Glasgow-born musician was notably known for her hyper-pop production and activism surrounding transgender rights. According to a statement by her publicist, she was a pioneer of a new sound and one of the most influential artists in the last decade.
Some of her remarkable production credits include Madonna's 2015 single, "Bitch, I'm Madonna," "9" by Cashmere Cat & Ariana Grande, Charli XCX's "Vroom Vroom" EP and Lady Gaga's 2020 re-emergence into the electronic genre, "Chromatica."
Her debut album, "Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides," was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards in 2018.
Several artists and public figures, including frequent Taylor Swift collaborator and producer Jack Antonoff, pop singer Rina Sawayama and drag performer Aquaria, paid their respects to the late musician via Twitter.
In a public statement, SOPHIE's publicist referred to her as an "icon of liberation" — and rightfully so.
Here at Shifter, we recognize SOPHIE's tremendous impact on the music industry and LGBTQ+ community. SOPHIE did more than produce music; she transformed and redefined the landscape of pop music forever. This was the site for queer joy and existence. SOPHIE, thank you. Thank you for all that you’ve given us. May you rest in peace.