Meet Sophie Bom

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophie Bom.

Sophie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When I was growing up I learned a few chords on piano and started writing songs. I would take Beatles songs and take out the lyrics and melody and put in my own.  I loved Fiona Apple and Aretha Franklin and Carol King. I grew up in LA and would play all over the city in high school.  Eventually I started dating this guy who made beats and I had a crush on him and he wanted me to write on his beats, so I would do it just so I could hang out with him.  We made a bunch of songs that eventually led me to get signed to a publishing deal and go on to write lyrics and melody for pop music.  One of the cooler artists I ever got to write for was Britney Spears.  I continued on my journey and had a band called Sophie and The Bom Boms with that I had so much fun doing and got to play shows all over the world.  At some point though, the piano called me back. I had written lyrics and melody for so long that I missed the musical side of things.  The album I am starting to release and that will be out this fall is my journey back to my roots.  Sitting at piano, writing songs, and then producing them. This is my first time producing and I have loved this new venture. It has also led me to start producing other artists and I’m enjoying helping them tell their stories.

Has it been a smooth road?
It has not! I have went through a lot of bumps and heartache being in the music industry. I’ve had a lot of joyful times and gotten to go places, play shows, and watch my music hit marks that were once a dream for me. But also lots of low times where I wanted to quit the whole thing and live in isolation in the woods somewhere.  Overall, I am learning that everything changes always and not to ride the waves as hard and enjoy the process.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am currently releasing my first solo record.  It will be out in the fall. I have released 3 songs already. The album is titled Hitbodedut, which by definition is a mystical practice of self seclusion where you informally talk to a higher power. Each song is a collage which weaves genres and stories, and a lot of them were written stream of consciousness… just sat down and pressed record.  It came from a time when i was pregnant and not working.  I was self searching and healing from all life had thrown at me up until this point. All the years I had helped other people tell their stories in songwriting, I didn’t know if I still had my own, but it led me back to myself.  Each song ended up being a totally cathartic reckoning.  Aside from my record, I am also spending time writing and producing other artists. I have been producing everything from kpop to singer songwriter to pop to indie folk.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
More female presence. More female power. More female producers. More real, honest music. Less contrived, more art. I’m starting to see it more and we need it more than ever. I also hope we stop ignoring and enabling mental health problems on the business and artist side of the industry and see a more healed industry that supports each other and is kind to each other. Also appropriate monetary compensation for songwriters would be nice =)

Image Credit:
Lauren Dukoff

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