Lucky Kilmartin's debut record 'Borders, Baby' is an ode to letting go & letting in. It's also a love letter to the people that he cares for most: his friends, his partner & his father. Be sure to listen to 'Borders, Baby', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find Lucky on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2uWg345joqNfcay4l13YoN On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/lucky-kilmartin/1701896108 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucky.kilmartin/?hl=en Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah Yano & the Heavy Loop is is a reflection on Jonah's most recent experiences. But even with its stream of consciousness-style writing, when we look closer, themes like desire, assimilation, & a need to belong emerge. Be sure to listen to 'Jonah Yano & the Heavy Loop', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find Jonah on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Js9qeA7KMFyjBYHEjFaeJ On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jonah-yano/1237016701 Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paris Paloma's debut record, "Cacophony", is a 15-song hero's journey. It puts into question the patriarchal structures that hold women down, & proves that we can rebuild ourselves without them. Paris & I spoke over Zoom, discussing the themes that resonated with so many people on her viral single 'labour', sisterhood, & finding peace after trauma. Be sure to listen to 'Cacophony', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find Paris on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2EXpthNgSeTDeX8nGwxppp On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/paris-paloma/1530898376 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parispaloma/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parispalomaofficial?lang=en Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Helena Deland is a solo artist based in Montreal, Canada. Over the past four years, she has released multiple EPs, and even appeared on JPEGMAFIA’s ‘All My Heroes Are Cornballs’. Her debut album Someone New, which was released last month, explores the struggle between idealization and reality, femininity, and asking for what we need from friends and lovers alike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Local Natives are a five-piece group from Los Angeles. For over a decade, they’ve been a respected indie staple, blending folk-esque harmonies & storytelling with indie guitars & bright choruses. Their albums are meticulously planned & thought out; while this yields great results, it can get pretty tiring. So this time, they decided to try something different: release a short EP, highlighting four songs that never fit into an album, but needed to be heard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Future Islands are a four-piece based in Baltimore, Maryland. Their epic hooks & soul-wrenching lyrics helped them skyrocket to fame back in 2014, with the release of their song Seasons and their fourth album Singles. Their sixth studio album, As Long As You Are forces you to feel things just as deeply. Now, while this makes its heartbreaking moments quite palpable, it also means that the joyous parts are monumental. Like, so joyful you might spread your arms and try to fly even though you clearly can’t. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Max Clarke, better known as Cut Worms, is a solo artist based in Brooklyn, New York. He is both drawn to and heavily critical of the past; while the American songbook provides inspiration to his writing, he worries that people tend to romanticize the past, glossing over its glaring problems. His new double LP ‘Nobody Lives Here Anymore’ explores this dichotomy in depth, using the very images that define traditional Americana to examine it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bully is the project of now-solo artist Alicia Bognanno. Her third album SUGAREGG is all about letting go and embracing reality, even when the process of doing so isn’t perfect. With its message shouted through wailing guitars and well, literal shouting, the album provides catharsis and release for both the listener and for Alicia herself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kay Young is a solo artist & producer based in London. While she’s been making music for a while, cutting her teeth at the same time as Jessie J & Ed Sheeran, she has been in an especially fruitful creative period for the past two years. After a hiatus allowed her to reset & experience life outside the industry, Kay returned to her writing re-energized & with plenty on her mind. On Middle Matters, she details finding peace in her passion, Faith, & following the path that she feels called to. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oscar Jerome is a staple member of the London jazz scene. In addition to being part of the collective KOKOROKO & appearing on many friends' projects, he’s a solo artist with his own brilliant work. His debut album, Breathe Deep, builds a rich sonic world, while speaking out about social greed and the treatment of refugees, and celebrating the love of family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glass Animals are internationally loved for their genreless, often cheeky songs. They’ve never hesitated to work against the grain: they went weird and murky on their first album Zaba, told anecdotes about homemade characters on How To Be a Human Being. But Dave, the band’s frontman, never told his own stories out of insecurity; until now. Their third album Dreamland weaves through stories of a childhood in rural Texas, later years in Oxford and London, and a range of experiences from questions of masculinity to late-night hookups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another Sky are a London-based four piece, comprised of Catrin Vincent, Jack Gilbert, Naomi Le Dune, and Max Doohan. Their songs manage to be anthemic and urgent, tender and vulnerable at the same time. Which makes sense; they see the ways in which mental health and the state of the world are interwoven, often leaving our generation in a state of overwhelm. I Slept on the Floor, the band’s debut album, covers the many ills of the modern world, offering a sense of hope through each call to action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gordi is a solo artist, originally from Canowindra, Australia. She’s been championed by the likes of Bon Iver, and it’s no wonder why: her songwriting cuts to the bone. Her sophomore album, Our Two Skins, is Gordi in her most radically honest form. Each song paints a vivid, raw picture of the album’s themes, from mental health and questions of sexuality to love and acceptance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for another one-on-one catchup! Sofia looks back on July's music news & personal highlights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mystery Jets are a three-piece indie band from London, who first made a name for themselves over a decade ago. Approaching their sixth studio album, lead singer Blaine Harrison found himself amidst the turmoil of post-Brexit London. While living around the corner from Trafalgar Square, Blaine weaved himself into the crowds of the EU rallies, the Extinction Rebellion, even far-right groups like Britain First and the National Defence League. The album birthed from this period, A Billion Heartbeats, navigates through all of the problems that both unite and separate us, reminding us that we all need to fight for compassion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Equiknoxx are a collective based in Kingston, Jamaica. They are comprised of Gavborg, Shanique Marie, Time Cow, Kemikal, and Bobby Blackbird. Over the last decade or so, they have woven through genre after genre. They first cut their teeth as dancehall producers, and later folded their wide range of influences into their music. I have Gav, Shanique, and Nick aka Bobby Blackbird here to discuss their 2019 album, Eternal Children, and the history that brought all five members together as a united project. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca Lucy Taylor, better known as Self Esteem, is an outspoken newcomer to the pop world. She shamelessly tackles mental health struggles, bad relationships, bisexuality, and more in her music. Her 2019 debut album, Compliments Please, is a reminder that pop music can be complex, contradictory and raw, even during its most danceable moments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Overcoats are a Brooklyn-based pop duo, comprised of Hana Elion and JJ Mitchell. Their second album, The Fight, follows their 2017 debut Young. While it has a few nods to their first release, The Fight is largely a departure for Overcoats. On their new album, their pop anthems unpack what it means to fight, in every sense of the word: fighting for womxn, against misogyny and ignorance, fighting to be understood, and fighting for one’s self-worth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gengahr are a four-piece band from Hackney in East London. Their third studio album, Sanctuary, is an intimate dive into lead singer Felix’s experience with loss. It is also, however, a celebration of friendship and collaboration; Felix’s bandmates, Hugh, Danny, and John, stuck by him, and they brought on Jack Steadman of Bombay Bicycle Club as producer. The resulting songs are glimmering, heartbreaking, hopeful, and liberating, all at the same time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

'Letters Home', the latest solo EP from The Vamps' James McVey, came together on the road. As him & his friends/ collaborators sat on the tour bus, they wrote about the people they'd left behind, childhood memories, mental health, & more. Be sure to listen to 'Letters Home', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find James on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1LXsEmvNi2vdi1oOfVTK3r?si=WTkXLMZzSPWwsuBeJNqEaw On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/james-mcvey/311903088 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesmcvey/profilecard/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesmcvey Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I spoke with songwriter & fellow Canadian Donovan Woods about his new record 'Things Were Never Good If They're Not Good Now'. On the album, he is brutally honest - he brings the same level of honesty to our conversation. We discuss the problems with creating an image of 'perfection', opening up to a partner about one's feelings, & the power of saxophones. Be sure to listen to 'Things Were Never Good If They're Not Good Now', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find Donovan on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4SOtk3HtPYKqxnVuxNBMti?si=pfib1FPuQjiKLE8GGpWq7A On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/donovan-woods/275859076 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donovanwoods/profilecard/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@donovanwoods?lang=en Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Recap episodes are back! Sofia reflects on her favourite record & concerts from June 2024! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jordan Feller and Marc Gilfry, the duo that make up NEIL FRANCES, came by to talk all things 'It's All A Bit Fuzzier', the deluxe edition of last year's 'It's All A Bit Fuzzy'. Our conversation spanned everything from dance floor communities & identity, to yacht rock. Be sure to listen to ''It's All A Bit Fuzzy'', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find NEIL FRANCES on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/587PA35pRGL1JwQr6idJbb?si=PjJGSoz1RBmKqrCwLnDAmA On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/neil-frances/1220582680 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neilfrances/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@neil_frances?lang=en Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Superfan & I hopped on a Zoom call to discuss his debut record 'Tow Truck Jesus' (which has received praise from the likes of Julian Casablancas of The Strokes). The record touches on everything from transitioning & hormone replacement therapy, to navigating new love. And even though this record comes from his unique perspective, he reminds us that its themes are very much universal. Be sure to listen to 'Tow Truck Jesus', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find Superfan on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3BO07jDo7Qs7qNLdwRoISM?si=S-KhLxu8QvOtSOLTHM32UQ On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/dk/artist/superfan/1536446529 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaliflanagan/?hl=en Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I interview Orlando Weeks (who you may also know as a member of recently-reunited The Maccabees) about his third full-length album LOJA. The album is an ode to him, his partner & their son's shared new life in Lisbon, & a reflection on their time in London. Be sure to listen to 'LOJA', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find Orlando on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5K9Px0eeCuYatmBGFfhSOA?si=TuYruS4qQLWPsRY19oC7jA On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/orlando-weeks/201628833 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orlandoweeks/?hl=en Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Taylor Sackson's debut solo EP 'You Are Not A Friend', she finds catharsis in speaking up for herself, calling out toxic behaviour, & healing for her younger self. Be sure to listen to 'You Are Not A Friend', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find Taylor on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0J4SgyQe1Mt4U1z855jZEJ?si=G1NPkc4kQTSJw8m9feb2kA On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/taylor-sackson/1473070700 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorsackson/profilecard/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorsackson Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawrence Matthews is an artist from Memphis, Tennessee. As he sheds his previous moniker Don Lifted, he is centring on his own story & that of his environment. His first record under his own name, 'Between Mortal Reach And Posthumous Grip', shifts between haunting & celebratory moments, & presents itself with a Southern Gothic drawl. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Isaac's new record BENJAMIN takes us through all of life's highs & lows. From both celebrating & questioning one's faith, to sharing the stories of his Caribbean immigrant ancestors, Jake invites us into his world with open arms. Be sure to listen to 'BENJAMIN', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find Jake on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6q94KewnCnut4Ta36dCoaB On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/hu/artist/jake-isaac/398900314 Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abby Sage is a Canadian-British artist. On her debut album The Rot, she muses on the cyclical nature of learning & unlearning. The record covers moments from her childhood all the way up to the present day, & embraces both the ugly & the beautiful parts of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crumb are a band from New York City. On their latest record AMAMA, the band navigate our universal need to feel at home, all while taking us through deliciously strange soundscapes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chandler Leighton is an artist based in Los Angeles. On 'Proof You Weren't The Only One', she openly examines her own coping mechanisms. The end result is a deeply relatable record, one she hopes will help others heal too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Infinity Song are a group of four siblings from New York City. On Metamorphosis, the group celebrate the things that make them unique, & aim to empower others in the process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Staves are a duo from Watford, England. On their latest record All Now, sisters Camilla and Jessica find release in their most anthemic writing yet, learning to let go of indecisiveness, the past, & the fear of speaking up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sofia looks back on her favourite memories, releases, & gigs from April 2024! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

X Ambassadors are a band with roots in Ithaca, New York. On 'Townie' they set their sights homeward: reflecting on teenage restlessness, leaving for bigger cities, & how home shapes who we are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another Sky are a band based in London, England. Four years after their first time on this podcast, they return to discuss their sophomore album 'Beach Day'. On the record, the band learns to embrace anger & find compassion for our younger selves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Griff is an artist based in the UK. On ver2igo vol. 2, the follow-up to vert1go vol. 1, Griff continues the arc of someone processing an ending. Through the power of her own incredible pop songwriting, she makes these big emotions a little easier to digest... maybe even dance to. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sofia shares her artist highlights from SXSW! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer Sutherland's sophomore album, The Drama, is a rock opera centred around the highs and lows of the fame game. For the 100th episode of this podcast, Spencer & I spoke about ego deaths, the art of high camp, and the fact that, sometimes, a little bit of delusion is healthy. Be sure to listen to 'The Drama', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find Spencer on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6mjz3NMhNE5SK7GsbJIg6C On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/md/artist/spencer-sutherland/769508624 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spencermusic/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@spencermusic?lang=en Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Empress Of is a Honduran-American artist based in Los Angeles. On 'For Your Consideration', she explores transactional relationships & desire through a raw, unfiltered, & danceable lens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harmless is an artist based in Los Angeles. On his latest record 'Springs Eternal', he tells stories of identity & relationships to his younger self. In our conversation, we discuss the benefits & costs of anger, self-deprecation, & rediscovering one's identity after trauma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mick Jenkins is a rapper from Chicago by way of Alabama. On his latest album The Patience, Mick grounds himself in his craft & the support of his day-ones. We spoke about the Deluxe Edition of the album, which includes two new songs: "2011" & "Perm". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jamila Woods is an artist from Chicago, Illinois. On Water Made Us, Jamila dives into the phases of love & heartbreak, exploring the habits & cycles that shape them. It's a refreshing, emotionally intelligent take on the endlessly-explored topic, & we unpack it further in this interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sofia looks back on the highlights of February 2024, including her top new music releases, gig, & more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sofia is joined by Sara Feigin & Jenna Million, hosts of Name 3 Songs for a chance to talk shop! The conversation covers everything from reclaiming the word 'fangirl', to swapping interview notes, our local music scenes & much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Red Rum Club are a band from Liverpool, UK. For their new album Western Approaches, they were inspired by the docks in their hometown where ships once came in from the Atlantic. It became a parallel for their own travels to America, & the home that they missed while they were gone. The record spans many topics, but ultimately finds the band centring on the things & the people that matter most. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ĠENN are a Maltese-British band based in Brighton, UK. On their debut album 'unum', the band search for oneness, detouring through French existentialism, Greek mythology, & presentations of identity on the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spiritune is a mobile application that uses music to help alter you mental state. With a team of music therapists & composers, founder Jamie Pabst built the app to help people improve their mental wellbeing. I spoke to her & composer Diego Rodoni about their work, & the transformative power of music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sofia looks back on the first month of year, sharing her favourite new releases AND some of yours! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

St. Lundi's debut album 'The Island' celebrates both the artist's journey away from home, & the home that was left behind. It recognizes that we can honour the place that we came from & the people that we love, while still pursuing our own path. Be sure to listen to 'The Island', wherever you stream or buy your music! Find St. Lundi on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3i94wxAKQqlJyiPLDmjNdH On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/st-lundi/1498668369 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/st.lundi/?hl=en Subscribe: https://beforethechorus.bio.to/listen Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.beforethechorus.com/ Follow on Instagram: @beforethechoruspodcast & @soundslikesofia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices