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Sophie May (singer)

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For The Voice UK contestant, see Sophie May Williams.
Sophie May
BornOctober 1999[1]
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2020–present
Labels
  • Psychic Music
  • Believe UK
Websitesophiemay.uk

Sophie May (born October 1999) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. She has released three EPs: You Do Not Have to be Good (2022), Worst Thoughts in the World (2023), and Deep Sea Creatures (2024).

Early life

[edit]

The daughter of Australian writer Kellie Jackson and an English-Australian father,[2] May grew up in East Dulwich, South London.[3] She began writing slam poems when she was 13, which translated into her songwriting.[4]

Career

[edit]

May began her career playing pub nights. During the COVID-19 lockdown, May gained attention and an online following of over 200 thousand through short song clips and demos she uploaded to TikTok.[5] In April 2022, May released her debut single "With the Band", which quickly garnered over a million streams,[6][7] alongside an additional track "Bruises and Scratches".[8] This was followed by the dual singles "Bad Man"[9] and "High Life" the next month well as "Drop in the Ocean" in June. Via Psychic Music, her debut 7-track EP You Do Not Have to be Good was released in August 2022.[10] She made her festival debut at Barn on the Farm, featured in Live at Leeds,[11] and had gigs in London supporting Matt Maltese, Ocean Alley,[12] Inhaler, Sarah Kinsley, and Spector.[13]

In April 2023, May went to Australia, traveling around the country on the Groovin the Moo circuit.[14][15] Upon returning to England, she performed at the Great Escape Festival[16] and Latitude Festival.[17] May reunited with Maltese and Spector's Fred Macpherson[18] for her second EP Worst Thoughts in the World, which was released in August 2023 via Believe UK.[19] Ahead of the EP's release came the singles "Doppelgänger"[20] and "The Babysitter". This was followed by the mini-album Half-Songs in October.[21] She also had gigs at 7 Layers Festival and Reeperbahn Festival.[22]

At the start of 2024, May released the single "No More Birthdays".[23] She was a featured artist at Liverpool Sound City.[24] That summer, May released her next EP Deep Sea Creatures,[25] accompanied by the singles "Tiny Dictator", which is based on her experiences with OCD;[26][27] "Brian Cox" featuring the titular physicist;[28][29] and "Just Want You".[30] A dual vinyl of her first two EPs You Do Not Have to Be Good and Worst Thoughts in the World became May's first charting work in the UK on the physical albums list.[31] In autumn 2024, May supported Searows on tour in Europe. She then embarked on tour in Australia, first as an opening act for Maltese[32] before headlining her own dates, with support from Maia Toakley and Harper Bloom.[33]

Artistry

[edit]

Growing up, May became interested in music through Amy Winehouse and Alex Turner, as well as the alternative rock and grunge her older brothers listened to. Turner's Submarine (2011) soundtrack "opened my eyes to the way lyrics could be written".[34] She named her debut EP after a Mary Oliver poem. While learning guitar, May listened to Laura Marling, Paul McCartney, Jeff Buckley, and Leonard Cohen.[35] She has also named Joni Mitchell, Elliott Smith,[4] Frank Ocean, and Lana Del Rey, as influences.[2]

Personal life

[edit]

May has dyslexia and OCD.[5]

Discography

[edit]

LPs / mini-albums

[edit]
  • Half Songs (2023)

EPs

[edit]
  • You Do Not Have to be Good (2022)
  • Worst Thoughts in the World (2023)
  • Deep Sea Creatures (2024)

Singles

[edit]
  • "With the Band" / "Bruises and Scratches" (2022)
  • "Bad Man" / "High Life" (2022)
  • "Drop in the Ocean" (2022)
  • "Doppelgänger" (2023)
  • "The Babysitter" (2023)
  • "No More Birthdays" (2024)
  • "Tiny Dictator" (2024)
  • "Brian Cox" (2024)
  • "Just Want You" (2024)
  • "Little Light" (2024)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Sophie May (22 October 2023). "It's my birthday and I'll cook bolognese for 30 people if I want to". Retrieved 21 November 2024 – via Instagram.
  2. ^ a b "Why Sophie May's 'Bad Man' solidifies her status as a must-know name". ABC. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ Reid, Madeline (25 May 2022). "Sophie May Is Embracing Her Dark Side on New Single 'Bad Man'". Bricks Magazine. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b Lashley, Amber (5 August 2022). "Sophie May: "I pride myself on giving thing my all when I commit"". Vocal Girls. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  5. ^ a b Morris, Damien (19 November 2022). "One to watch: Sophie May". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  6. ^ Pieretti, Isabella (25 September 2022). "Your New Favorite Artist: Sophie May Carves Out Authentic Space in the Midst of Social Media". The Heights. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  7. ^ Tattersall, Jett (19 August 2022). "INTERVIEW: Sophie May on debut EP 'You Do Not Have To Be Good': "This EP is looking at my younger self and feeling a lot of empathy and love for her."". Women in Pop. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  8. ^ Ackroyd, Stephen (7 April 2022). "22-year-old newcomer Sophie May has shared her debut single, 'With The Band'". Dork. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  9. ^ Brotherton, Tom (18 May 2022). "Sophie May gives us some silky-smooth indie on her defiant new track 'Bad Man'". The Indie Scene. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  10. ^ Cole, Lauryn (9 August 2022). "EP Review: Sophie May, You Do Not Have to Be Good". Hot Press. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  11. ^ Maggs, Dylan (29 November 2022). "Live At Leeds : In The City Festival 2022". Square One Magazine. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Ocean Alley impress at intimate London show". High Fives & Stage Dives. 11 September 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Sophie May Concert History". Concert Archives. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  14. ^ Burnard, Elle (6 June 2023). "life on tour with sophie may". frankie. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  15. ^ Mendis, Erandhi (May 2023). "Intrusive Thoughts With Sophie May". Ramona Magazine. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  16. ^ Coward, Teddy (10 May 2023). "The Great Escape Festival 2023: whynow's ones to watch". WhyNow. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Barclaycard Presents Latitude 2023: Sunday highlights". Latitude Festival. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  18. ^ Macbeth, Katie (28 September 2023). "Sophie May: "If people can find some comfort in what I do, then that's a great thing"". DIY Magazine. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  19. ^ Williams, Jenessa (9 August 2023). "Sophie May – 'Worst Thoughts In The World' EP review: pop with an outsider defiance". NME. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  20. ^ Julienne Pal Loreto (14 May 2023). "Sophie May reflects on an ex-partner's predictability in "Doppelgänger"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  21. ^ Wang, Sophie (3 July 2024). "Sophie May Talks Deep Sea Creatures". Wonderland. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  22. ^ "So war Europas größtes Musikclub-Festival: Das Reeperbahn Festival 2023". Untoldency (in German). 10 October 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  23. ^ Sunderland, Tom (24 January 2024). "Single Review: No More Birthdays, Sophie May". Howl Magazine. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  24. ^ Coward, Teddy (8 May 2024). "Sound City 2024 - A bank holiday bash for the buzziest new bands". WhyNow. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  25. ^ Wright, Lisa (26 July 2024). "Sophie May - Deep Sea Creatures". DIY Magazine. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  26. ^ Harbron, Lucy (2 May 2024). "'You can't say that': Sophie May on 'Tiny Dictator' and the isolating stigma of OCD". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  27. ^ Taylor, Sam (10 April 2024). "Sophie May is teasing her third EP with a new single inspired by her experience with OCD, 'Tiny Dictator'". Dork. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  28. ^ Malt, Andy (28 May 2024). "Brian Cox endorses Sophie May's new single… "Brian Cox"". Complete Music Update. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  29. ^ Solomon-Brady, Harvey (28 May 2024). "Sophie May releases new single 'Brian Cox' featuring the celebrated physicist himself". WhyNow. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  30. ^ Tyler Damara Kelly (3 July 2024). "Sophie May shares final EP teaser, "Just Want You"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  31. ^ "Artists: Sophie May". Official Charts. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  32. ^ "London singer-songwriter Sophie May makes her return to Australia". 27 Magazine. September 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  33. ^ Phillips, Greg (7 November 2024). "Sophie May (UK) announces Australian tour supports". Austraian Musician. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  34. ^ KM, Dani (20 May 2022). "Introducing South London's New Rising Talent… Sophie May". Spindle. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  35. ^ Moon, Grant (21 October 2022). "Sophie May on confronting TikTok-fried attention spans and setting Leonard Cohen-style arpeggios to slam poetry". Total Guitar. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
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