Grammy-nominated Scottish DJ and producer Sophie has died aged 34 following a “terrible accident”, a statement by the artist’s label has confirmed.
The Glasgow-born music producer, also known as Sophie Xeon, came to prominence with tracks including Bipp and Lemonade and was widely recognised for experimenting with 21st century pop.
Sophie received a nomination for best dance/electronic album at the 2019 Grammys with debut studio album Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, and produced for acts such as Madonna and Charli XCX.
Sophie was a stellar producer, a visionary, a reference. She rebelled against the narrow, normative society by being an absolute triumph, both as an artist and as a woman. I can’t believe she is gone. We need to honor and respect her memory and legacy. Cherish the pioneers. pic.twitter.com/3kyRl1KabY
— Chris (@QueensChristine) January 30, 2021
UK music label Transgressive, which released Sophie’s debut album in 2018, confirmed the producer had died on Saturday morning.
In a statement posted on Twitter, the label said the 34-year-old had “accidentally slipped and fell” while climbing to watch the full moon.
“Tragically our beautiful Sophie passed away this morning after a terrible accident,” the statement said.
“True to her spirituality she had climbed up to watch the full moon and accidentally slipped and fell.
“She will always be here with us. The family thank everyone for their love and support and request privacy at this devastating time.”
Sophie co-wrote Madonna’s 2015 single Bitch I’m Madonna and worked with pop singer Charli XCX on hits such as After The Afterparty and the EP Vroom Vroom.
The producer, who was a transgender woman, made a solo comeback in 2017 with single It’s Okay To Cry — almost two years since the artist’s last release.
Discussing gender identity in a 2018 interview with Paper magazine, Sophie said: “For me, transness is taking control to bring your body more in line with your soul and spirit so the two aren’t fighting against each other and struggling to survive.
“On this earth, it’s that you can get closer to how you feel your true essence is without the societal pressures of having to fulfil certain traditional roles based on gender.
“It means you’re not a mother or a father — you’re an individual who’s looking at the world and feeling the world.”
French singer and songwriter Christine and the Queens is among those to have paid tribute to Sophie, calling the artist “a stellar producer, a visionary, a reference”.
“She rebelled against the narrow, normative society by being an absolute triumph, both as an artist and as a woman,” the singer said on Twitter.
“I can’t believe she is gone. We need to honour and respect her memory and legacy. Cherish the pioneers.”
Former Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts recalled working with Sophie, saying she was "in awe of the imagination and rulelessness approach to creating music which is so often full of restraints. She and her creativity will be hugely missed". – PA
