Sofie details blissful new single ‘BLUR’, musical journey, process and more

One of the exciting artists to adorn West Africa’s music scene, Sofie is steadily winning Ghanaian fans over with her music. And who could resist her welcoming voice?!

As a guest on Ameyaw Meets today, I take a dive into the Ghanaian’s culturally diverse background and upbringing, her musical journey, process and of course, her new single ‘BLUR’ which is out now on Apple Music & iTunes, Spotify, Deezer and the likes. You can give it a listen here: https://songwhip.com/sofie4/blur

If this is your first encounter of the Sofie, I must elaborate the singer isn’t entirely new to Ghanaian soil and audiences. She was right here in the motherland to perform at the Chalewote Festival in the Summer of 2017. But there’s more, Sofie also performed at “The African Diaspora Homecoming Conference Gala Night” to celebrate Ghana’s 60th Independence Day anniversary that same year. The same is true for other shows, both in Ghana and abroad over the years of her musical journey.

Above these highlights, Sofie is a recent alumna of the Berklee College of Music – a feat she holds next to two extended plays’; “Sofie” and “Light Waves”, next to a string of singles which are as irresistible as her latest ‘BLUR’.

Back to ‘BLUR’, Sofie explores a budding romance in its honeymoon phase and wants to use songs like these to raise spotlight the things that make life worthwhile, lighting a positive spark in listeners.

Enjoy my chat with her below.

Q: Hello Sofie. How about we start with what there is to know about you?

Hi there! I am a Ghanaian singer-songwriter and producer raised between Ghana and the UK. I would describe myself as a person with good vibrations, passion and a wavy essence. I started singing from around 5 years old and from there began to pursue songwriting and learning the guitar. I am inspired by multiple different genres of music and listen to artists like Justin Bieber, Kehlani and Burna Boy. Apart from music, I enjoy other art forms such as poetry, photography and film. I want to use my platform to spread light, love and a positive message.

Q: Before we get into more about your craft, ‘BLUR’ – your latest single is out now. What’s the catch?

My song ‘BLUR’ was written in 2020 in the pandemic over Zoom with my friend Ben. I asked my friend Carter to produce the track and he agreed so we started working on it virtually; it all happened very organically. We got some Bass and Djembe parts from my friends Paul & NiiQuaye and in the outro are some of my friends in a voice memo. ‘BLUR’ explores the experience of a budding young romance. It’s a smooth, happy and rhythmic R&B – Afro-Pop song that expresses the electrifying feelings of a new relationship in the honeymoon phase. This song is for people who are trying to chill, have fun and go on adventures. When people listen to this song, I imagine them driving, windows rolled down and enjoying the summer breeze. I imagine playing in the background at beach hangouts and in cute coffee shops. Waves.

Q: How long has music been your go to? Also, kindly gist us on your musical debut and the journey so far.

Since I was a very young child. My mother says I sang before I could talk! Music has been a very important part of my life and at the forefront of my creativity. I feel like it is part of my identity. I was in school choirs from a very young age and participated in plays and musicals with the lead roles. I loved performing and still do. Being on stage is definitely one of my favourite things about my craft. I also wrote a lot of poetry and rap lyrics when was younger just for fun. Later on, I picked up guitar and a little piano. Composing music has always been a creative expression and release for me. I never want to lose the real reason why I create; It makes me happy. I began releasing original songs in 2016. Songwriting comes organically to me and my first single ‘Touch My Soul’ is a reflection of my storytelling. Although it’s about 5-6 years old it’s one of the best songs I’ve ever written. Since writing that song my musical journey has been about making people feel inspired to follow their passions and simply have a good time.

Q: Ghana, Germany, the UK and USA are all countries you’ve made your home. In what ways do you think all this rich exposure has shaped your musical journey?

I feel blessed and extremely grateful to be have grown up a part of so many cultures and continue experiencing them all on a deep level. Having relatives all over the world has given me the opportunity to grow my perspective on the world and how I perceive sound. I have met musicians from all over and this exposure has helped me find my truth. I can explore multiple genres and try different sounds. I have learned that my career is a journey and the more you collaborate the more you open yourself up to opportunities that can only work in your favour. I know that there are no limits to me and the only limitations I have are the ones I put on myself.

Q: With a degree from such a premier institution, mind sharing your musical process with us?

My musical process is different every time. Some days it’s me and my guitar finding some chords I love. I start improvising melodies and the song develops that way. Other times I make a beat and start building the song by writing lyrics and melodies as I go along. There are times when someone might send me a beat and I’ll topline that and send it back to them. I also really enjoy collaboration so that’s something I’m looking to do a lot more of in the future. I enjoy working with other writers, producers and it’s so special when you can be in the same room.

Q: What inspires you to make the kind of music you do?

I like to write about love, pain, joy, nostalgia. Anything and everything inspire me; being in nature, going on the subway or on a beautiful date. I mostly pull inspiration from things I experience day to day. Some songs I write promote social change such as ‘Broken World’ from my sophomore EP ‘’Light Waves’’. It’s important for me to use my platform however big or small to help people and also raise awareness about the things that matter in the world.

Q: My readers might be curious. Do you normally have Ghanaian songs on rotation? If yes, any favorites?

Yes, I definitely do! My favourite’s right now are CHOPLIFE (King Promise, Patoranking), Falling (Smallgod, KiDi, Darkoo). Artists I love are Kwesi Arthur, Sister Deborah, Amaarae, SuperJazzClub, Ria Boss, BryanTheMensah, Moliy, $pacely and many more.

Q: Before I let you go, are there any collaborations with Ghanaian artists on the cards?

For sure! There are so many Ghanaian artists I want to collaborate with. I’m not going to give too much away but keep your eyes peeled later this year.

CREDITS

Cover art by Lavern Clerk: @naaclerk
Graphic design by Lena Morton: @lenaxmorton
Written by Sofie and Author
Produced and mixed by Carter Pankow
Bass guitar by Paul “Papabear” Johnson
Djembe by NiiQuaye
Background vocal arrangement by Gayathri Krishnan and Sofie
Mastered by Alexander Wright