Remembering Life in 4k with Sophie Edwards
ACT-based artist Sophie Edwards has struck the ears of Unraveled with her lyrical, vocal and conceptual talent as a self-produced artist. With a small amount of work, Edwards has already made her mark in the industry and I had to know more about this talented gem. For those of you who haven’t yet discovered Edwards, I initially asked her how she would describe music in three words which she answered with “Authentic, Thematic and Fun”.
All musicians have their unique journey, and Edwards decided to make the move into producing her music when the pandemic hit. The ability to collaborate with other musos was important to her however, Edwards had always struggled to execute exactly what she had in mind with other artists, hence learning to do it all by herself. “I would go home after each session and practice everything they had done that day” which ended up working in Edwards’s favour. Her releases since becoming her own producer are what Edwards believes to be the most authentic representation of herself to this date.
Edwards’s latest EP ‘FEEL AGAIN SOON’ Was one that helped the artist knock down doors in the industry, however, she reflects that she values the lesson of being “persistent and resilient” as “you never know what could happen and when”. Being an ACT-based artist, Edwards described her journey as a “double-edged sword”, She has a strong community around her with opportunities here and there, but we all know Canberra isn’t central for live music, hence why Edwards finds the struggle to gain exposure through supporting artists and scoring live performances.
In many ways, Edwards still has the upper hand when it comes to musicians in Canberra, being a producer allows the musician to broaden her skills, mindset and ideas through collaboration with other artists. Edwards summarises it to be a form of creative relief in many ways, taking a step away from her work and getting new ideas through other projects. Edwards recalls how she learnt to “improve (her) songwriting and dive into the lyrics over and over again to see how they could evolve”.
Having just returned home from completing her degree in Berkelee studying songwriting and production, Edwards found she was able to refine her work more than ever. The never-ending projects and immersing herself into a whole new country as the only Australian in her course was quite the test for her endurance but it also helped Edwards recognise the incredible programs that are offered here in Australia. Without the one and only Triple J Unearthed and many more programs in New York, she felt that breaking out as an artist there was almost impossible.
On a more positive note, her single ‘4kInMyBrain’ was released this month, exploring the desire to remember life like a 4k video. Being bedridden during her time in New York, she recognised the value of health, quality time with friends and making the most of opportunities whilst you can. The self-produced song involves “textures surrounded by her current state of watching vintage movies and staying in bed” rather than classic instrumental beats, linking back to her thematic and authentic values as an artist.
With an already incredible list of accomplishments and practice under her sleeve, Sophie Edwards is ready to experiment with new themes based on experiences like no other. Make sure you keep an eye out on upcoming music and gigs like Stonefest through her socials here.
