Sophie May (singer) explained

Birth Date:October 1999[1]
Years Active:2020–present

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

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

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. In April 2022, May released her debut single "With the Band", which quickly garnered over a million streams,[5] [6] alongside an additional track "Bruises and Scratches".[7] This was followed by the dual singles "Bad Man"[8] 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.[9] She made her festival debut at Barn on the Farm, featured in Live at Leeds,[10] and had gigs in London supporting Maltese, Ocean Alley,[11] Inhaler, Sarah Kinsley, and Spector.[12]

In April 2023, May went to Australia, traveling around the country on the Groovin the Moo circuit.[13] [14] Upon returning to England, she performed at the Great Escape Festival[15] and Latitude Festival.[16] May reunited with Maltese and Spector's Fred Macpherson[17] for her second EP Worst Thoughts in the World, which was released in August 2023 via Believe UK.[18] Ahead of the EP's release came the singles "Doppelgänger"[19] and "The Babysitter". This was followed by the mini-album Half-Songs in October.[20] She also had gigs at 7 Layers Festival and Reeperbahn Festival.[21]

At the start of 2024, May released the single "No More Birthdays".[22] She was a featured artist at Liverpool Sound City.[23] That summer, May released her next EP Deep Sea Creatures,[24] accompanied by the singles "Tiny Dictator", which is based on her experiences with OCD;[25] [26] "Brian Cox" featuring the titular physicist;[27] [28] and "Just Want You".[29] 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.[30] In autumn 2024, May supported Searows on tour in Europe. She then embarked on tour in Australia, first as an opening act for Maltese[31] before headlining her own dates, with support from Maia Toakley and Harper Bloom.[32]

Artistry

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".[33] 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.[34] She has also named Joni Mitchell, Elliott Smith,[4] Frank Ocean, and Lana Del Rey, as influences.[2]

Personal life

May has dyslexia and OCD.[35]

Discography

LPs / mini-albums

EPs

Singles

Notes and References

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

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