SOFY announces debut album How To Perform Magic alongside new single 'DooYaa'

Hotly-tipped Leicester-via-London songwriter SOFY today unveils the news of her highly-anticipated debut album, How To Perform Magic, out on September 25 via independent release. The news arrives alongside ‘DooYaa’, a tongue-in-cheek slice of britpop brilliance that scowls at nepotism prevailing over earned merit.

The album – written and recorded in Camden with longtime collaborator and bandmate Edward Denholm in almost total isolation, and later mixed by Mercury Prize-nominated Nathan Boddy (Olivia Dean, Oklou, Nilufer Yanya) – draws it title from one of the album’s key songs, and SOFY’s favourite track, ‘How To Perform Magic’: “I’m a magician, and for my favourite trick, I’ll ruin everything! It’s quite incredible.” It’s a line about self confidence colliding with self destruction – one that resonated deeply with her reality and inner dialogue.

Written in the midst of intensive digital burnout, mounting industry frustrations, and the heavy emotional rollercoaster that comes with your late 20s, the record captures SOFY becoming untethered. From the outside, all appeared bright: a FIFA soundtrack placement, a loyal fanbase (or army of “rats”, as they call themselves), Glastonbury appearances, sold-out shows across the country, opening for Sabrina Carpenter, Liam Gallagher and Kasabian, and praise from Arlo Parks, Sam Fender and Yungblud…not a bad feat considering she has built her career with no major label backing, and her management handled by her best friend.

However, beneath the surface was burnout, pressure, and a spiralling mental decline. “It’s a symptom of this fast food culture of music over the past few years,” she notes of virality culture. It affected every aspect of her life. Her attention span, her creativity, even her relationships. Temporarily removing herself from the online sphere was the only way to ensure she wouldn’t circle the drain. “I actually feel like me again.”

“I’ve always felt like songwriting is its own kind of magic… but at that time, it genuinely felt like the only thing that could fix everything was waving a magic wand,” she admits.

Catharsis, and a sense of renaissance is a prominent feature in the record. The album traverses themes of dejection, imposter syndrome, disillusion carried by guitar-led melancholy, dusty breakbeats, reverb soaked vocals and low-slung basslines; in the quintessential SOFY manner, it’s unflinching (and even a touch sardonic) in its honesty, but at the forefront is a distinct willingness, a burning passion, and a refusal to let go of something she loves so dearly.

“I love ‘DooYaa,’ it’s one of my favourite songs I’ve ever written. Its strength is definitely in its sarcasm.” SOFY notes on the lead single. The track was during a period when she was balancing two jobs to support her music, and doing everything in her power to keep momentum as an independent artist.

“I felt really frustrated seeing others handed opportunities through nepotism, industry connections, or major labels. So this song is a huge two fingers up to the hype machine.”

How To Perform Magic: