Sophia Somajo

Last updated
Sophia Somajo
Birth nameSophia Somajo Venai
Also known asSoso
Born (1985-01-02) January 2, 1985 (age 38) [1] [2]
Stockholm, Sweden
Genres Pop [3]
Occupation(s) singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2007-present
LabelsDo It Yourself Bitch Productions
Website www.sophiasomajo.com

Sophia Somajo Venai (born 2 January 1985), also known as Soso, [4] is a Swedish songwriter, singer and musician of Hungarian descent. [5] She has released two albums and two extended plays, and worked with music producer Max Martin as a songwriter under her name and a number of pseudonyms.

Contents

Biography

Somajo released The Laptop Diaries, her first album, in 2008. The album's musical style has led critics to compare her with singer Robyn. [6]

In 2011, Somajo released the song "Wristcutters Inc.", featuring Pelle Almqvist from The Hives, then intended to be the lead single from her major-label debut album. [7] After leaving a record deal with her record label in 2012, Somajo started her own label, named Do It Yourself Bitch Productions, and released T.T.I.D.S.D.I.E.U.I.C (That Time I Dug So Deep I Ended Up in China), her second album. The album was made available for free download via file sharing website The Pirate Bay. [4] Somajo wrote, recorded and produced the album in her living room. Michael Cragg of The Guardian described it as "a brilliant, brutal and often baffling album that deserves wider attention for its raw and uncompromising dissection of a brain on overdrive." [4] In 2013, Somajo released the song "Low" to celebrate Stockholm Pride. [8]

Somajo released Freudian Slip, an extended play, in 2017. It was her first album where she has worked with outside producers, including Patrik Berger, Michel Flygare and Tobias Jimson. [6] [2] [9]

In 2018, Somajo released her cover of Tina Turner's song "Private Dancer", the first new music from Freudian Slip II, her upcoming second EP. [3] Later that year, Somajo was featured as the vocalist in Norwegian DJ Alan Walker's song "Diamond Heart". [10] Kat Bein of Billboard compared her vocals in "Diamond Heart" to those of singer Sia's. [10]

Songwriting

Somajo has written songs under her name for Swedish artists Robyn and Style of Eye, and under a number of pseudonyms for Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Backstreet Boys, Alesso, Adam Lambert, and other artists. [6] One of the pseudonyms she has used is Tiffany Amber. She described her use of pseudonyms as a way to manage expectations with her own music. In a 2018 interview with Popjustice, Somajo recalled being expected to work as a singer with teams of male songwriters and music producers. She noted producer Max Martin as an exception to that trend, who saw her as equivalent to male producers and gave her a chance to write and produce music. She described women musicians in pop music as shaped by songwriters writing from a male perspective, saying that "in popular culture when women relate to women, they’re actually relating to women as interpreted by men". [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hives</span> Swedish rock band

The Hives are a Swedish rock band formed in Fagersta in 1993. After gaining traction in Sweden through the 1990s, they rose to worldwide prominence in the early 2000s during the garage rock revival. The band's line-up—consisting of Howlin' Pelle Almqvist (vocals), Nicholaus Arson, Vigilante Carlstroem, Dr. Matt Destruction (bass), and Chris Dangerous (drums)—remained unchanged from 1993 until 2013, when Matt Destruction retired for health reasons and was replaced by The Johan and Only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siobhán Donaghy</span> Irish singer and songwriter (born 1984)

Siobhán Emma Donaghy is an English singer and songwriter. She is best known as a founding member of the girl group Sugababes. Donaghy left the Sugababes in 2001 and released her debut solo album, Revolution in Me, in 2003. Her second studio album, Ghosts, was released in 2007 which was met with critical acclaim. Donaghy reformed with Sugababes in 2012.

Deborah Holland is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. She rose to national prominence in 1987 as the lead singer and songwriter of Animal Logic featuring Stanley Clarke and Stewart Copeland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Throw It on Me</span> 2007 promotional single by Timbaland featuring The Hives

"Throw It on Me" is a song performed by American producer, songwriter and rapper Timbaland featured Swedish band The Hives from Timbaland's second studio album Shock Value (2007). The song was released as a promotional single on August 4, 2007 only in Australia.

<i>The Black and White Album</i> 2007 studio album by The Hives

The Black and White Album is the fourth studio album by Swedish rock band The Hives, released on 8 October 2007 through A&M/Octone and Polydor Records. The track listing for The Black and White Album was confirmed on the band's German website on 13 September 2007, and later through NME. The Hives recorded 20 to 30 songs for this album from which they finally chose the best. Other tracks were produced by Jacknife Lee and Dennis Herring. Sessions were held with Timbaland, with whom the band produced the song "Throw It On Me", but took place too late for any of the resulting tracks to be on the album. They hoped to use these songs as B-sides. It is the band's longest album and the only one over the length of 32 minutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Boots</span> English singer-songwriter and DJ

Victoria Christina Hesketh, better known by her stage name Little Boots, is an English electropop singer-songwriter and DJ. She was previously a member of the band Dead Disco. Since performing as a solo artist she has released three albums, Hands (2009), Nocturnes (2013) and Working Girl (2015) and a number of associated EPs and remixes. Hesketh has toured internationally both as a DJ-only act as well as with a full band. Hands reached number five on the UK Albums Chart and the singles "New in Town" and "Remedy" became top twenty hits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bittersweet (Sophie Ellis-Bextor song)</span> 2010 single by Sophie Ellis-Bextor

"Bittersweet" is a song by British singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor, written by Ellis-Bextor, James Wiltshire, Russell Small, Richard Stannard and Hannah Robinson for Ellis-Bextor's fourth studio album Make a Scene. The song was released as the album's third single on 3 May 2010, following two singles on which Ellis-Bextor collaborated, that also appear on Make a Scene.

<i>Body Talk Pt. 1</i> 2010 studio album by Robyn

Body Talk Pt. 1 is the fifth studio album by Swedish singer Robyn, released on 11 June 2010 by Konichiwa Records. It is the first part of the Body Talk series, which consists of three mini-albums. The only single from the album, "Dancing On My Own", was released on 1 June. Robyn promoted the album with the All Hearts Tour she co-headlined with Kelis. Body Talk Pt. 1 reached number one in Sweden and number four in Denmark and Norway. In the United States, it peaked at number three on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Hold Your Breath</span> 2011 single by Nicole Scherzinger

"Don't Hold Your Breath" is a song by American singer Nicole Scherzinger, taken from her debut album, Killer Love (2011). The song began as a demo or reference track by American artists Timbaland and Keri Hilson, which leaked online in June 2010. It went through various iterations and versions which leaked ahead of its release in 2011. The final mixed and mastered version of "Don't Hold Your Breath" was released on March 10, 2011, through Interscope Records, preceding its parent album by one week. "Don't Hold Your Breath" was written by a trio of American songwriters: Josh Alexander, Toby Gad, and Billy Steinberg. It is an empowering independence anthem with lyrics that speak of rebuking the advances of an ex-lover, that features a pop and synth-pop production, with electro-pop beats and Eurodance stylings. Production was courtesy of Carl Falk, Rami and Steve Josefsson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jealousy (Will Young song)</span> 2011 single by Will Young

"Jealousy" is a song by the British singer Will Young. It was written by Will Young, Kish Mauve, and Jim Eliot for his fifth studio album Echoes (2011), while production was helmed by Richard X, with Eliot and Pete Hofmann credited as additional producers. The song was released as the album's lead single on 19 August 2011 in the United Kingdom and received widespread acclaim from music critics, eventually winning music website Popjustice's £20 Music Prize in 2012. "Jealousy" gave Young his first UK top-five hit in five years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charli XCX</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1992)

Charlotte Emma Aitchison, known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery by a promoter who invited her to perform at warehouse raves. In 2010, she signed a recording contract with Asylum Records, releasing a series of singles and mixtapes throughout 2011 and 2012.

<i>Lex Hives</i> 2012 studio album by The Hives

Lex Hives is the fifth studio album by Swedish rock band The Hives, released on 1 June 2012 through Disques Hives, Universal Music, and Columbia Records. It was self-produced by The Hives and mixed by Andrew Scheps, with two additional tracks mixed by Dave Sardy and Joe Zook. The deluxe version features bonus tracks produced by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme. It became the last album from the band to feature bassist Dr. Matt Destruction as he left due to health reasons in late 2013 and was replaced by Randy bassist Johan Gustafsson, who adopted the stage name "The Johan and Only."

"Gang Bang" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna, from her twelfth studio album MDNA (2012). It was written by Madonna, Mika, William Orbit, Priscilla Hamilton, Keith Harris, Jean-Baptiste, Don Juan "Demo" Casanova, and produced by Madonna, Orbit and The Demolition Crew. Madonna cited American director Quentin Tarantino as an inspiration for the song, revealing that she wanted him as the director for the song's music video.

Alexandra Lilah Denton, known professionally as Shura, is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. She is known for her work in the genres of electropop and synth-pop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rozes (musician)</span> American singer

Elizabeth Mencel, better known by her stage name Rozes, is an American musician, singer and songwriter from Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania. She is best known for her 2015 collaboration, "Roses", with duo The Chainsmokers. She also featured in Galantis' song "Girls on Boys".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Lasts Forever (All Saints song)</span> 2018 single by All Saints

"Love Lasts Forever" is a song by English girl group All Saints from their fifth studio album, Testament (2018). Written by group member Shaznay Lewis and producer K-Gee, it premiered as the album's lead single on BBC Radio 2's The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on 31 May 2018.

"Needy" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande. It is the second track on her fifth studio album, Thank U, Next, which was released on February 8, 2019 via Republic Records. The song was written by Grande, Victoria Monét, Tayla Parx, and its producer Tommy Brown.

"Bloodline" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande from her fifth studio album, Thank U, Next (2019) through Republic Records. It was written by Ariana Grande, Savan Kotecha, and its producers Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia (musician)</span> English singer and musician

Georgia Barnes, known mononymously as Georgia, is an English record producer, songwriter, singer, rapper and drummer. The daughter of Leftfield cofounder Neil Barnes, Georgia began her music career as a drummer for artists such as Kwes and Kae Tempest.

References

  1. ↑ "Sophia Somajo (Soso)". Twitter. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  2. 1 2 Lejon, Johanna (24 March 2017). "Sophia Somajo: "hur jag skulle beskriva min musik? Den är fin och går I blått"". Elle Sweden. Archived from the original on 2019-02-24. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  3. 1 2 3 "Sophia Somajo talks Private Dancer, women in pop and writing with Max Martin". Popjustice. 17 September 2018. Archived from the original on 2019-02-21. Retrieved 2019-02-23.
  4. 1 2 3 Cragg, Michael (21 February 2013). "Hidden treasures: Soso – That Time I Dug So Deep I Ended Up in China". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  5. ↑ "Sophia Somajo - October 20th, 2011 - Interview". Tumblr. Tumblr. 2011-10-20. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  6. 1 2 3 Höglund, Av Sara-Märta (26 March 2017). "Hon skriver världshits i hemlighet". Svenska Dagbladet. Archived from the original on 26 March 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  7. ↑ "A new song by Sophia Somajo (AMAZING) featuring Pelle from The Hives (HMMM)". Popjustice. 28 January 2011. Archived from the original on 4 December 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  8. ↑ O'Mance, Brad (5 August 2013). "Soso's giving away a new song to celebrate Stockholm Pride". Popjustice. Archived from the original on 25 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "Sophia Somajo's music is about "wanting to be hit hard and reminded of what it feels to be alive"". Popjustice. 31 March 2017. Archived from the original on 25 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  10. 1 2 Bein, Kat (28 September 2018). "Alan Walker and Sophia Somajo Stand Strong With 'Diamond Heart': Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.