Sophie Wise
Folk-Colored Stories –
Sometimes Sophie drives in silence, fragments of lyrics circling her mind before slowly landing to merge with melodies.
“In the moments of silence, songs come,” Sophie explains. A natural musician, the songs Sophie dreams up offer gifts of honest introspection, while her feel-good melodies shimmer with a soft glow that feels a lot like nostalgia.
Sophie began playing piano at the age of ten and fell in love with it. “It stuck with me,” she recalls. In high school she began experimenting with her brother’s guitar, and decided to save up to buy her own. Singing and music became a growing part of her life, and she went on to earn a degree in music.
She began to really hit the scene about a year ago, as an opportunity to play a gig for a benefit fundraiser opened up, and she felt compelled to accept. “From there on, doors opened up,” Sophie explains.
With songs like “When A Man” (released July 8 of last year), Sophie speaks to real issues her listeners may be faced with. “‘When A Man’ is a pretty clear cut story about domestic violence – from a third person perspective and a lot of people connect with it”, Sophie explains. “Trigger Pull”, another of her songs, is “about lies and vices. It’s a rose colored glass (half-full), you look good (at first) kind of song. Her other songs, “Vermont Water” and “I Don’t Hate You,” also tend to strike a chord with listeners.
Her music is her own creation, and Sophie can’t help but recognize glimpses of the ones who inspired her. “People are collages of all the things they love,” Sophie says, listing some of the influences who have lended some fragments of form to the collage of her work. Randy Carlisle, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks, and Bob Dylan have all inspired her in one form or another, and elements of their influence can be found in her music.
Sultry, smooth vocals, singable melodies, and swaying, strumming rhythms invite listeners to reach through a window and marvel at Sophie’s folk-colored stories. Sophie’s music feels exactly like what we’ve been missing. It feels right.
“I like a little bit of everything,” Sophie says, “But what colors my music most is folk.” She classifies herself as a folk singer/songwriter, and when it comes to making music, she does things her own way. Often she can be seen on stage singing and playing not only guitar but also harmonica and foot tambourine.
At first, musical expression for Sophie came in the form of writing instrumental pieces. Eventually she began experimenting with words. For Sophie, the story completes the song. “I’m drawn to artists who tell really good stories with their lyrics,” Sophie says, adding, “A timeless story could be from any decade, [if] at the end of the day, you relate to it just as much.”
“It’s a discipline,” Sophie says, when asked about the process of creating music. With discipline and time, she has created enough original material to produce a full length live album, for now her live EP is out.
“It’s a little backwards from how most musicians do it,” Sophie admits. But for her, a live EP before a studio album just felt right. “I love being a local artist and relying on the local community,” she explains. “Hearing people sing your own song back to you is such a rush. The energy is like a circuit,” Sophie says. “A live EP preserves a cool memory I want to keep. I couldn’t do it without the community.”
Sophie’s vision as a musician is to create connections through making and performing music she loves. “I work on music at home, then I put it out there,” she says. “It’s vulnerable, and it’s up to the listeners whether it gets picked up or not.” Once she’s written a song, the next part of the process for her is sending it out into the world. “It’s no longer my song to keep, I’ve got to be willing to put it out there.”
People have been generous and receptive to her unique words and melodies. She recently took the stage at Ben Redding’s The Living Room which spotlights local artists and encourages connection, creativity, and fun. “I love how the local musical community supports each other,” Sophie says. “I’m inspired by other local musicians – seeing them be authentic inspires me to be more me.” Sophie has also recently performed at The Goetchius House (405 Broadway) and frequently plays in Auburn at the AU Club and Auburn Plaza. “I still play open mic nights,” she smiles. “I get to try out new material and see how it does. I plan to keep doing what I’m doing and have fun doing it.”
Sophie’s new album “Live at the Living Room” just released and can be found on any streaming service. Find her on her Instagram @sophiewiseexperience.
By Natalie Downey