Music fans slam St. Vincent’s ‘terrible’ tribute to late trans producer Sophie
St. Vincent honours late music icon SOPHIE in a new song – but not everyone is impressed. (Getty)
A new song paying tribute to trans DJ and music producer Sophie leaves a lot to be desired, according to the late musician’s many fans.
A track on All Born Screaming, the seventh album from queer singer-songwriter Annie Clark – known as St. Vincent – released on Thursday (26 April), refers to Sophie’s death.
Grammy-nominated artist Sophie died in January 2021, after falling from the roof of a three-storey building in Greece while trying to get a better view of a full moon.
Sophie’s death prompted an outpouring of grief from LGBTQ+ music fans, artists and collaborators, including Kim Petras, Charli XCX and Rihanna.
On “Sweetest Fruit”, St. Vincent sings: “My Sophie climbed the roof to get a better view of the moon, moon. My God, then one wrong step took her down to the depths, but for a minute, what a view.”
Some fans feel conflicted about St. Vincent referring to “my Sophie” considering they didn’t know each other.
Speaking to Rolling Stone UK, St. Vincent revealed that she “was a fan of Sophie from afar” but the pair never met.
Other fans were left unimpressed with “Sweetest Fruit” being another tribute to focus on the way Sophie died. Last year, singer-songwriter Caroline Polachek dedicated “I Believe” to the DJ, which includes the line: “Look over the edge, but not too far.”
Writing on social media, one fan commented: “Unfortunately, Sophie’s legacy is slowly becoming defined by her demise. Almost every ‘tribute’ will reference her death, rarely a statement to her life and impact.”
Another said: “I find it so weird how everyone’s tribute songs are about how [Sophie] passed away.”
Others labelled the track “a parody” and “tone deaf”.
St. Vincent told Rolling Stone that the song was an extended product of a jam session.
“I loved that we could make a song around that… I read about the circumstances of her death and it was so tragic. This idea that she was just trying to get a better look at the moon. That moved me because there are a lot of us in human history, people looking for something on the outer reaches.”
Other fans defended St. Vincent, with one calling the lyrics “gorgeous” and a second saying Sophie’s fans were “overreacting”.
In June, Charli XCX will release “So I“, which also refers to the music star, but focuses more on their time working together.
it includes the line: “Wish I tried to pull you closer, you pushed me hard, made me focus. Your words, brutal, loving, truthful. I was petrified. You’re a hero and a human.”
All Born Screaming is out now.
