Sophie Joy, vocalist, DJ, and radio presenter will be appearing at the Wild Wood Disco Festival in June. Her extraordinary voice has paved the way for an incredible adventure in the UK and on an international scale over the past 15 years. As a session vocalist, she has lent her talents to a diverse range of genres, from Drum n Bass to Disco. Currently, she serves as the live vocalist for Girls of the Internet, a powerhouse act signed to Classic.
While Sophie enjoys all kinds of music, her heart beats strongest for house music in all its glorious forms, especially when it comes with captivating vocals. She maintains a deep connection to the heritage and history of house, drawing inspiration from the early days of legendary venues like the Paradise Garage and The Loft, all the way to the cutting-edge sounds of today. Sophie hosts regular shows on Brighton radio station 1BTN and Data Transmission. These platforms provide her with an opportunity to showcase her musical taste and share her passion for captivating tunes with a wider audience.
Here we ask Sophie to talk us through some records that have made a dent in her musical world.
1. Grace Under Pressure – Make My Day (10 Minutes Of Soul)
A huge favourite of mine, remixed by Roger Sanchez. A core memory of mine is Derrick Carter dropping this at the end of his set at Homobloc 2021 – I was with one of my best mates, and I swear we had some sort of religious experience as we heard it come in – I thought we were going to ascend! It’s a simply divine track that deserves to be played in its entirety, every time.
2. Soft Keys – Bubbles (Soap Mix)
This is 5 minutes of pure joy for me. Did you know Soapie Bubbles was my nickname at school? I can’t help but smile every time I hear it, it just has this pure, innocent essence of fun about it – which is something I strive to achieve both in my sets and generally in my life! It’s cheeky and just a tiny bit naughty!
3. Larry Heard Missing You (Original Version)
If it were down to me, this would be a list of my top 10 favourite Larry Heard/Mr. Fingers cuts! Anyone that knows me knows that I am THE biggest Larry Heard fan, his music speaks to me on a deeper level. It’s impossible for me to choose one, but I’ve gone with ‘Missing You’ because the first time I heard it I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Such stunning production and I love his sweet, unassuming vocal style in terms of both lyrics and delivery. Anyway, I’ll shut up now or else this will turn into an essay.
4. Ten City – That’s The Way Love Is
I’m a superfan when it comes to Ten City too – all my friends would definitely say this is a ‘Sophie Song’ – it’s a timeless classic, house music perfection in my personal opinion. I never get tired of listening to this, and Byron Stingley’s voice just does it for me! I love his tone and his falsetto. He is definitely someone I look up to as a vocalist.
5. Two Tons of Fun – Just Us
Another track that is nothing but pure joy for me – Martha Wash’s and Izora Armstead’s voices are just sublime on this record, they complement each other perfectly. The combination of their amazing voices soaring together, along with that bassline is such a brilliant combination. This song makes me so happy! I can’t help but smile when I heard – It always makes me think of my friends 🙂
6. Aaliyah – Journey To The Past
I’m a vocalist as well as a DJ, and when it comes to vocals, I’m definitely a 90’s RnB girl at heart. I always say I’m from the Aaliyah school of singing! I must have been 9 or 10 when this came out, I remember being mesmerized by Aaliyah’s voice – she has the clearest, most beautiful tone and the way she sang was just effortless. There’ll never be another like her.
7. Luther Vandross – A House Is Not a Home
For anyone that I have forced to watch this video at an afters – I am sorry! (not sorry!)
Luther is one of my favourite vocalists of all time and someone that influences me greatly. His tone and delivery is unmatched – I feel like my ears are being dipped in warm chocolate every time I listen! this is a performance I come back to often because to be honest, it’s a masterclass in perfection. I’m humbled every time I watch it.
8. Wham! Everything She Wants
This is another big favourite of mine – I absolutely LOVE George Michael, it’s hard to pick a track of his, but for me this is always a winner. It’s a brilliantly crafted pop song in my opinion and I enjoy playing this out when I can. A highlight for me was hearing Horse Meat Disco play this in their set at Gottwood festivals a few years back. It was one of those moments where it was played at just the right time. Bliss!
9. Frankie Knuckles ft Nikki Richards – Keep On Movin’
A list from me wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Godfather himself. One of my cats is named after him!
This is a track that is always on rotation for me, I love playing it out. I originally came across the Familia mix of this track as a teenager on the FK ‘Motivation’ mix CD, but this particular version is my fave. It’s a track that gets progressively better and better as it goes on!
10. Gat Decor – Passion (Grant Nelson Vocal Pressure Mix)
This is such a belter of tune – and SO different from the original version, my mind was blown when I first heard it! I’ve been a Grant Nelson fan for as long as I can remember, and the powerhouse vocals from the late, great Michael Watford are just the icing on the cake. As soon as the keys come on this track it sends me to a higher place. It reminds me that house music is my church!
Thank you.
Thanks for tuning in to this special session with Sophie Joy as she shared the ten tracks that have shaped her musical world. Don’t miss your chance to experience her electrifying performance live at the Wild Wood Disco Festival this June! Get your tickets now and join us under the woodland canopy for an unforgettable weekend of music and magic. See you at the Woodland Glade!
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