Sophie Auster

SOPHIE AUSTER

Sophie Auster released her self-titled debut under the French label Naïve when she was 18 years old. While still attending Sarah Lawrence College, Auster spent her school vacations touring and performing at festivals across Europe and South America, eventually landing her, in 2007, on the cover of Spanish Rolling Stone. She has since appeared in Vogue, Elle, Les InRocks, SPIN, Glamour, Velvet, Paper and was featured as one of W’s rising stars.

Her upcoming LP, Dogs and Men, will be released in June 2015. Says Auster, “The title represents the two halves of the album. The subject matter is split in two. Men represent love and heartache, and dogs the more surreal and dreamy side of the album.” The album was produced by Jared Samuel, who has collaborated with Cibo Matto, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger and Plastic Ono Band, among others.

The sessions for Dogs and Men began before the release of Auster’s 2012 Red Weather EP, when she entered the studio to write and record what was originally supposed to be another six-song EP. After the initial six were completed, she kept writing, finishing five additional songs. With the help of her band and session players, songs were fleshed out and recorded at various studios around Brooklyn. Auster explains, “Everyone who worked on the record was passionate about the project and invested their time and energy in making it the best record we could possibly make at the time. Without this good will and spirit I don’t think the record would be what it is now.”

The music highlights her visceral vocals and heart-wrenching lyrics. The Deli writes, “Sophie Auster is not the kind of singer likely to come up too often. Like a cross between Fiona Apple’s righteous rage and Gillian Welch’s homespun folk yarns, her bittersweet alto’s deft sense of delivery is a shot to the scull, wrapped up in some of the most alluring, seductive torch songs you’re liable to find…”

Sophie’s recent showcase at New York’s Le Poisson Rouge earned rave reviews. “From track to track, Sophie whipped her hair, swayed her hips, and jerked her body around as the band struck gold after gold. Her voice ranged from a sensual rasp to a growing melodic boom that commanded the attention of everyone one in the venue” (Stage Buddy).

Last updated: June 29, 2015