Born on Sep. 17, 1986, in Glasgow, Scotland, Sophie — also stylized as SOPHIE and known by the extended name Sophie Xeon — was a British music producer, DJ, and songwriter. Having come out publicly as transgender in 2017, she was seen as a trans icon.
Sophie’s distinctive experimental sound was a self-assertive take on the sugary pop genre. It ventured into the subgenres of avant-pop, dance-pop, hyper-pop (which she helped pioneer), and more.
She produced for stars like Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Charlie XCX, Vince Staples, Kim Petras, Gaika, Shygirl, and Let’s Eat Grandma but was best known for her extensive production discography.
Her work included two studio albums, a compilation album, a remix album, an EP, and 19 singles as a lead artist. Her 2019 album, Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, was nominated for a Grammy. She also appeared on two singles as a featured artist and remixed a dozen singles for other artists.
Tragically, Sophie passed away in Athens, Greece, on Jan. 30, 2021 at the age of just 34. So what happened?
A sudden tragic accident
As per USA Today, a police spokesperson in Athens, where Sophie reportedly lived at the time, confirmed she slipped and fell from the balcony of the apartment where she was staying in the early hours of the morning. She survived the initial fall, but later died in hospital. There were no suspicious circumstances or foul play involved in her passing.
In an emailed statement, the artist’s family wrote, “Tragically our beautiful Sophie passed away this morning after a terrible accident. True to her spirituality she had climbed up to watch the full moon and accidentally slipped and fell. She will always be here with us. The family thank everyone for their love and support and request privacy at this devastating time.”
Sophie’s departure from this mortal coil leaves a massive void in the entertainment world. May she forever rest in peace.