Soko turns heads with American tour
Best known for their song “Pumped Up Kicks,” Foster the People is still going strong. They are currently touring with French singer Soko and Sylvan Esso. All three will be coming to The Shrine, right next to USC, next Friday, Nov. 14. Being the only female and non-American on tour with the other male-only groups, Soko is the anomaly on this indie pop, folk and electro pop tour.
Starting young · Stéphanie Sokolinski, who performs as Soko, started playing the piano at the age of five to deal with the death of her father. Now 29, her talent and emotional touch are evident in her music. — Photo courtesy of bb gun press
Stéphanie Sokolinski, stage name Soko, hails from Bordeaux, France. She has only recently ventured into America’s entertainment and music industry. Touring with the immensely popular Foster the People has been quite the experience for the new musician.
“I had no idea [Foster the People] were so big and we would be playing such huge venues,” she said. “On the first show we played together, I wasn’t sure if I was going to throw up or faint on stage. It ended up going great and being an amazing tour, and definitely gave me a bit more confidence in my playing.”
Soko’s sound is a mixture of folk and indie rock. Her dreamlike voice can be compared to that of Lana Del Rey’s and classic French songstresses. Her previous songs have relied heavily on guitar, piano, tambourine and brass instruments. Her popular song “First Love Never Die,” which has more than 2.2 million hits on YouTube, is in a saturated faded color palette and draws upon the foggy memory of childhood.
Similar to her music video, Soko’s musical style evokes an upbeat tone. She calls upon her own childhood for inspiration and utilizes music as a cathartic experience. “so I make art out of all my dark thoughts and turn them into something more positive so I can accept situations, honor them, and move on from it,” Soko said. “Cut myself out of the world until I’m finally ready give birth to whatever was being my burden. Mostly fear of death, weird childhood memories. Guilt. All these fun things.”
The ability to turn the negativity into positivity is nothing new to Soko. At a young age, her father passed away and Soko used music and performing as an avenue to cope. She initially found acting as solace but eventually found her passion in music.
“I started playing piano at 5 years old when my father died … whatever could keep me busy so I won’t dwell in sadness … by then, I wanted to be a story teller at that age, in my head, it meant acting,” Soko said. “But around 20 years old, I got really bored with acting, and I had always been writing a lot but never took it seriously, and I started turning all my writing and dark thoughts into songs … and after I played my first show, it became completely vital and an actual goal and took over my life.”
This emotional method to her songwriting has resulted in a lyrical style that makes her unique to this tour lineup. Soko draws upon her own idiosyncrasies and individuality for an unforgettable, yet relatable set.
“Accept all my quirks but embrace them and [try] to shine a light on them,” Soko said. “I don’t want anything to be perfect, perfection is for monkeys. I like mistakes, I embrace weirdness.”
Though she has been passionate about music and acting her whole life, her seemingly natural ability did not equate into instant popularity.
“Man, It’s so hard. And you most likely won’t make any money” Soko said. “So, only do it if you’re 1,000,000 percent committed and if it’s completely vital for you.”
But Soko’s work ethic has also allowed her to achieve her early level of success.
“I’m a complete workaholic and control freak,” she said. “So ultimately, as much as I hate obstacles, this is what pushes me to better myself everyday and learn how to deal with life a little better. And even though disappearing and quitting sometimes seems like the easiest way out, pushing through definitely makes you stronger.”
Soko’s future plans involve music and acting — she shared that she plans to release a new album, My Dreams Dictate My Reality, in February 2015, and is booked as an actress in two movies for 2015.
When Soko performs at the Shrine with Foster the People, USC students should look forward to a night that differs from the usual house or rave music at this venue. Foster the People, Sylvan Esso and Soko represent a wide array of diverse musicalities and personalities that will entertain students. Soko herself said to expect “fun, tears, punk, white goths, aliens, weird dances.”