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11th August 2024Sofi Tukker is an internationally acclaimed duo composed of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern who met at Brown University and earned recognition through their infectious party bop “Best Friend,” used by Apple in an advertising campaign.
Throughout New York lockdown, they built a strong following by livestreaming a DJ set every day of the shutdown. Their versatile live show has drawn audiences into festival fields as well as selling out headline tours of their own.
What is Sofi Tukker?
Sofi Tukker stands as a breath of fresh air in an age when artists rely on social media platforms to cultivate online fanbases and labels engage in intensive grassroots marketing strategies, taking an inclusive, global perspective to electronic music with themes of freedom, unity and self-empowerment in its works. Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern of Sofi Tukker’s multigenre duo make for a refreshing change.
Their first big break came when their song, “Drinkee,” featured in an Apple Watch commercial and attracted over 20 million Spotify streams. Since then, they’ve gone on to tour with major festival acts, perform at some of the nation’s premier venues, and even land an appearance in an iPhone commercial!
They’ve returned to the studio to record their next LP, BREAD–an acronym for “Be Really Energetic and Dance”. You can expect it to showcase guitar-led rhythms with playful instrumentation from Brazil, funk jazz and jazz genres as well. While waiting, check out one of their live shows or catch them online.
Who are Sofi Tukker?
Sofi Tukker (composed of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern), are an electronic dance duo based in New York. Their song, “Best Friend”, featured prominently during Apple’s iPhone X commercial launch event, earning them a Grammy nomination this year. Furthermore, their 2017 EP Soft Animals became platinum status.
Sofi Tukker released their second studio album Wet Tennis in 2022. Their livestream shows, running daily through the COVID shutdown, attracted thousands of viewers and formed an unrivaled following known as Freak Fam.
Hawley-Weld and Halpern credit their success with their second album to being more relaxed artists now that they’ve experienced success with both of them as individuals. Already at work on a third project that they expect will showcase more dramatic elements, while continuing to push themselves creatively; their positivity clearly pays dividends!
How did Sofi Tukker get noticed?
Sofi Tukker was initially uncertain that music was possible for her; then an email notification changed everything.
Apple had given the band an enormous boost by revealing they would use “Drinkee” in an iPhone commercial announcing this news – providing a major breakthrough that continues to fuel their success even today.
Sofi Tukker remains an international sensation and can be seen performing across stages worldwide – from Ultra Music Festival in Miami and Croatia, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Electric Castle Firefly Outside Lands festivals as well as their Las Vegas residency at Marquee Nightclub at The Cosmopolitan.
Sofi Tukker’s success as musician-activists can be traced directly back to their commitment as musicians-activists. Recently, they partnered with Arcade Fire-founded non-profit PLUS1 to donate one dollar from each ticket sold during their Treehouse tour to social good initiatives; such as mental health causes. It’s yet another example of Sofi Tukker putting their massive online “Freak Fam” community to work!
What is Sofi Tukker’s music like?
Sofi Tukker’s music is colorful, dynamic, and boldly outlandish – reflecting their playful personalities and eccentric on-stage antics. Their sound fuses traditional house, Brazilian classics, and experimental phonics in an original style that is all their own.
Jacare, for instance, marries acoustic rhythms with Portuguese vocals as well as club beats and electro-funk to create an engaging piece that shows Sophie and Tucker’s wide-ranging musical talent and ability.
Due to their diverse sound, this band has garnered over 7+ million monthly Spotify listeners and two Grammy nominations, in addition to remixing songs for vintage culture icons Billie Eilish and Lady Gaga. Their most recent release BREAD comes after Treehouse (2018) and Wet Tennis (2022).
