Sofi Tukker appears to be a female singer, but they are actually a New York-based music group founded in 2014 by Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern. They debuted in October 2015 with “Drinkee” and have since dominated the music charts. With this song, they dominated the Spotify Viral Charts for a long time. On July 8, 2016, they released an EP titled “Soft Animals” and reconnected with music fans. “Wet Tennis,” their latest album, is now available.
So, who exactly is Sofi Tukker?
Sophie Hawley-Weld, one of the band members, was born in Germany in 1992. She is an artist whose lifelong ambition has been to become a singer, and she has succeeded. Tucker Halpern is a basketball player from Massachusetts, USA, who was born in 1989. Sofi was born in Germany but spent her childhood in Canada and Italy. An artist who studied African local instruments and was interested in Brazilian culture. Tukker, on the other hand, had to say goodbye to the fields after suffering a serious injury as a professional basketball player. During his recovery, he began to carve a path for himself in electronic music and DJing, which he had previously expressed an interest in.
What brought Sofi Tukker together?
Sofi and Tucker first met during their college years in Brown, USA. Sofi was a Brazilian Latin and African melodies DJ when they met, while Tukker was a house music DJ. Sofi was performing with a bossa nova band at an art gallery at the time, and Tukker was DJing at an after party one day at the art gallery. Tukker concluded the event by remixing a Sofi song. They decided to make music together after everyone liked the outcome. They’ve been inseparable since.
Their Inspiration for Music
Yoga, according to Sofi, is her main source of inspiration for her music. Sofi is a yoga instructor who incorporates her yoga philosophy into her life and music. She does breathing exercises before each concert. Tukker, on the other hand, claims that his life and music are dependent on movement, and that his favorite activity is DJing at parties. She can even record a sound she hears while walking in the woods and incorporate it into one of her songs. The duo’s creation processes are very different, but when they meet in the middle, they nearly complete each other. When asked what they would tell people who don’t know you, they say you’re “extremely different from each other, but a very fun combination when combined.”
The duo expresses that their music is universal and that they try to be fed by as many cultures as possible. As a result, we can say that their sound is extremely rich. That’s why it’s so difficult to define their music’s geographical boundaries! For example, in the very popular “Matadora,” they used the “charango,” a Bolivian instrument. Their music is based on house music, but they add African and Latin melodies to it. Their music is described as “Jungle Pop” by the music community.
How Did Sofi Tukker Get Noticed?
The track “Johny,” from their first EP, was included in the 2017 edition of FIFA. Apple chose the song “Best Friend” to be used in iPhone X advertisements. SOFI TUKKER was able to gain recognition as a result of these developments.
In 2017, she was nominated for best dance song for “Drinkee,” and in 2018, she was nominated for best dance/electronic album for her studio album “Treehouse.”
They made a lot of noise at their March 2019 concert in Istanbul. The duo admired both Istanbul and the Istanbul concert audience. The couple, who spent a lot of time in Istanbul’s historical sites, posted a lot on Instagram.
Sofi Tukker’s Projects
If we change the subject, SOFI TUKKER is the founder of the artist collective “Animal Talk.” While traveling and touring, they also encourage and support artists who are extremely talented but lack the courage to pursue their dreams. They collaborate on various project ideas and have fun together. You will realize that this is a win-win situation for everyone.
We can also say that the pair is extremely helpful. They announced in a video that they would meet with people who took part in the “educational scholarship for young girls” event and donated to an education foundation that was started through an application at the backstage after the concert in Istanbul. And they succeeded.
Sofi Tukker was one of the most active artists during the pandemic, when we were all cooped up at home. They spiced up the monotonous quarantine period by streaming DJ sets on Instagram almost every day. They became the second most watched live broadcast artist in 2020, with millions tuning in. They broadcasted live from Zorlu PSM’s Instagram account one day. Mahmut Orhan, a world-renowned Turkish DJ, also took part in this broadcast. “Swing” by the duo was remixed by Mahmut Orhan. They expressed a desire to collaborate at the end of the broadcast. Later, Mahmut Orhan remixed “Drinkee,” which he liked a lot. They released the single “Forgive Me” as SOFI TUKKER & MAHMUT ORHAN two months ago. This song, which received 2 million clicks in a short period of time, was also well received by music fans. Furthermore, the duo’s use of Tofaş cars and the Turkish flag in the video was a nice gesture to both Mahmut Orhan and the Turkish audience.
They released singles with other artists as well as Mahmut Orhan. “It Don’t Matter,” which they released with Inna, was well received and received a lot of views. The song “Sun Came Up,” which they released with John Summit, was also well received. With songs like “Best Friend,” “Purple Hat,” “F*ck They,” “Swing,” “House Arrest,” “Mon Cheri,” and “Original Sin,” they became popular among dance fans.
Wet Tennis Album
Finally, they’ve released their “Wet Tennis” album! They also continue to work with Brazilian poet Chacal, who assisted them in writing the Portuguese lyrics for several tracks on the album. They instilled house music on African and Latin instruments such as ukulele and percussion, as they did on their first album. As a result, we see how mixed sound sources combine to create a magnificent synchronization. You should be prepared to experience bursts of serotonin while listening to the album! A video was made for “Kakee,” one of the album’s more interesting tracks. This video quickly gained a large number of views. “Larry Bird” is another intriguing song. This song features an excellent use of woodwinds and drums. With “Wet Tennis,” they organized a 35-minute dance party for us. Consider it a global, love, and enthusiasm themed party.
If we had to describe their music in three words to someone who had never heard of them before, we would say: fun, dance, and lust! Listen to them; it’s as if you can feel the spirit of Brazil and Africa coursing through your veins. It’s like strolling through a tropical forest. The duo that comes to mind when it comes to jungle pop, influenced by both various cultures and the house music of the 1990s, gives music lovers an unforgettable dance night at every concert.
SOFI TUKKER, the extraordinary hitmaker who has become the indispensable duo of dance floors, is on tour in support of their album “The Wet Tennis.” As part of this tour, they will return to Turkey to perform in three different cities.
