Watch Charli XCX Debut SOPHIE Tribute Song “So I” At Billboard Women In Music
Charli XCX is getting ready to release her new album Brat, and she dropped the single “Von Dutch” last week. We don’t know too much about the new album just yet, but last night Charli debuted another track that’ll presumably appear on the LP. “So Do I” is her tribute to her late friend and collaborator SOPHIE.
Charli XCX and SOPHIE worked together on a number of tracks, including the iconic banger “Vroom Vroom.” When Charli was first exploring strange, futuristic songs and textures, SOPHIE was one of her main influences and collaborators. SOPHIE died suddenly in a 2021 accident, and Charli wrote a moving tribute. In a recent interview with The Face, Charli describes a song about her feelings of shame after SOPHIE’s passing:
There was a lot of distance between us because I was in awe of her and wanted to impress her… She believed in me in ways that I didn’t believe [in] myself. But I felt like I would never be interesting enough to operate in her world outside of the studio, which was the safe space where we could connect and bond over music… I didn’t feel like I was magical enough for this unbelievably magic person. And that makes me ashamed now I don’t have the opportunity to experience that anymore, because she’s gone. I feel ashamed for being a coward. It’s hard to write about. I’m sad for myself that I didn’t experience all this person had to offer.
Last night, Billboard held its Women In Music Awards at YouTube Theater in Inglewood. The event honored artists like Karol G, Maren Morris, Ice Spice, Victoria Monét, PinkPantheress, NewJeans, and Kylie Minogue. Charli was presented with the Powerhouse Award, which was previously given to people like Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and Latto. Charli also performed, using the occasion to debut “So Do I.” The song references SOPHIE’s 2017 track “It’s Okay To Cry,” and the lyrics are awfully vulnerable: “Wish I tried to pull you closer/ You pushed me hard, made me focus/ Your words, brutal, loving, truthful/ I was petrified.” Last night’s event will stream tonight, but you can watch fan footage of Charli’s performance below.
Brat is out this summer.