Born and raised in Quebec City, Canada, Sophie Breton came crashing into our world last year with the release of her nostalgia-laced single ‘Slow Driver‘. Then came ‘Nota Bene‘ and ‘October‘, and we just knew that we’d stumbled upon a gifted and deeply authentic artist.
With a brand new tune to promote, we were desperate to catch up with Sophie, and were extremely grateful when she agreed to an interview! Taking us through ‘Is Love Enough’, what she enjoys doing on non-music days, and which three albums she’d take with her to a deserted island, please give a big welcome to our friend Sophie Breton!
Hey Sophie! It’s great to be able to re-introduce you to our audience! We at Mesmerized have been firm fans of yours ever since hearing ‘Slow Driver’, but for those who haven’t discovered your artistic prowess just yet, who is Sophie Breton and how would you describe your sound?
Well, first, hi to all the people discovering me right now! I’m Sophie Breton, I create pop music, nice to meet you! Hello again Mesmerized team, I am happy and grateful to chat with you! I would describe my sound as a safe space to make people feel less lonely in their emotions in this hard world.
Your brand new single ‘Is Love Enough’ has stolen my heart! I love how your vocals perfectly mirror that electric guitar at times – it’s mystifying! What do you want the world to know about your latest tune?
‘Is Love Enough’ is an emotional whirlwind that was inspired by many conversations with friends last year. Many of my friends left long relationships thinking they had found their person or lost themselves in the betrayal of expectations and standards of love these days. The lyrics of the song may seem vague but it was difficult to put into words all the thoughts that inhabited these conversations and these reflections. Despite everything, it seemed to reach people in different ways, either through the words or the emotion conveyed. I thought it would be a ballad but ultimately I felt that it had to be a song to release emotions…so you can now listen to ‘Is Love Enough’.
Now, I know this is a toughie, and possibly like asking you to pick a favourite child, but which tune of yours are you most proud of to date, and why?
Ouf, this is a tough one! I think ‘October’ is the song I’m most proud of at the moment because it’s the longest song I’ve ever done. It has an atypical structure and it has challenged me in the process of creation. I was out of my comfort zone making this one and I have good memories of it!
Who would you put down as some of your biggest musical influences and who would you ultimately credit for helping shape and mould your overall sound?
Thinking back, my musical background is so vast! I’m a born and raised French-Canadian so when I was a child, I was listening to all of the French music and I loved old French music like Jacques Brel, it’s so pretty! My parents made me listen to Styx and my aunt played The Beatles on loop. I think I unconsciously had so many different influences growing up. I was spending my weekends with friends listening to new music, from Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus, I never limited myself to a few artists and always loved to discover. So, I think my sound is changing from one song to another because of that.
How do you navigate the balance between staying true to your artistic vision and adapting to changing trends in the music industry?
That’s a good and great question! Yesterday, I was just listening to Emily Wurramara’s interview with Happy Mag saying that we are currently living in a society where even music is part of the fast fashion and that runs on my mind so often. I don’t wanna create to be viral or something, I just want to create because I deeply love music and art. In fact, we keep being told as independent non-signed artists that consistency and social media are kinda key to success which can get triggering because we tend to fall in a loop of pressure, and I mean art is clearly not made for that. So I always try to isolate myself from social media when I’m creating music to stay focused on my ideas and emotions and to not get influenced by trends. I also try to have conversations with friends and family or even strangers I meet to be inspired and grounded by that. It’s not always easy but I’m doing my best and always listen to my heart.
When you’re not creating new music, what keeps you busy and what do you enjoy doing? Walk us through a non-musical day in the life of Sophie Breton.
I need time off from my never-stopping creative brain, but I’m not gonna lie, it’s hard! The only thing keeping me relaxed is cooking. I love cooking! So I try to take time off to cook some bread or meals and watch some series with my cat Leo. Most importantly, I try on those days to not be on social media in order to recharge completely.
Alright, Sophie – desert island time! You’re allowed to grab 3 albums before being stranded on an island. Which do you choose?
Oh my god! Only 3 albums? Wait, I need to think about it haha! I think ‘Folklore’ by Taylor Swift must be by my side because I listen to it on a daily basis so of course I need it. Because it’s an island, I think I should bring ‘Solar Power’ by Lorde because it is a perfect soundtrack to relax and I love listening to it on sunny days, even in winter, it’s just perfect! The last one would be ‘Romance Latino Vol. 3’ by Lisa Ono. To me, Lisa is such a unique and complete artist. I love every project she has ever done. Bossa nova is just a must to happiness, isn’t it? I can’t get tired of it!
Thanks again for taking the time Sophie! It’s been great getting to know you a little better. Before we let you go, is there a release date in mind for the new album? What can you tell us about it?
No release date to announce yet but the album will reach a lot of people given that it touches on a ton of themes and emotions. I can’t wait to share it! Thank you for your time, it was fun!
