FIVE YEARS ON: SOPHIE AND THE GIANTS ARE JUST GETTING STARTED

WORDS RACHEL EDWARDS PHOTOGRAPHY SIMON EMMETT

When we first caught up with Sophie and the Giants five years ago, things were moving quickly for the Sheffield born band. Fast forward to 2025 and you'd be forgiven for wondering if Sophie has slept at all in these last few years.

On Friday, Sophie dropped "Bad Friends," a pop-y, dancefloor-ready track that perfectly depicts the chaos of friendships built on late nights, blurred lines, and inevitable mistakes. It’s the latest glimpse into a new era for Sophie and the Giants, with a debut mini-album and a 13-date European headline tour set to land later this year. Think bigger stages, bolder sound - but the heart of it remains the same: raw, restless, and refusing to sit still. We sat down to talk friends, touring and most importantly, taste in sandwiches!

Rachel Edwards: Hey Sophie! Welcome back to F Word five years later, and congratulations on your new single ‘Bad Friends’!

Sophie: Thank you for having me back!!! It’s been a journey.

RE: Was there a specific moment that inspired the track?

S: Yeah! There’s so many ways you can be a Bad Friend, but this track was actually inspired by a friendship that was terrible at faking it. We were way more than friends and eventually that thing that we really thought we shouldn’t do, we ended up doing … But sometimes the worst decisions make the best memories. Thankfully it actually turned out well even though for a while it was emotional chaos!

RE: If you ask me, friendship break-ups can be as necessary and as painful as romantic break ups but they don’t get much air time- have you had a bad friendship break up?

S: Absolutely, I think every close friend break up that I’ve had has felt on the same level as a romantic break up for me. I hold my friends very close, if not closer and so it’s a big deal and I feel it a lot.

RE: What’s a “bad friend” moment from your past that now makes you laugh?

S: I brought a date home with me during Covid and the morning we woke up together my date showed me they’d tested positive … my best friend/housemate rightly so, banished me to my room … I had secretly known they were waiting for the results but in a moment of desperation I still went on the date and risked our lives for some action.

Anyway, neither of us caught it !! and I just played sad guitar songs and cried really loudly in my room till she forgave me.

RE: You’ve collaborated with so many amazing producers and musicians! Do you have a favourite?

S: It was a really big deal for me to work with Benny Benassi, I love ‘Satisfaction’ and it’s just one of the most iconic tracks ever. Also, he is one of the sweetest people on earth.

RE: Last time we spoke you’d just released ‘Runaway’. How do you think your style and sound have evolved in the last five years?

S: I’ve experimented a lot with my sound, through every phase of my career I’ve been inspired by something different, I’ve done indie music and disco and electronic and dance. I like that I’m not afraid to evolve and try these things but I’m definitely in my happy place right now, I’ve always had a connection with dance music and it feels so right. I’m living!

RE: Most importantly, is cheese ploughman still your favourite sandwich filling?

S: Oh killer sandwich! But now probably something really boujee like tofu teriyaki haha.

RE:You’ve got the European tour lined up in November - which city on the tour are you most excited to perform in and why?

S: I’m SO excited for London and Manchester, it’s just been forever and I’ve missed it a lot.

RE: When you’re touring, do you have any diva requests for your dressing room?

S: Personalised bottle of tequila with my name on it … I’ve only gotten it once.

RE: You remind me of a super hero in terms of your style! Do you feel like you play a character as a musician or do you feel like yourself?

S: Not a character but definitely the most enhanced version of myself. I like to manifest the person I want to be through being an artist, so it’s like dressing up and feeling gorgeous and confident and fearless to help me become more like that in my day to day. I’ve battled a lot with my identity and confidence and anxiety. It’s my escape from all that.

RE: What’s one message you want to deliver to the world through the mini album?

S: To have fun honestly! I’m a sucker for embracing the madness and making it beautiful. Life’s kinda always throwing stuff at you and it can be a lot. This music has shifted something inside me, I’m less serious and it’s helped me to prioritise my playfulness.

RE: Summer is on the way! What’s a perfect summer day to you?

S: Being neck deep in the ocean, but not a uk beach if possible.

RE: And what’s your favourite song at the moment?

S: I’m obsessed with ‘Girl Feels Good’ by FKA twigs, it makes me feel soooooo good.

RE: It feels like a really exciting time for pop music in general. What do you want to see more of in pop?

S: Girls are kinda ruling the pop world which is beautiful. But generally I like seeing people being human in a really fierce way, I feel like pop artists are doing that more at the moment and I just love it. It feels raw and like we’re all apart of it. Everyone is just owning their shit, I’m really empowered by the girls in pop music right now!

Ra

RE: What’s next for SATG?

S: Honestly I’m just going with it, whatever feels good, I’ll be doing that!

RE: And lastly, what’s your favourite F Word?

S: FIZZ !