Sophia Bel’s sophomore EP, and her first to be released via Bonsound, is out today. Princess of the Dead, Vol. II sees the Montreal singer and producer assert herself and explore an even wider range of styles and genres through a nostalgic lens. Along with the EP, Sophia unveils a JF Suavé-directed video for the song No More - a devastatingly dark fantasy, delving even deeper into the unique universe she’s created.
The accompanying visuals crackle and jolt with supernatural energy, bolts of lightning slicing across the jagged surface. Embracing her royal title as ‘Princess Of The Dead’, Sophia reigns supreme. I wanted to explore the dark emotions that come when learning to assert oneself, she explains. The anger, the bittersweet nostalgia of a lost fantasy. The mysterious tones of this song are paired with a drum ‘n’ bass inspired hook that creates an exhilarating rush of intensity.
Watch and share the music video for No More via YouTube.
Princess of the Dead, Vol. II is available on all music services.
Born to a Quebecois father and a Dutch-American mother, Sophia Bel grew up intrigued by the mysterious sounds of trip-hop and drum ‘n’ bass in the era of Britney and Christina. Her black fingernail polish made her the target of bullies at her school in suburban Quebec City, earning her the nickname “Princess of the Dead.” Anointing her sophomore EP with these hurtful nicknames, she’s begun to reclaim her identity.
Based in Montreal, Sophia has always been slightly out of step with her surroundings. Ushering in her project with her “spine tingling ghosting anthem” You’re Not Real You’re Just A Ghost and the kaleidoscopic Voyage Astral, Sophia rounds off the EP with No More, revealing an intense and captivating journey.
Not afraid to cover vastly different sonic territory with every release, Bel focuses on capturing the right feeling in that moment. For her, pop is more an aesthetic to pull from than a goal to achieve.
Bel plucks from a diverse array of musical styles to assemble her unique, rich soundscape, which mixes underground electronic music, skater punk, guitar folk, and even Quebecois hippie music. Generating support from Wonderland, The Line Of Best Fit, Complex and CLOUT, she doesn’t want the listener to ever get too comfortable with their surroundings. In Sophia Bel’s world, clichés are ripe for deconstructing.