# Sophia Stel

> Sophia Stel is a 27-year-old Vancouver-based Canadian alt-pop artist, singer, and self-producer whose music blends dreamy synths, auto-tuned alto vocals, skittering breakbeats, and rave-adjacent textures into something critics call the 'sonic lovechild of Ethel Cain and 070 Shake.' Growing up on Vancouver Island in a large religious household with 10 siblings, she taught herself production on GarageBand before building a makeshift studio in a nightclub basement. After years of bartending to fund her art, she broke through with her 2024 debut EP Object Permanence, scored a viral TikTok moment with 'I'll Take It' (8.6M+ Spotify streams), walked the Ann Demeulemeester SS26 runway, graced the NME cover, and in early 2026 became only the second artist signed to A24 Music - all while recording mostly from home on a 2013 MacBook.

- **Role:** Solo Artist at A24 Music / Pack Records
- **Organizations:** A24 Music, Pack Records, ROAM (booking), The Feldman Agency (Canada booking), Specials (management)
- **From:** Saanich, Vancouver Island, Canada
- **Nationality:** Canadian
- **Known for:** Second artist signed to A24 Music (February 2026), NME cover artist (October 2025), NME 100 Essential Emerging Artists of 2025

## Career timeline

- **2022** — Debut Bandcamp single 'i need that' released
- **2023** — Released 'old spice icon' via Pack Records / sound.xyz
- **2024-09** — Debut EP Object Permanence released on Pack Records
- **2024** — Opened for A.G. Cook in Los Angeles; received production co-sign and mentorship
- **2025-03** — Object Permanence (Deluxe Edition) released; 'I'll Take It' goes viral on TikTok, reaches 8.6M+ Spotify streams
- **2025** — Named to NME's 100 Essential Emerging Artists of 2025 and DAZED 100
- **2025-06** — Released single 'Everyone Falls Asleep In Their Own Time'
- **2025-09** — Second EP How to Win At Solitaire released on Pack Records
- **2025-09** — Walked Ann Demeulemeester SS26 runway at Paris Fashion Week
- **2025-10** — Appeared on NME cover; named to Dazed's 10 Musicians to Watch in 2026
- **2025-11** — Headlined Pitchfork Festival Paris; European dates in Barcelona, London, Berlin
- **2026-01** — How to Win At Solitaire (Deluxe Edition) released with Mura Masa, Tommy Genesis, Cecile Believe collaborations
- **2026-02** — Signed to A24 Music as second artist on the label; announced 22-date headline tour
- **2026-04** — Released debut A24 Music single 'Bitches Talk Shit'; headline tour launched in Barcelona
- **2026-05** — Opening for Lorde (with SMERZ) at Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA on Ultrasound Tour

## Achievements

- Second artist signed to A24 Music (February 2026)
- NME cover artist (October 2025)
- NME 100 Essential Emerging Artists of 2025
- DAZED 100 list
- Dazed '10 Musicians to Watch in 2026'
- Pigeons & Planes '26 Artists to Watch in 2026'
- 'I'll Take It' surpassed 8.6M Spotify streams after TikTok virality
- Walked Ann Demeulemeester SS26 Paris Fashion Week runway (September 2025)
- Featured in Palace Skateboards holiday 2025 lookbook
- Headlined Pitchfork Festival Paris (November 2025)
- Opened for Lorde at Kia Forum (May 2026)
- Co-sign from A.G. Cook, Troye Sivan, and Megan Skiendiel (KATSEYE)
- Mura Masa remix collaboration on How to Win At Solitaire Deluxe
- The Face magazine spring 2026 cover feature photographed by David Sims

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Released debut A24 Music single 'Bitches Talk Shit'; headline tour launched in Barcelona
- **2026-04** — Named one of Dazed's 5 best tracks of April 2026 for 'Bitches Talk Shit'
- **2026-02** — Signed to A24 Music as second artist on the label; announced 22-date North American and European headline tour
- **2026-01** — How to Win At Solitaire (Deluxe Edition) released featuring Mura Masa, Tommy Genesis, Cecile Believe
- **2025-10** — Appeared on NME magazine cover with profile; named to Dazed's 10 Musicians to Watch in 2026

## Links

- Website: https://www.sophiastel.net/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sophiastelll
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insignificantfunds/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@calv1nk1nd

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/sophia-stel
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-24