RIP

Artists pay tribute to SOPHIE, pioneering trans musician who died at 34 in tragic accident

Sophie Xeon, a celebrated trans electronic musician who collaborated with artists like Lady Gaga, Madonna and Kim Petras, and whose avant garde solo career pushed pop music’s boundaries, died over the weekend at the age of 34.

Xeon, better known by her stage name SOPHIE, had climbed up her residential building in Athens, Greece to watch the full moon early Saturday morning, according to her label.

The labels Transgressive and Future Classic wrote: “True to her spirituality she had climbed up to watch the full moon and accidentally slipped and fell. She will always be here with us.”

In a statement, representatives of SOPHIE wrote: “It is with profound sadness that I have to inform you that musician and producer SOPHIE passed away this morning around 4am in Athens, where the artist had been living, following a sudden accident.”

It continued: “SOPHIE was a pioneer of a new sound, one of the most influential artists in the last decade.

“Not only for ingenious production and creativity but also for the message and visibility that was achieved.”

In 2018, with the release of her single “It’s Okay to Cry,” SOPHIE came out as transgender, telling Paper: “[Coming out] means there’s no longer an expectation based on the body you were born into, or how your life should play out and how it should end.”

After news of the tragic accident spread, tributes began pouring in from fellow artist and fans, Christine and the Queens, MNEK, Jodie Walsh and Munroe Bergdorf among them:

Don't forget to share:

Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...

We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated