Google Doodle Honours Late Musician Sophie Xeon
In a touching tribute, Google’s Doodle feature today celebrates the life and music of Sophie Xeon, a visionary Scottish musician and producer known for her experimental electronic hyperpop. The Doodle marks Sophie’s birthday, which falls on the same day that a posthumous, self-titled album is set to be released through labels Transgressive and Future Classic.
Sophie died in a sudden accident in 2021 at the age of 34 in Athens, Greece. Her family and friends collaborated with Google to design the Doodle, which features an animated music video set to the 2018 song "Immaterial" from her Grammy-nominated debut album Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides.
The statement from Sophie’s family and friends, posted on Google’s Doodle blog, reflects on her love of electronic music and festivals from an early age, her influences like Orbital, Moby, and The Prodigy, and her emergence as a truly unique and futurist artist in the 2010s. The statement also highlights the making of her posthumous album, which was produced by Sophie and her brother Benny Long, with contributions from friends and collaborators like Kim Petras, BC Kingdom, Evita Manji, and Popstar.
The album, SOPHIE, is set to be released on September 27. According to Pitchfork, Sophie had almost finished the album before her death. The statement concludes, "The future has always been a big part of Sophie, and we hope Sophie continues to be a big part of the future… One thing is for sure, there is a lot more still to come."
Fans are reacting to the Google Doodle in the comments, with many expressing their love and appreciation for Sophie’s music. As one fan wrote, "Never expected a Google Doodle to bring tears to my eyes, but here we are. Love and miss you forever, Sophie."
