Sophie Villy

Sophie Villy
Born (1990-10-30) 30 October 1990
Tbilisi (Georgia)
Occupation Musician, singer, composer
Website sophievilly.com

Sophie Villy (Ukrainian: Софі Віллі; Georgian: Khutsishvili [ხუციშვილი]) was born on 30 October 1990 in Tbilisi, Georgia.[1] A singer-songwriter, she performs internationally in both English and Georgian.[2] Villy has composed soundtracks for feature films from her homeland, America, and France, one of which was selected for the Cannes Festival Short Film Palme d'Or competition in 2015.[3][4] She has been reported by KCRW in Los Angeles, BBC Radio 2 and London's The Guardian newspaper as a representative of Ukraine's new wave in music.[5] Periodicals in Kiev also document Villy's role within domestic songwriting.[6][7][8][9][10] At a time of increasing nationalist tensions, her multilingual songs are debated by the Ukrainian and Georgian media as an alternative to jingoism.[11]

Biography

Villy's mother, Mila, is Ukrainian and a designer by trade; her father, David, is a musician from Georgia. At the age of five, Sophie began studying piano at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire and spent the next three years of her life there.[12] Ultimately, however, she turned to the guitar and began composing her own material.[13] Between the ages of five and fifteen she traveled Europe, thanks to a career in youth sports.[14] Qualifying for a wide range of diving competitions, she won Euromeet[15] in Strasbourg, but was forced to abandon the sport due to a knee injury.[16] Music gradually became an alternative to sport and Villy was playing in Tbilisi clubs at the age of sixteen.[17]

Following the Russo-Georgian War of 2008, Villy escaped to Kiev, as she has both Georgian and Ukrainian ancestors. Here she finished university and formed her first group, Backstage.[18] The ensemble was a short-lived project[19] and Villy's solo work recommenced.[20] She began playing in regional festivals, now as an independent singer-songwriter. Open-air performances included Russia's national showcase festivals for both folk music and jazz. Domestic billing then led to additional invitations from events in Florida, New York, and California.[21] Once in America, Villy sang in English, as a result of which US periodicals noted––in several venues––the combined influences of Nina Simone, Jeff Buckley, and Nick Drake in her material.[22]

A debut LP was published in 2012––"Mother Fish."[23][24] Civic themes soon became evident in a politically charged single, entitled "Position" and dedicated to both private and political liberties in Ukraine.[25] The song was broadcast in heavy rotation on KCRW radio in California and simultaneously aired on BBC Radio Two in London.[26] Britain's The Guardian newspaper listed Villy's 2014 song "Connected"[27] among a global selection of new tracks––as airplay grew concurrently in both New York and Los Angeles.[28] The following year a second album was published––"Dress"[29]––while additional shows were announced across Europe.[30]

In 2015 Villy presented her side-project "Philosophie" in Europe and the United States,[31] while opening for Mercury Prize and Brit Awards nominee Anna Calvi in Budapest. Also in 2015, she played at the SXSW festival in Texas.[32] She has toured America on three occasions,[33] including a show at New York's Brooklyn Bowl and with onstage support from Tom Waits' guitarist Omar Torrez.[34]

A third album from Sophie Villy was recently presaged by the song "Reveal" ––just before New Year's Day, 2016.[35] As with interviews in the Ukrainian press,[36] so the song struck a repeatedly political note. It was "dedicated to Ukraine and her heroes––who have shown a genuine love for their country."[37] Since political tensions have worsened of late, Villy's catalog is increasingly seen in terms of a mediating role, between languages and conflicted cultures.[38]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Video

References

  1. ↑ "Грузинка Sophie Villy в проекте "Помешанные" – TheNorDar Magazine". TheNorDar Magazine (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  2. ↑ "Грузинка Sophie Villy в проекте "Помешанные" – TheNorDar Magazine". TheNorDar Magazine (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  3. ↑ "The Parrot," (dir. Thierry Dousset, France 2011)
  4. ↑ "LOST IN ESCAPADE. Teaser". Vimeo. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  5. ↑ Culshaw, Peter (29 May 2014). "Rock the barricades: the Ukrainian musicians soundtracking the unrest". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  6. ↑ Magazine, Yep. "Философи". Yep Magazine. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  7. ↑ "Электронный проект Morphom – новая волна украинской музыки. Премьера клипа". GLAVPOST.COM. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  8. ↑ "Новые украинские альбомы: Sophie Villy, Onuka, "С.К.А.Й."". open.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  9. ↑ "Onuka – одесским поклонникам: "Мое вдохновение – грусть"". МАЯК (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  10. ↑ "ONUKA: Стараюсь быть вне шоу-бизнеса, потому что у меня он ассоциируется с болотом|ульба NEWS". bulbanews.ru. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  11. ↑ "Софі Віллі: Іноді мені хочеться спалити фейсбук". cultprostir.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  12. ↑ "Интервью с Софи Вилли (Sophie Villy) о музыкальной культуре в США, верности собственной музыке и независимости". LiRoom. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  13. ↑ "Музыка с душой. Sophie Villy". STYLEINSIDER (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  14. ↑ "Open Grass: Sophie Villy". open.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  15. ↑ "Euro Meet". www.euromeet.lu. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  16. ↑ "Софиты на Софи". Деловой портал "Капитал". Бизнес начинается с Капитала. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  17. ↑ "How Sophie Villy is bringing her music from Ukraine to the world". DIY Musician Blog. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  18. ↑ "10 ВОПРОСОВ #BESTINUA SOPHIE VILLY". BESTIN.UA. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  19. ↑ "Софи Вилли – L'officiel". L'officiel (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  20. ↑ "Protected Blog › Log in". daviddurantmusic.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  21. ↑ Премьера: Sophie Villy «Position», ТОП10 (2012)
  22. ↑ "Интервью в Харькове с музыкантами, группами, исполнителями, телеведущими, актерами, директорами Харьковских заведений.". kharkov.nezabarom.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  23. ↑ "Лента новостей Ужгорода". topnews.uz.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  24. ↑ "Open People: Софи Вилли". open.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  25. ↑ "Open Grass: Sophie Villy". open.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  26. ↑ "BBC Radio 2 Sophie Villy – Position #Michaelsheen". SoundCloud. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  27. ↑ Vogue.ua. "Плейлист: 5 топ-песен Sophie Villy | Vogue Ukraine". Vogue UA. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  28. ↑ "Sophie Villy: "Прерывание развития культуры – равносильно смерти"". gorod.dp.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  29. ↑ "Sophie Villy "Dress": вне времени". comma.com.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  30. ↑ Down, Ryotaro AokiMa Maha ElNabawi David MacFadyen Lauren (13 February 2014). "Six must-listen new tracks from around the world". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  31. ↑ "Премьера на L'official Online: совместный сингл Sophie Villy и Tape Flakes – "Hold Me" – L'officiel". L'officiel (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  32. ↑ "SXSW Music: List No. 5". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  33. ↑ "Софи Вилли: Масса слушает то, что ей навязывают. А это в основном примитив". www.theinsider.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  34. ↑ "Юное дарование. Киевский концерт Sophie Villy". korrespondent.net. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  35. ↑ "Премьера: Песня Sophie Villy о Майдане". www.buro247.ua. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  36. ↑ "Певица Sophie Villy," Jetsetter (19 January, 2015) and "Что в сумочке," Bit UA (Accessed 21 February, 2016)
  37. ↑ "Sophie Villy присвятила пісню Україні та її героям". MusicInUA (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  38. ↑ "Софі Віллі: давайте припинимо виливати бруд один на одного," Insider (6 March, 2014) and "Про Україну ще почують! У піснях...," Tvoe Misto (8 March, 2014)

External links

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