TOP TRAX: IN THE TREEHOUSE WITH SOFI TUKKER
By DJ FR8-O
Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern have been very busy these last couple of years. Ever since they unleashed their colossal debut single “Drinkee” in 2016, their innovative sound and fearless style have taken them on a very intoxicating ride. They’ve already been tapped for a Grammy, toured the world, left a trail of infectiously quirky dance hits in their wake, and just released their first full-length album, Treehouse. Unlike your typical dance collection that puts thumping beats and laser-like sound effects front-and-center, the pair known as Sofi Tukker take a very different approach to their version of dance pop by incorporating Brazilian poetry, organic instrumentation and even some electric guitar played by the female half of the team. While Sofi provides vocals on most of the songs, their newest single “Batshit,” features a smoldering Tukker on the mic narrating the questionable choices of an obsessed lover. Yeah, we’ve all been there.
In the midst of Sofi Tukker’s whirlwind Treehouse World Tour, I got to climb into the treehouse with the playful pair to chat about their debut album, the tour and one particularly batshit crazy fan.
DJ FR8-O: Congratulations on the new album and
the tour! How did this journey begin for you two?
Tukker: We met during our senior year at
Brown University when we were both asked to perform at an art gallery. I was
the after-party DJ and she was an acoustic Bossa Nova performer in a little
jazz trio. I went a little early and saw her play and thought it was great, but
a bit boring. So, I thought it would be fun if we “dance-a-fied” it a
bit, and we’ve been working together ever since.
DJF: And what parts do each of you play?
T: We both kinda do everything. I’m
the one sitting at the computer and she’s the one mostly singing and playing
guitar and stuff, but we both really love to produce and write everything.
DJF: How are you guys adjusting to all this
new attention you’ve been getting?
Sofi: It’s definitely different than
when we started. We’re just so in the thick of writing and performing and doing
all those things though. Definitely the opportunities we get are bigger and we
get to play for more people, but we’re still doing the same things, and our
goal is that we just keep that same spirit alive. We just love what we’re doing
and hope that we continue creating with that spirit.
DJF: Let’s talk about the title of your new
album. Why Treehouse?
S: It’s just about that spirit of
childhood play that happens in a treehouse where you’re free to create anything
with your friends, and it’s just this place in nature where you can make things
and play and go wild and be yourself and everyone’s excited. That kind of
attitude is what’s been really important to us, both in making music,
performing it and bringing people into it.
DJF: Going into the studio, did you have a
concept of what you wanted your debut album to sound like or what message you
wanted to put out there?
T: We didn’t really go into a studio.
We’ve been touring and have basically been on the road constantly. So, we’re
just always making stuff when we have time. We make stuff on the bus, we make
stuff in the hotel room, and when it came to a point where we had this group of
songs that felt like a cohesive unit we were like, “Let’s make this an
album!”
DJF: Many of your tracks have a Brazilian
slant to them or are sung in Portuguese. Are you Brazilian, Sofi?
S: I am not, I was born in Germany.
But, I grew up all around the world and have a special love for Portuguese. I
just think it sounds beautiful. I studied it in college and now we collaborate
with all these Brazilian poets who I met while I was studying.
DJF: I’m obsessed with “Batshit.”
Which one of you would you say is the batshit crazy one?
S: Tukker?
T: Yeah, I think I’m the batshit
crazy friend. Actually, I have a great batshit fan story! I noticed this person
in the front row trying to get my attention during a show, but not like in a
normal concert way. She looked like she had something really important to tell
me. Then, after the show, somehow she got past security and made it into the
greenroom and she was like, “I’m worried you’re giving bats a bad name.
Bats aren’t crazy!” And I was like, “What the fuck are you talking
about?” Turns out she was a bat scientist or something.
DJF: Do you feel like you’ve had to up your
stage game since your last tour?
T: Yeah, this is our first tour with
a really big production. So we got to build this fantasy jungle, sort of
glow-in-the-dark rainforest on stage with us. It’s pretty exciting! It really
does make the show a little more special and a little more wild. So it’s fun!
DJF: You’ve already worked with some amazing
talent, like Nervo and The Knocks. Who else is on your collaboration wish list
right now?
S: Our collaborations usually happen
from just having fun with friends. That’s what happened on “Awoo”
with our friend Betta Lemme, and now on our new record we have a song with one
of our best friends, Charlie Barker. It just happens when we are all hanging
out. We are always writing, while on the road and visiting different places, so
collaborations sometimes spring up organically. We have a couple of tracks
coming that happened as collaborations on the tour bus.
DJF: Other than the tour, what other
projects are you or will you be working on?
S: We are always working on new music
and we have a bunch new music videos ready to go! We also have a record
label/collective in the works called Animal Talk (@weareanimaltalk), a
space for us to support some of our favorite friends and artists.
DJF: Your look is as unique as your sound.
How would you describe your style?
S: We like to dress brightly! We both
have different styles. Tuck is really into outrageousness, mixed patterns and
bright colors. My style is all about the fabrics, feeling sensual, movable and
comfortable, and keeping that bright vibe that makes us feel like ourselves.
DJF: Your music definitely has universal
appeal, but you also have an especially strong LGBTQ following. What would you
like to say to your LGBTQ fans?
S: We’re really flattered that we
have fans in the community. They’re kinda the most fun! They always show up
with the best vibe, glitter all over their faces, bright colors and it’s
totally what we’re about. It just amplifies what we’re doing and makes us feel
really grateful and honored that we have support from the LGBTQ community. We
love you! We are inspired by the way that you show up, bright and bold and
unapologetically yourselves, and we want to continue celebrating life together!
Treehouse the album and Treehouse World Tour info available at sofitukker.com
If you’re a recording artist, producer or musician and would like your work featured in TOP TRAX, hit me up at abarrios@wiremag.com.
This was originally published in Wire Magazine Issue 20.2018