‘Girls aren’t supposed to be cocky’: Sophia Stel on the pressure of writing The Greatest Album Of All Time
Raised as one of 11, the Vancouver artist (and model) is now signed by A24. She talks about her ultra-religious childhood and how – despite her album title – she still suffers from imposter syndrome The first time Sophia Stel came to London, she slept outside in the freezing cold. The Vancouver songwriter had finished a live set last autumn, then gone out until 3am with her then crush, but when they returned to…
Key points
- Sophia Stel, 27, is a Vancouver songwriter and model signed to A24's record label.
- Her debut album is titled The Greatest Album of All Time, partly as a joke.
- Stel grew up as one of 11 in an ultra-religious family and has left organized religion.
Sophia Stel, a 27-year-old songwriter and model from Vancouver, has signed with A24's record label after her song I'll Take It gained attention on TikTok last summer. She has released two EPs, including How to Win at Solitaire, which she recorded in the basement of the Vancouver club where she worked. Lorde invited her to support her live.
Stel's debut album, The Greatest Album of All Time, is set for release. The title came from an interview in which she joked about wanting to make the greatest album of all time, but she said the resulting pressure is something she tries to avoid.
Pressure and confidence
Stel said the album title is mostly tongue-in-cheek but not entirely. She said, 'the universe rewards confidence,' and added that as a girl, 'you're not allowed to be as cocky.' She described having a louder voice as something she is working on.
She has also dealt with imposter syndrome while balancing performances with odd jobs like painting houses and bartending. She said she was broke but surrounded by wealthy people, and sometimes struggles with overextending herself financially.
The universe rewards confidence, and sometimes as a girl, you’re not allowed to be as cocky.
— Sophia Stel
Background and lyrics
Stel grew up as one of 11 in an ultra-religious family, an upbringing she called 'overstimulating' and 'very extreme.' She found organized religion 'really damaging' and has since parted ways with it. She said that experience helps her be skeptical in the industry and keep her sanity.
Her album's lyrics reflect her experiences. On Bitches Talk Shit, she sings about being a pop star who is still up and coming. The cover art shows her at age seven holding a dead baby goat from her family farm, which she said was stillborn after its twin suffocated.
