Arlo Parks - 'Sophie'

London’s nineteen year old poet, singer and producer Arlo Parks has just released ‘Sophie’ which is the title track of her second EP. Last month’s single ‘Second Guessing’ was also taken from the same EP. 

‘Sophie’ is a song about “crumbling under expectations and feeling helpless, but with a persistent, quiet sense of hope underpinning it,” she told us in a statement. ‘Sophie’ is melodic and has a laid back feel, with reflective and observational lyrics. 

“I feel like the world is on its back”. Arlo’s refreshing lyrics give truth to the rollercoaster of emotions felt during adolescence, not least as a Generation Z teen. Her sophisticated words also form a sense of resilience in the face of being completely overwhelmed (“I'm blowing bubbles in the faces of thugs”); demonstrating that “quiet sense of hope” she mentioned. 

She sings about insecurities about her art, for example, in a way which is relatable and unashamedly honest (“I’m just a kid/I suffocate and slip”).

Sam Fender is already a fan. In fact, he loved her previous single ‘Super Sad Generation’ so much that he posted it on his social media and urged followers to listen.

(We wonder what he makes of ‘Sophie’.)

Words by Narzra Ahmed

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