The dynamic musical duo Sofi Tukker, made up of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, has carved a unique path in the music industry. In the five years since its formation during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has managed to create a unique Freak Fam community through live streams of its DJ sets, which the pair have broadcasted from the comfort of their living rooms. After the isolation ended, Freak Fam moved away from screens into concert halls overlooking a stage resembling a playground in the middle of a rainforest. The intimate relationship that Sofi Tukker and its audience have managed to build over the past few years is evidenced by the pair's efforts to involve the audience in their performances.
In addition to switching between the two audiences, after the success of their second album Wet Tennis, Sofi Tukker has been working relentlessly on a third record inspired by their time in Brazil, Sophie's relationship with the South American country and a return to their creative roots. Singles like Jacaré and Trompa give a taste of their new sonic adventures.
The story behind the creation of Sofi Tukker adds a fascinating undertone to their current strong position in mainstream music. Halpern never originally dreamed of a career as a musician. Instead of aiming for the Grammys, he targeted basketball hoops and hoped to one day join the prestigious NBA. However, health reasons put a damper on his sports career. Instead, he began performing as a DJ, sometimes alongside Chilean-American composer Nicolas Jaar, and dabbling in production. Hawley-Weld came to Sofi Tukker from the other end, from an interest in Latin American music and traditional West African dance. From a chance meeting at university came a musical project that has managed to create a vibrant musical community, earn a Grammy nomination for the hit Drinkee, and collaborate musically on a number of successful audiovisual productions, including the New Pope series.