Sofish embraces wounds in debut LP ‘Femme Illustrée’

by

Singer Sofish kept returning to Ray Bradbury’s “The Illustrated Man,” a book of science fiction stories where a man’s tattoos tell unsettling tales about humanity. A close friend suggested it to her before unexpectedly passing away when she was a teenager. Later, both her mother and an ex-boyfriend also recommended the book – months after her friend’s death and again eight years later.

“But in my universe, perhaps the stories don’t end in tragedy,” said Sofish, whose real name is Sofía López Jiménez.

In her first self-released album, “Femme Illustrée,” 25-year-old musician and lover of French culture reimagines a concept from Ray Bradbury. She views her tattoos – or the experiences that led to them – not as signs of future heartbreak, but as beautiful reminders of a life fully experienced.

Throughout nine tracks, the Guadalajara-born singer-songwriter transports listeners to a celestial club inundated with love, lust and longing. Shifting between Spanish and French, Sofish delivers a heavy pump of French house music and a funky flow of moombahton, a subgenre that combines Dutch house music and reggaeton.

Two months ago, the alt-pop diva made her stateside debut when she performed at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, drawing crowds with her magnetic aura just as she had done at Mexican festivals Tecate Emblema and Fiestas de Octubre (where she opened up for pop darling Belinda).

“I always try to make vulnerable, profound songs, but also songs that make people dance,” said Sofish. “I want a mosh pit!”

This interview has been shortened and edited for clarity.

Where did the name Sofish come from?

My closest friend from middle school, Fer, gave me the nickname ‘Sofish.’ We were both a little different, always feeling like we didn’t quite fit in, and we bonded over our shared love of reading. It was absolutely shocking when she passed away so suddenly from an aneurysm. It still feels unreal.

Since we took English class together, she came up with the nickname because my last name is López. She thought it would be funny to play on the Ló-pez name [pez means fish in English]. I chose that name in her honor. I try to ensure that “Sofish” is simply an extension of who Sofía is.

Ray Bradbury’s “The Illustrated Man” is essential to your album. But in his book, the narrator flees from the illustrated man. In your album “Femme Illustrée” are you killing that narrator or silencing it?

The original story ends with the narrator’s fate uncertain – did he run away to save himself? I’ve rewritten it to focus on a character who accepts their pain instead of avoiding it or frightening others. I believe we face a choice: conform to what’s popular or bravely express ourselves authentically. When I was creating this work, I wasn’t sure if the French lyrics and dark, futuristic sounds would come together. But ultimately, I want to encourage everyone to discover their own individual style, because we all have a unique combination within us.

What do you hope people notice when listening to “Femme Illustrée?”

I started to understand my own relationship pattern – it always begins with a really intense connection, feeling like I’ve finally met ‘the one.’ But then that feeling fades, the initial excitement wears off, and I see the person for who they really are, which usually leads to disappointment. It’s like a cycle, and realizing that has been a huge step for me.

Similar to the song “Me Caigo,” this track concludes the album by capturing the feeling of simultaneously resisting and embracing a difficult situation, like letting go and falling.

The song “Flashbacks” explores the strong desire for meaningful connection, and how that longing can sometimes lead us astray. “Noche” was influenced by the 2016 film “Nocturnal Animals” and captures a feeling of disillusionment. If you listen closely, you’ll hear short musical breaks within “Noche” that tell a story of emotional release – of reaching a low point, rebuilding, and seeing things with new eyes. “El Mundo Te Doy” is a song about loving yourself, and it signifies the moment when a negative pattern is finally broken.

×

What song was the most difficult to write?

I’ve been working on this project, “Noche,” for a while now – we started before January 2025. Honestly, it’s been a real challenge. It’s pretty experimental electronic music, and when I showed it to my distributor, they weren’t sure it would find an audience here. They said while it was excellent, the market for that kind of electronic music is much stronger in Europe, and that’s where it would really compete. It’s good work, but definitely not what people are expecting to hear in Mexico right now.

My producer, Mangod [Guillermo Andrés Vega Castellanos], really wanted me to add lyrics to the song because of all the pauses and changes in the music. But I felt like the music already said everything it needed to. Adding lyrics would just feel forced and like I was interrupting something that was perfect on its own.

This album beautifully mixes Spanish and French, which isn’t common in pop music. Can you tell us about your journey learning French and what inspired you to incorporate it into this project?

There was a lot of French inspiration in my life from a very young age. One album that shaped me was the “Amélie” soundtrack by Yann Tierse. I was quite young when it came out but I consider it a great work of sonic art.

Later on, the French vibe found me again. My uncle had a friend who had just arrived from France. I was his only French student. From the very first class he told me: “I’m not going to speak a single word of Spanish to you.” That’s how I learned. It was just like when parents throw you into the deep end of a swimming pool.

I can’t pinpoint how similar French and Mexican culture are, but perhaps it has something to do with many historical ties, the numerous French communities that settled in places like Guadalajara and Mexico City, the Pastry War. African elements are also present in Latin and French culture as well. There’s a reason why we explored moombahton, a popular genre in France. We also drew inspiration from Latin music acts like Major Lazer.

How did you fall in love with French house music?

I think it has a lot to do with how I grew up. The hits that were big at that time were Jamiroquai, Modjo, there was also Stromae with “Alors On Danse.” Something within myself started to resonate with that kind of music. Guadalajara was influenced by Kinky, Sussie 4, Belanova.

This album features two short tracks where you talk about being very open and honest, and how even difficult experiences contribute to your identity as both a person and an artist. Can you share another experience that has significantly impacted you as an artist?

After losing Fer, I realized I could either remain trapped in sadness indefinitely, or allow myself to be changed by it. I can choose to see every misstep as progress, or let them define me as a failure.

Many people have died in my life. Before Fer, there was another friend who passed away from the same thing. Then came my grandfather who passed away from cancer after a long battle with dementia. From a very young age, I understood what truly matters is the present. Because if you wait around for that big day to arrive, the day you fill the stadium or whatever grand thing you’ve imagined, by then it might already be too late.

Read More

2026-05-22 16:32