EP review: Sophie Powers – Red In Revenge
17-year-old Sophie Powers gets gutsy about girlhood empowerment on debut EP, Red In Revenge.
The kids of the ’00s that grew up on Avril Lavigne and Lady Gaga are all grown up now, and Sophie Powers is showing exactly how their diva dominance has empowered the next generation of alternative female artists. Having exploded onto our radar by already delivering bratty bops Greed (featuring DE’WAYNE) and a massive collab on 1 Thing with Sleeping With Sirens' Kellin Quinn, Red In Revenge sees Sophie deliver a springboard of an EP that could place her as the next poster girl for femme attitude in alt music.
Opener Clearview dives straight in with a cyberpunk, synth riff and combines pop punk drumming and downtuned guitar work along with the stroppy calls of ‘I see right through you’ from NOAHFINNCE in a collaboration that makes perfect sense. Meanwhile, Break Up On The Weekend is the kind of song that gives you that post-break-up glow, even if you’re loved up and seven years deep into a healthy relationship. Drawing together trap beats, hyper-pop electronica and emo lyricism, it’s packed with tenacious angst that’ll take you straight back to the days of ripping out pages of your diary after an unrequited crush.
The standout, though, has to be U Love It featuring $atori Zoom. With a metalcore base of chugging guitar and vocals that cry and growl from the back of Sophie’s throat in a way that's commanding and domineering, it's the ultimate call to action for taking no shit and feeling like badass.
Evidently, Red In Revenge is a melting pot of different flavours of music making their way into alt soundscapes today. It’s easy listening, yet it fires you up just enough to want more – something even bigger. As far as first EPs go, this one is a mighty green flag for what might come next.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: WILLOW, Avril Lavigne, Scene Queen
Red In Revenge is released on May 20 via Set Records