Maija Sofia 🇮🇪
Maija Sofia’s secluded rural upbringing in the west of Ireland instilled an early devotion to music. Retreating into her inner world, songwriting became an essential outlet to untangle and make sense of the other worlds around her. Simultaneously a form of escapement and embodiment, her work conjures companionship as her enveloping arrangements are often inhabited by the ghosts of figures and stories across history.
Released on Trapped Animal in 2019, Maija Sofia’s debut album Bath Time announced her as an accomplished songwriter. One whose unwavering eloquence and conviction, musically and lyrically, sets her apart from her peers. This striking introduction garnered widespread critical acclaim and a coveted Album of the Year nomination at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize. A recipient of the Arts Council of Ireland’s prestigious Next Generation Award, Maija has since been commissioned to write new compositions by several revered cultural institutions, including the National Concert Hall, Sirius Arts Centre and Cork Midsummer Festival. She has also featured on Other Voices’ Courage Series. Now performing with a full band, Maija’s sound is continuously evolving and expanding in its breadth.
Released on Trapped Animal in 2019, Maija Sofia’s debut album Bath Time announced her as an accomplished songwriter. One whose unwavering eloquence and conviction, musically and lyrically, sets her apart from her peers. This striking introduction garnered widespread critical acclaim and a coveted Album of the Year nomination at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize. A recipient of the Arts Council of Ireland’s prestigious Next Generation Award, Maija has since been commissioned to write new compositions by several revered cultural institutions, including the National Concert Hall, Sirius Arts Centre and Cork Midsummer Festival. She has also featured on Other Voices’ Courage Series. Now performing with a full band, Maija’s sound is continuously evolving and expanding in its breadth.
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There is a timeless quality to Sofia’s songwriting style that becomes more crucial with each listen. ★★★★★
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Luminous, twisted brilliance ....Evokes an intimate world that hangs on the tendrils of a voice that yearns to speak
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A beautiful opus of atmospheric folk 9/10
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Compelling, emotive, breathtaking folk magic
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The music of Maija Sofia is steeped in melancholia and history, drawing on the folk idiom and punk’s DIY ethic.
