Soccer Mommy is by far one of the most eye-catching stage names in the alternative music scene, but most don’t know that Sophie Allison is the woman behind it.
Born in Switzerland and later moving to Nashville, TN, Allison attended the Nashville School of Arts, a specialty high school where she learned to play guitar while also performing in the swing band. Her first musical experience was when the singer picked up a guitar at the age of six, which inspired her to become a musician.
As she grew up, Allison began posting songs recorded in her home to Bandcamp under the name Soccer Mommy in the summer of 2015 before she left for New York University. When she got to college, her first show was set at a community art space called Silent Barn in Bushwick, Brooklyn, which landed her a record deal with Fat Possum.
Allison dropped out of college following her signing to the label and returned to Nashville to pursue her music career. This allowed for her to release multiple projects, the first being For Young Hearts in 2016 and later Collection in 2017.
What became Soccer Mommy’s proper debut album was Clean in 2018, which became highly acclaimed and even noticed by major artists like Kacey Musgraves and Paramore, who she both ended up touring with. With observational and emotionally blunt lyrics on tracks like “Your Dog” and “Cool,” Allison made her mark on the alternative genre and stabilized her career at only 20 years old.
What makes Allison stand out amongst others is her hazy, relatable voice and easy relay of messaging from herself to the listener. Allison doesn’t try to stretch herself too thin with extreme production or heavy guitars, but instead likes to create intimate songs that anyone can relate to, even if they are most of the time about heartbreak.
Turning away from songs about breakups and relationships, Allison released her second album, color theory, in 2020, opening up about her mental health struggles and the challenges of getting older. She experimented with acoustic and electric guitars and songs like “bloodstream” and “circle the drain” are flawless in terms of feeling the angst and stress of growing up that Allison feels.
Now, Allison is ready to begin touring again as the pandemic is slowly sinking away from the public’s concern, with Pitchfork even calling her upcoming tour one of the “most highly anticipated of 2022.” It seems as though her stage presence is one that is captivating and a must-watch, but who is surprised?
Obviously, Sophie Allison is a force of nature with an impressive musical catalog and unique take on life’s biggest challenges, from heartbreak to maintaining your mental health and growing up in an industry that is not always as forgiving to young female artists. She will definitely be around for years to come and it will be exciting to see how Allison maintains her status as Soccer Mommy.
