Sophie Koh
Encyclopedia
Sophie Koh is a singer and songwriter
based in Australia
.
, where she won Triple J's Unearthed contest in 2003. Returning to Melbourne, she launched her debut album "All The Pretty Boys" in 2005. Sophie is regularly asked to play high profile events in Melbourne and around Australia. She released her follow-up album "All Shook Up" in 2008. In earlier years, Koh spent two years majoring in classical piano at Melbourne Conservatory of Music. Koh is also a qualified optometrist and an official ambassador for Optometry Giving Sight's World Sight Day. She resides in Melbourne but is currently recording her 3rd album in Los Angeles with producer Brad Wood.
's Unearthed Contest in 2003. In 2005 she appeared on rage
on the ABC
TV channel. She became a successful breakthrough female artist by reaching as high as #3 on Triple J's Net 50 and remaining in the chart for 8 consecutive weeks. Her single "Anywhere" from her debut album All The Pretty Boys has been played all over Australia on Triple J
radio stations and scored a slot on rage playlists in successive weeks during July and August 2005.
In early 2005, Sophie Koh appeared on Australian TV show RockWiz
performing her song Anywhere and then singing a duet with legendary Australian singer Jimmy Little
. They performed a cover of The Turtles
song, "Happy Together". In 2008, she appeared on Rockwiz again. This time, the male, counterpart musician was Steve Kilbey
from Australian band, The Church
. The song they performed together at the end of the show was a cover of The Go Betweens, "Streets of Your Town".
In August 2006, Sophie Koh and 2006 ARIA Female Artist of The Year Clare Bowditch
performed together live on JJJ Radio in an outside broadcast from Darwin, Northern Territory
. For the event,which was hosted by Robbie Buck
and Jay, Clare and Sophie were known as the "Children of the Evolution House Band" and played a version of the T-Rex song as the theme for the day. Sophie also performed a live version of her song "Honey I will Buy You A Mercedes Benz".
She performed the national anthem live from Caulfield Raceway (Super Saturday) in March 2007. It was broadcast live on Channel 7, and syndicated on many other networks.
Sophie has supported acts such as The Eels, The Go-Betweens
, Paul Kelly
, Betchadupa
, Pete Murray, Alex Lloyd
, Paul Dempsey
, Howie Day
and Mick Thomas
.
Sophie contributed a cover of the Split Enz song Charlie
for the double platinum album She Will Have Her Way
, The Songs Of Tim & Neil Finn. Tim Finn later called Sophie’s cover his favourite song on the album.
Sophie Koh's second album "All Shook Up
" (produced by J Walker(Machine Translations
)) was released in Australia on 9 August 2008. She toured around Australia in 2008 and 2009, playing all states and territories.
In 2008 Sophie won the category Best Female Artist in The Age
EG 2008 Music Awards.
In 2009 Sophie Koh appeared on Spicks and Specks, taking over co-hosting duties from Adam Hills
for a section of the show. It was the most watched ABC TV
show of the year to date
In 2009, Sophie had a cameo role on Neighbours
. She appeared on the show performing live with her band in Charlie's Bar.
Her current live band includes guitarist Tim Reid, D.Rogers on keys/synthesizer, Ivan Jakic on bass and Phil Collings on drums.
In 2011, Sophie is currently writing her third album with producer Brad Wood
and musician Ben Lee
in Los Angeles. She is launching her new single 'Lo-Fi' in October. The Video clip for Lo-Fi was ABC RAGE 'Indie Clip of the Week'.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
based in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Brief Biography
Born in New Zealand, Sophie Koh grew up both there and in Singapore. After finishing university in Melbourne, Australia, she headed north to DarwinDarwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, where she won Triple J's Unearthed contest in 2003. Returning to Melbourne, she launched her debut album "All The Pretty Boys" in 2005. Sophie is regularly asked to play high profile events in Melbourne and around Australia. She released her follow-up album "All Shook Up" in 2008. In earlier years, Koh spent two years majoring in classical piano at Melbourne Conservatory of Music. Koh is also a qualified optometrist and an official ambassador for Optometry Giving Sight's World Sight Day. She resides in Melbourne but is currently recording her 3rd album in Los Angeles with producer Brad Wood.
Achievements
Sophie Koh signed to the In-Fidelity Recordings label after winning Triple JTriple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
's Unearthed Contest in 2003. In 2005 she appeared on rage
Rage (TV program)
Rage is a popular all-night Australian music video program broadcast on ABC1 on Friday nights, Saturday mornings and Saturday nights. It was first screened on the weekend of Friday, 17 April 1987. With Soul Train no longer being produced, it is the oldest music television program currently still...
on the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
TV channel. She became a successful breakthrough female artist by reaching as high as #3 on Triple J's Net 50 and remaining in the chart for 8 consecutive weeks. Her single "Anywhere" from her debut album All The Pretty Boys has been played all over Australia on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
radio stations and scored a slot on rage playlists in successive weeks during July and August 2005.
In early 2005, Sophie Koh appeared on Australian TV show RockWiz
RocKwiz
RocKwiz is an Australian television quiz show series, focused on rock music, and broadcast on SBS One. It premiered in 2005.-Summary:The forty minute program airs on Saturday at 9:20 pm, and is hosted by Julia Zemiro. It is shot in The Gershwin Room at St Kilda's Esplanade Hotel, commonly...
performing her song Anywhere and then singing a duet with legendary Australian singer Jimmy Little
Jimmy Little
Jimmy Little AO , is an Australian Aboriginal musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist, whose career has spanned six decades. For many years he was the only Aboriginal star on the Australian music scene...
. They performed a cover of The Turtles
The Turtles
The Turtles are an American rock group led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The band became notable for several Top 40 hits beginning with its cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965...
song, "Happy Together". In 2008, she appeared on Rockwiz again. This time, the male, counterpart musician was Steve Kilbey
Steve Kilbey
Steven John Kilbey is the lead singer-songwriter and bass guitarist for The Church, an Australian rock band. He is also a music producer, poet, and painter....
from Australian band, The Church
The Church (band)
The Church is an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980. Initially associated with new wave and the neo-psychedelic sound of the mid 1980s, their music later became more reminiscent of progressive rock, featuring long instrumental jams and complex guitar interplay...
. The song they performed together at the end of the show was a cover of The Go Betweens, "Streets of Your Town".
In August 2006, Sophie Koh and 2006 ARIA Female Artist of The Year Clare Bowditch
Clare Bowditch
Clare Bowditch is an Australian musician from Melbourne, Victoria. She released her fourth album Modern Day Addiction via Island Records on 13 August 2010. It became both 3RRR Album of the Week and ABC Radio National's Album of the Week. MDA is the first of Bowditch's album's to enter the Top Ten...
performed together live on JJJ Radio in an outside broadcast from Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
. For the event,which was hosted by Robbie Buck
Robbie Buck
Robbie Buck is an Australian radio announcer best known for his work at the national youth broadcaster, Triple J...
and Jay, Clare and Sophie were known as the "Children of the Evolution House Band" and played a version of the T-Rex song as the theme for the day. Sophie also performed a live version of her song "Honey I will Buy You A Mercedes Benz".
She performed the national anthem live from Caulfield Raceway (Super Saturday) in March 2007. It was broadcast live on Channel 7, and syndicated on many other networks.
Sophie has supported acts such as The Eels, The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals,...
, Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (musician)
Paul Maurice Kelly is an Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. He has performed solo, and has led numerous groups, including the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers. He has worked with other artists and groups, including associated projects Professor...
, Betchadupa
Betchadupa
Betchadupa is a New Zealand pop/rock group.Formed in 1997, in Auckland, the band features Liam Finn, son of Neil Finn, of Crowded House and Split Enz and Matt Eccles, son of Brent Eccles ....
, Pete Murray, Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd is an Australian singer-songwriter. His most popular album Watching Angels Mend, which includes the songs "Amazing" and "Green", was released in 2001 went double platinum. His third album Distant Light released in 2003 featured three songs that made the Australian top 40 singles charts...
, Paul Dempsey
Paul Dempsey
Paul Dempsey is the lead singer, guitarist and principal songwriter of Australian rock group Something for Kate. Paul was a founding member of the band, and in August 2009 released his first solo album, Everything Is True whilst continuing his work with Something for Kate...
, Howie Day
Howie Day
Howard Kern "Howie" Day is an American singer-songwriter. Beginning his career as a solo artist in the late 1990s, Day became known for his extensive touring and in-concert use of samplers and effects pedals in order to accompany himself...
and Mick Thomas
Mick Thomas
Michael James Thomas is an Australian singer-songwriter.Mick Thomas was born in Yallourn, 7 February 1960, the middle child of three. His father, Brian Thomas, was an electrical engineer with the old State Electricity Commission. His father's family were from Tasmania and his mother, Margaret, was...
.
Sophie contributed a cover of the Split Enz song Charlie
Charlie
Charlie is a common nickname for Charles and less commonly for Charlotte or Charlene.Charlie may also refer to:- Music :* Charlie , a British rock band in the 1970s and 1980s...
for the double platinum album She Will Have Her Way
She Will Have Her Way
She Will Have Her Way is a compilation album featuring female Australian and New Zealand musicians performing songs written by Neil Finn and Tim Finn , members of Split Enz and Crowded House...
, The Songs Of Tim & Neil Finn. Tim Finn later called Sophie’s cover his favourite song on the album.
Sophie Koh's second album "All Shook Up
All Shook Up (Sophie Koh album)
All Shook Up is the second full-length release from Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Sophie Koh. The album was produced by J Walker from Machine Translations. It will be released in Australia and New Zealand on 9 August 2008...
" (produced by J Walker(Machine Translations
Machine Translations
Machine Translations is the recording and touring name of J Walker, an Australian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. J Walker started out recording all instruments himself in a home studio, but has now branched out to include a band in his recent works...
)) was released in Australia on 9 August 2008. She toured around Australia in 2008 and 2009, playing all states and territories.
In 2008 Sophie won the category Best Female Artist in The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
EG 2008 Music Awards.
In 2009 Sophie Koh appeared on Spicks and Specks, taking over co-hosting duties from Adam Hills
Adam Hills
Adam Hills is an Australian comedian and television presenter. He has appeared on Australian and British television and is best known for his role hosting the Australian ABC music trivia show Spicks and Specks...
for a section of the show. It was the most watched ABC TV
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
show of the year to date
In 2009, Sophie had a cameo role on Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
. She appeared on the show performing live with her band in Charlie's Bar.
Her current live band includes guitarist Tim Reid, D.Rogers on keys/synthesizer, Ivan Jakic on bass and Phil Collings on drums.
In 2011, Sophie is currently writing her third album with producer Brad Wood
Brad Wood
Brad Wood is a record producer from Rockford, Illinois. He served as a drummer for the band Shrimp Boat. Brad records, mixes and produces records and is based in Los Angeles, California. He began his career in earnest in 1988 with the construction of Idful Music Corporation- a recording studio in...
and musician Ben Lee
Ben Lee
Benjamin Michael "Ben" Lee is an ARIA Award winning musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appeared as the protagonist in the Australian film The Rage in Placid Lake...
in Los Angeles. She is launching her new single 'Lo-Fi' in October. The Video clip for Lo-Fi was ABC RAGE 'Indie Clip of the Week'.
Albums
- All The Pretty BoysAll the Pretty BoysAll the Pretty Boys is the first album from Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Sophie Koh.The album is notable as it was produced by Aria Award winning producer Richard Pleasance and contains some of the final recordings of former Crowded House drummer Paul Hester.The first single from the album...
(2005) - All Shook UpAll Shook Up (Sophie Koh album)All Shook Up is the second full-length release from Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Sophie Koh. The album was produced by J Walker from Machine Translations. It will be released in Australia and New Zealand on 9 August 2008...
(2008)
EPs and singles
- Anywhere (2005) #3 Triple JTriple Jtriple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
Net 50 - Silly Thing (2006) EP
- Objects In This Mirror (2008) single iTunesITunesiTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
only - Lo-Fi (2011)
Compilations
- She Will Have Her WayShe Will Have Her WayShe Will Have Her Way is a compilation album featuring female Australian and New Zealand musicians performing songs written by Neil Finn and Tim Finn , members of Split Enz and Crowded House...
- "Charlie" (2005) - Like A VersionLike A VersionLike a Version is a segment on the Australian radio station Triple J. It was created by Mel Bampton as part of the Mel in the Morning program. Currently the segment pops up whenever artists are available and willing to do it, though mainly on the Breakfast show...
2 - "Creep"(RadioheadRadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
) (2006) - Lazy SundayLazy Sunday"Lazy Sunday" is a song and short video by American comedy troupe The Lonely Island, released on December 17, 2005, broadcast on Saturday Night Live as the second Digital Short...
- "Silly Thing" (2006) - Acoustic 2 - "All The Pretty Boys" (2006)
- RockwizRocKwizRocKwiz is an Australian television quiz show series, focused on rock music, and broadcast on SBS One. It premiered in 2005.-Summary:The forty minute program airs on Saturday at 9:20 pm, and is hosted by Julia Zemiro. It is shot in The Gershwin Room at St Kilda's Esplanade Hotel, commonly...
- Two For The ShowTwo for the ShowTwo for the Show is a double-live album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1978 . The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 2008....
with Jimmy LittleJimmy LittleJimmy Little AO , is an Australian Aboriginal musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist, whose career has spanned six decades. For many years he was the only Aboriginal star on the Australian music scene...
- "Happy Together" (2006) - DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....