# Sophie May (singer)

Sophie May (born October 1999) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. She has released three EPs: You Do Not Have to be Good (2022), Worst Thoughts in the World (2023), and Deep Sea Creatures (2024).

## Early life

The daughter of Australian writer Kellie Jackson and an English-Australian father, May grew up in East Dulwich, South London. She began writing slam poems when she was 13, which translated into her songwriting.

## Career

May began her career playing pub nights. During the COVID-19 lockdown, May gained attention and an online following of over 200 thousand through short song clips and demos she uploaded to TikTok. In April 2022, May released her debut single "With the Band", which quickly garnered over a million streams, alongside an additional track "Bruises and Scratches". This was followed by the dual singles "Bad Man" and "High Life" the next month well as "Drop in the Ocean" in June. Via Psychic Music, her debut 7-track EP You Do Not Have to be Good was released in August 2022. She made her festival debut at Barn on the Farm, featured in Live at Leeds, and had gigs in London supporting Matt Maltese, Ocean Alley, Inhaler, Sarah Kinsley, and Spector.
In April 2023, May went to Australia, traveling around the country on the Groovin the Moo circuit. Upon returning to England, she performed at the Great Escape Festival and Latitude Festival. May reunited with Maltese and Spector's Fred Macpherson for her second EP Worst Thoughts in the World, which was released in August 2023 via Believe UK. Ahead of the EP's release came the singles "Doppelgänger" and "The Babysitter". This was followed by the mini-album Half-Songs in October. She also had gigs at 7 Layers Festival and Reeperbahn Festival.
At the start of 2024, May released the single "No More Birthdays". She was a featured artist at Liverpool Sound City. That summer, May released her next EP Deep Sea Creatures, accompanied by the singles "Tiny Dictator", which is based on her experiences with OCD; "Brian Cox" featuring the titular physicist; and "Just Want You". A dual vinyl of her first two EPs You Do Not Have to Be Good and Worst Thoughts in the World became May's first charting work in the UK on the physical albums list. In autumn 2024, May supported Searows on tour in Europe. She then embarked on tour in Australia, first as an opening act for Maltese before headlining her own dates, with support from Maia Toakley and Harper Bloom.

## Artistry

Growing up, May became interested in music through Amy Winehouse and Alex Turner, as well as the alternative rock and grunge her older brothers listened to. Turner's Submarine (2011) soundtrack "opened my eyes to the way lyrics could be written". She named her debut EP after a Mary Oliver poem. While learning guitar, May listened to Laura Marling, Paul McCartney, Jeff Buckley, and Leonard Cohen. She has also named Joni Mitchell, Elliott Smith, Frank Ocean, and Lana Del Rey, as influences.

## Personal life

May has dyslexia and OCD.

## Discography
### LPs / mini-albums

* Half Songs (2023)

### EPs

* You Do Not Have to be Good (2022)
* Worst Thoughts in the World (2023)
* Deep Sea Creatures (2024)

### Singles

* "With the Band" / "Bruises and Scratches" (2022)
* "Bad Man" / "High Life" (2022)
* "Drop in the Ocean" (2022)
* "Doppelgänger" (2023)
* "The Babysitter" (2023)
* "No More Birthdays" (2024)
* "Tiny Dictator" (2024)
* "Brian Cox" (2024)
* "Just Want You" (2024)
* "Little Light" (2024)