Sofia (Clairo song)
{{short description|2019 single by Clairo}}
{{Infobox song
|name = Sofia
|type = single
|artist = Clairo
|album = Immunity
|released = {{start date|2019|7|26}}
|cover = Clairo - Sofia.png
|genre =
|length = {{Duration|m=3|s=08}}
| label = Fader Label
| writer =
| producer = Rostam Batmanglij
| prev_title = Closer to You
| prev_title2 = Bags
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = I Don't Think I Can Do This Again
| next_year = 2019
}}
"Sofia" is a song by American singer Clairo. Fader Label released it as the third single from her debut studio album Immunity on July 26, 2019. The song was written by Clairo and Rostam Batmanglij, who also produced the song, and features drums from Danielle Haim. "Sofia" became a sleeper hit after going viral on the video-sharing platform TikTok, charting on the Billboard Hot 100 more than a year after its initial release.
Background and composition
Musically, "Sofia" is a Eurodisco,{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/aug/04/clairo-immuity-review-claire-cottrill-winning-debut|title=Clairo: Immunity review – a winning debut|work=The Observer|date=August 4, 2019|accessdate=August 5, 2019|last=Mackay|first=Emily}} dance-rock,{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/immunity-mw0003297629|title=Immunity – Clairo|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=August 9, 2019|last=Donelson|first=Marcy}} and soft rock song,{{cite web|title=Clairo - Immunity|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/79943/clairo-Immunity/|website=Sputnikmusic|access-date=August 2, 2019|date=August 2, 2019}} with a pulsating electropop beat. In a Facebook post, Clairo explained that "Sofia" was inspired by her first experiences having crushes on older women whom she saw in the media. She named Sofía Vergara and Sofia Coppola as examples, and claimed that writing "Sofia" was her way of celebrating her discovery whilst "maintaining the cheesy/corny lyrics you'd normally find in songs where you profess your love". She continued by writing that the song "captures a moment in [her] life but instead of hiding it, it's expressed in an almost 'explosive' manner".{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/07/26/clairo-drops-new-track-sofia-2019-listen|title=Clairo drops new track "Sofia"|last=D'Souza|first=Shaad|date=July 26, 2019|website=The FADER|access-date=October 25, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/notes/clairo/sofia-explanation/2176632749115839/|title=sofia explanation|last=Cottrill|first=Claire|date=July 27, 2019|website=Facebook|access-date=October 25, 2019}}
Other versions
in 2021,{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/19337458 | title=Matthew Edward Hall - Sofia (Sex Song) (CD, US, 2021) for Sale | Discogs | website=Discogs }} Royal Musical Artist {{cite web | url=https://matthewedwardhall.org/chief-bloodline | title=Matthew Edward Hall: Divine Proof & Royal Native American Musical Artist }} "Matthew Edward Hall" from a line of Legendary Chiefs & Native American Kings including the Patron Saint of America Saint Tammany{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6812301/ | title=Matthew Edward Hall | Producer | website=IMDb }} released his version with a prominent new bass line and male vocal performance.
Critical reception
Carolyn Droke of Uproxx described the song as an "anthem for the actualization of [Clairo's] sexuality", saying that the lyrics and rhythm "encapsulate feelings of exhilaration and trepidation at the threshold of a new relationship".{{Cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/indie/clairo-sofia/|title=Clairo Explore Her Sexuality On The Punchy New Single 'Sofia'|last=Droke|first=Carolyn|date=July 26, 2019|website=UPROXX|access-date=October 26, 2019}} Harry Todd of Paste compared the production of the song to that of The Strokes and Sleigh Bells, with its "heavily processed guitars and crunchy drums". He continued to praise producer Batmanglij for "peppering [the song] with arpeggiated synths and vocoder melodies that recall Daft Punk's lovelorn slow-burns", and Clairo for "selling" the song with her vocal performance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2019/07/clairo-new-song-sofia.html|title=Listen to Clairo's New Song "Sofia," the Final Single from Her Debut Album Immunity|last=Todd|first=Harry|date=July 26, 2019|website=Paste|access-date=October 25, 2019|archive-date=October 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025183344/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2019/07/clairo-new-song-sofia.html|url-status=dead}} Katherine St. Asaph of Pitchfork compared the synths in "Sofia" to that of "Dancing on My Own" by Robyn.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/clairo-immunity/|title=Clairo: Immunity|last=St. Asaph|first=Katherine|date=August 2, 2019|website=Pitchfork|access-date=October 26, 2019}}
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.{{Cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/114041416/track/114041423|title=Sofia - Clairo|date=2 August 2019 |publisher=Tidal|accessdate=November 28, 2020}}
{{div col}}
- Claire Cottrill – songwriter
- Rostam Batmanglij – producer, songwriter, recording engineer
- Danielle Haim – drums
- Emily Lazar – mastering engineer
- Chris Allgood – mastering engineer
- Dave Fridmann – mixer
- Cary Singer – recording engineer
- Nate Head – recording engineer
- Dalton Ricks – recording engineer
- Michael Harris – recording engineer
{{div col end}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
! scope="col"| Chart (2020) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2020/hot-rock-songs|title=Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2020|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=December 5, 2020}}
| 45 |
|---|
| scope="col"| Chart (2021)
! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2021/hot-rock-songs/|title=Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2021|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=December 4, 2021}}
| 28 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Sofia"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|access-date=July 7, 2021|artist=Clairo|award=Gold|certyear=2021|region=Australia|relyear=2019|title=Sofia|type=single}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Clairo|title=Sofia|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|relyear=2019|certyear=2024|access-date=June 16, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Clairo|title=Sofia|award=Platinum|type=single|number=2|relyear=2019|certyear=2024|access-date=October 7, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Clairo|title=Sofia|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2019|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=April 13, 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=Clairo|title=Sofia|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2019|certyear=2023|access-date=August 2, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|artist=Clairo|award=Gold|certyear=2022|region=Portugal|relyear=2019|title=Sofia|type=single|id=file_2022-05-13-15-04-29.pdf|access-date=May 23, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Clairo|title=Sofia|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2019|certyear=2024|id=17827-5842-1|access-date=November 29, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|access-date=June 30, 2023|artist=Clairo|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2023|refname="RIAA"|region=United States|relyear=2019|title=Sofia|type=single}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true|nosales=true}}