The Belly Up Aspen

SOFI TUKKER is a GRAMMY-nominated duo, composed of best friends Sophie Hawley-Weld
and Tucker Halpern. Originally meeting as students at Brown University, Tucker and Sophie
didn’t cross paths until their senior year. Sophie had just returned from living in Rio de Janeiro
and was performing her original bossa-nova inspired songs. Tucker, who had taken up DJing
after being forced out of D1 basketball due to illness, convinced Sophie to take a leap of faith
and move to New York with him to form a band instead of moving back to Rio after graduation.
Less than a year later, SOFI TUKKER dropped their debut single “Drinkee” which became
Grammy-nominated, followed by their debut album Treehouse (which also became
Grammy-nominated). Offering an inclusive and global perspective on electronic music, SOFI
TUKKER has amassed over three billion streams, and Platinum and Gold records on five
continents. Their discography includes the EP’s Soft Animals and Dancing on the People, four
studio albums, Treehouse, WET TENNIS, BREAD, and butter, and an array of singles, all
spreading themes of joy, unity, and self-empowerment. Even though Sophie was born in
Germany, and has lived all around the world, their music has always been specifically inspired
by Brazil. Sophie is fluent in Portuguese and they often work with the Brazilian poet Chacal.
SOFI TUKKER has soundtracked hundreds of syncs in movies, TV, and commercials, including
advertising campaigns for Apple (“Best Friend”), Peloton (“Purple Hat”) and Smartwater (“Wet
Tennis”). The duo were the faces of G-Star Raw’s colorful denim campaign on billboards
worldwide, and are a favorite among fashion designers because of their daring colorfulness
(Dolce Gabbana, Celia Kritharioti, Patbo, Amiri…).
Their “explosive” (Rolling Stone) live show is a one-of-a-kind combination of DJing electronic
music and live performance, unlike any other artist in the world. They straddle a line between
the two worlds that places them in a league of their own. With an almost cult-like following, their
show is an “electrifying” (Entertainment Weekly) gathering place worldwide. With Sophie on her
flying V guitar, both on the decks and the microphones, they do it all, including joining in on the
choreography with their infectious dancers. SOFI TUKKER have had coveted slots and
unforgettable performances at Coachella, Governors Ball, Lollapalooza, Tomorrowland,
Bonnaroo, Ultra, EDC, Bottle Rock, Outside Lands, Corona Capital, and Life is Beautiful, among
other major festivals, worldwide. They’ve gone on tour with artists like J Balvin, Kygo, Odesza
and have headlined Red Rocks several times, as well as marquee venues like Forest Hills
Stadium, The Anthem DC, The Greek, Santa Barbara Bowl & Pepsi Center in Mexico City. Theduo are in their fourth year of a Las Vegas residency, this year at the Wynn, they are a staple at
Encore Beach Club and XS.
The duo have also worked with multiple charitable organizations, including Planned Parenthood,
The Trevor Project, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Natural Resources Defense Council,
The Nature Conservancy, the March for Our Lives and the Red Cross. They’ve also done a lot
of work in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, together with their Cachaça and Mate tea company
Novo Fogo, planting endangered species of trees in their natural habitats as part of the
Un-Endangered Forest project. SOFI TUKKER are on the board of FEMME HOUSE, a nonprofit
which is dedicated to counteracting gender disparities in dance music.
Much of their endeavors are directly linked to physical wellness and mental health, from the
spirit of their shows and the lyrics in their music, to their philanthropic work. They take extra
good care of themselves while they’re on the road. “We tour like athletes and we know we can
only really spread positivity when we’re feeling whole and positive ourselves,” says Sophie.
They’ve recently launched Animal Talk, a management company, together with Myles Shear,
Mike Hoerner and Bella Tamis. They originally started Animal Talk as a label and a party many
years ago, but are bringing it back now that they’ve found the right partners. The duo intend to
build a roster of hardworking, boundary pushing artists who want to make people dance all over
the world and to follow their motto, inspired by the Mary Oliver poem. “You do not have to be
good… You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.”
SOFI TUKKER are all about contradiction. The yin and yang is found in everything SOFI
TUKKER; The organic and the electronic. The party and the purpose. The playfulness and the
sophistication. The Sophie and the Tucker.