Sophie B. Hawkins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sophie B. Hawkins
Hawkins in 2006
Background information
Birth name	Sophie Ballantine Hawkins
Born	(1964-11-01) November 1, 1964 (age 60) New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Rock, pop, pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, drums
Years active	1990–present
Labels	Sony BMG Columbia Rykodisc Trumpet Swan

Sophie Ballantine Hawkins (born November 1, 1964) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and painter. She was born in New York City and studied music at the Manhattan School of Music for a year before starting her professional music career.

In the 1990s, Sophie became a famous and successful artist. Her first two albums had several hit singles, including "... I Wish I Was Your Lover", "Right Beside You", and "As I Lay Me Down".

Later, she had a disagreement with her record company, Sony Music, about her third album. This led her to start her own record label called Trumpet Swan Productions. She has released her music through her own label ever since. Sophie is also known for supporting animal rights and environmental causes.

Music Career

Early Success

Sophie's first album, Tongues and Tails, came out in 1992. It was a big hit all over the world and was praised by critics. The album earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist in 1993. The song "... I Wish I Was Your Lover" became a top 5 hit in the United States.

Her second album, Whaler, was released in 1994. It was also very successful and included the top 10 hit "As I Lay Me Down". The album sold so many copies that it was certified gold. Three songs from the album were popular in the United Kingdom, including "Right Beside You".

In 1998, a documentary film called The Cream Will Rise was made about Sophie. The film followed her on tour and showed her life as a musician.

Starting Her Own Label

In 1998, Sophie had a disagreement with her record company, Sony Music, over her third album, Timbre. The company executives were not happy with the album and wanted her to change it, including removing a banjo from one of the songs.

Sophie believed in her artistic choices and refused to make the changes. After a long disagreement, the album was released in 1999, but the company did not help promote it. Because of this, Sophie left the label and started her own, called Trumpet Swan Productions. In 2001, she re-released Timbre on her own label with extra songs and videos. Her first album released independently was Wilderness in 2004.

Recent Work

In 2012, Sophie starred in a play called Room 105, where she played the famous singer Janis Joplin. That same year, she released her fifth album, The Crossing.

On April 4, 2013, Sophie appeared as herself on the TV show Community. She performed her hit songs at a school dance that was named after her. In 2019, she had a successful tour across the United States and also appeared on a German TV show to perform and talk about her career.

Personal Life and Activism

Sophie has two children, a son named Dashiell (born in 2008) and a daughter named Esther Ballantine (born in 2015).

She has always been a strong supporter of animal rights and causes that protect the environment. In 2007, she performed at the Los Angeles Women's Music Festival, which raised money for animal rescue groups and supported female musicians.

Sophie also gets involved in politics. In 2008, she re-recorded her song "... I Wish I Was Your Lover" with new words to support presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The new title was "... We Wish You Were President".

In 2010, she began supporting the Waterkeeper Alliance, a group that works to protect rivers, streams, and coastlines around the world. She donated all the money from her single "The Land, the Sea, and the Sky" to the organization. In 2017, she also supported The Trevor Project, an organization that helps LGBTQ youth.

Awards and nominations

Discography

• Tongues and Tails (1992)
• Whaler (1994)
• Timbre (1999)
• Wilderness (2004)
• The Crossing (2012)
• Free Myself (2023)

Filmography

• The Cream Will Rise (1998) dir. Gigi Gaston
• Beyond the City Limits (Rip It Off) (2001) dir. Gigi Gaston
• Community episode "Herstory of Dance" (2013)

See also

In Spanish: Sophie B. Hawkins para niños