Art I Loved Lately: Sofia Wolfson

Indie folk singer Sofia Wolfson has been writing songs since she was nine years old, but I first came across her music on someone’s Instagram Story in 2024, when she released her last album, Imposing on a Hometown. I was drawn in by the cover art, in which Wolfson sits at a table looking solemn while dressed as a clown, an homage to Edward Hopper’s “Soir Bleu,” a slightly absurd scene that evokes the feeling of loneliness in a crowded room. I’ve had her latest single, "Waterbed," on repeat lately; it’s a lush indie-folk anthem that is secretly devastating (“Nothing sacred lasts a lifetime / Never want something the second it’s mine”). Ahead of the release of her self-produced album, Thrown, on November 6th, we chatted about the art she's been loving lately.

Michael Northrup

MN is my favorite photographer. His early color work is insane. There’s so much narrative contained in every shot. He has such a gift for capturing the strangest moments.

The Optigan App

I could play bleeps and bloops on this thing all day. Some of the drum sounds have even ended up on recordings of mine. Highly recommended for anyone looking for some fun vintage sounds.

That Thing You Do (1996)

I’m not sure if there's a film I’ve seen more times than TTYD. My sister and I can quote whole scenes from memory. Unbelievable soundtrack of original music. Liv Tyler being a total babe. Tom Hanks’s directorial debut. It’s a perfect movie.

Toronto’s Bata Shoe Museum

As someone who lusts after designer shoes they’ll never buy, the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto is some kind of heaven. They’ve got lil plaques walking you through the history of shoes since prehistoric times. I found god here on tour.

If Only by Vigdis Hjorth

My agent recently traveled to Norway and took along some location-appropriate reading. He’s one of the only people I trust completely with book recommendations. If Only is not the first book about a decade-long affair between academics, but holy shit, it knocked me out. Really intimate and painful look into a relationship that we’ve all (unfortunately) had some version of before.

Charlotte Cornfield’s Hurts Like Hell

I got to see Charlotte play in Montreal in September and was totally blown away by the songs. Every word’s in the right place. There’s this effortless conversational aspect to her lyrics that feels so fucking hip. The title track of this record is an instant classic.

Sugar Packet Towers

Since we were little, my sister and I have focused all our attention on building elaborate, structurally un-sound sugar packet towers. It’s a good activity to avoid awkward conversation or difficult questions such as, What are you doing with your life? Here’s a particularly impressive one she made at our dad’s 60th birthday party.