The Sophs

L.A. indie sextet the Sophs fuse influences from emo and pop-punk to funk, country, and bluegrass, and have drawn comparisons to Weezer and the Strokes. The band was formed in 2023 by four transplants from Phoenix, Arizona and two native Angelenos. With an incredibly broad spectrum of influences, their sound juxtaposed bright, singalong music with frontman Ethan Ramon's dark lyrics, which he used as a cathartic outlet for the negative emotions, unhealthy impulses, and intrusive thoughts he experienced. The Sophs were personally signed to Rough Trade by label boss Geoff Travis after cheekily emailing him their demos before they had played even a single show. Their debut release was "Sweat," which was followed by further singles "Death in the Family," "For the First Time," and "I'm Your Fiend." Their debut album Goldstar was released early in 2026.