ARTIST TALK – SOFIE DREJER

ABOUT SOFIE: Sofie Drejer is an expressive singer and songwriter who, through her music, controls an eternal, chaotic stream of thoughts. The songs provide an honest insight into her personal journey with mental illness, where she places great emphasis on the value of reaching out for help. Sofie dreams of creating an open, constructive dialogue about mental health - especially among young people. ABOUT THE MUSIC: Sofie is 27 years old and attends the music conservatory in Esbjerg on a daily basis. She is a singer/songwriter and has written music for most of her life. The music is within the indie-rock genre, but she loves to integrate other genres into her music, such as soul and country. The songs are about Sofie's own mental challenges and the urge to hide them away. She uses music and songwriting as an emotion-regulating coping strategy that helps her put words to and process difficult feelings and problems. BEHIND THE MUSIC: Sofie has a mental illness that she only took care of in her adult years. The symptoms became very pronounced in her early teens, but she didn't dare ask for help because it was taboo to be mentally ill. The purpose of sharing her music with the outside world is to be a role model for others who struggle in silence. She actively helps young people break the taboo, both through her music and her work as a volunteer at Headspace.