Sophia Stel has carved out her own corner in the alt-pop universe by doing things her own way. Based in Vancouver, the rising singer-producer has been quietly building a cult following, one that recalls the early rise of artists like Ethel Cain, thanks to her raw lyrics, genre-defying sound, and instinctual approach to music-making. With last year’s Object Permanence, she introduced a compelling mix of vulnerability and bold experimentation, all while dodging the influence of online trends. Now, Stel is getting ready to release her sophomore EP, How to Win at Solitaire, on September 5, and she’s already given us a taste of what’s to come with the excellent “Everyone Falls Asleep In Their Own Time” and the achingly beautiful “Taste,” recorded in the basement of the bar she worked at during a breakup.
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The latest track, “All My Friends Are Models,” dives deeper into the emotional fallout of curated social lives and performative joy. Set in a hazy club scene full of strobe lights and surface-level connections, the song captures the isolating aftermath of chasing euphoria that never quite lands. It’s about pretending to have fun, dressing the part, and still ending up alone, something that feels especially familiar in the age of filtered feeds and “it-girl” aesthetics. “Cold sweat, I was so ashamed to be alone,” Stel confesses in the opening line, setting the tone for a slow build of airy vocals, swirling guitars, and aching honesty. By the time she sings, “All my friends are models / I’m not complaining now / There’s harder pills to swallow,” the illusion has cracked.
The accompanying video, made by Scarlet Ross and edited by Stel herself, leans into her signature Y2K nostalgia. It is lo-fi, intimate, and full of soft focus, evoking the emotional hangover that lingers after a night out.
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