Sophie B. Hawkins: Ahead of Her Time and Still Right Beside Us
Singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins has never been afraid to speak her truth. From the moment she burst onto the scene in the ’90s with “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover” and “As I Lay Me Down,” her lyrics challenged convention and celebrated freedom, love (for everybody), and vulnerability long before it was common to do so.
Now, more than 30 years later, Hawkins is revisiting that defining era with Whaler Re-Emerging, an acoustic re-imagining of her 1994 breakthrough album Whaler. The stripped-down version highlights the emotional honesty and craftsmanship that have always set her apart.
In the recent conversation with Hannah Hemphill on The Raven Morning Show, Sophie reflected on what it’s like to step back into songs she wrote decades ago:
“I was really crystallizing emotions that now feel even more true,” she said. “Even songs I once thought were too ‘pop-py’ – I listen to them now and I’m even more committed to the lyrics.”
She spoke candidly about her early days as a drummer-turned-singer (“Singing was so hard for me—I had to learn to accept my voice”), her perspective on parenting and creativity in a screen-saturated world, and the timeless power of trusting intuition and staying present.
“If I could tell my 25-year-old self anything,” she told me, “it would be that life without screens is better. You can think of someone and feel that connection without a phone, it’s about trusting that energy.”
Her warmth and humor shone throughout the chat, whether she was recalling the first time she sang behind the drums or describing raising her two kids with that same sense of openness and curiosity that’s always fueled her art.
🎶 See Sophie B. Hawkins & Paula Cole Live in Alberta
Catch these two powerhouse voices sharing the stage for an unforgettable night of music and storytelling:
📍 Camrose – October 17
📍 Fort Saskatchewan – October 18
📍 St. Albert – October 25
📍 Red Deer – October 26
📍 Calgary – October 27
Tickets and details are available here.
It was such a joy speaking with Sophie B. Hawkins—authentic, insightful, and still blazing her own trail. Listen to the full interview below and hear why her music continues to resonate across generations.
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