Sophie Spencer
Women in Massey Music
Interviewed by Georgie Levien
Sophie Spencer - photo by Macy Hare
Sophie Spencer is a multi-disciplinary artist from Te Whanganui-a-Tara. She plays as Synthia in Synthia x Ghanjee who make dance music on drum machines. They create each set specific to the environment it’s going to be played in and stay fluid in the genres that they play even though all roads lead them back to techno.
How have your experiences in Wellington shaped the kind of artist you’re becoming?
The Wellington scene, at least in my experience, is very collaborative. I’ve worked alongside so many people who have taught me new things that have improved my artistic abilities. It’s kind of like a trade of knowledge with other artists.
Can you talk about a time where you felt supported—or unsupported—by the people around you in the scene?
I felt most supported in the scene when I told Louis Nixon, who was already playing in a band, that I really wished that I could play music live and he simply told me I could. We ended up jamming our synths together a lot and then I organised a gig (with lots of help) which we completely packed out. I didn’t really think live music was something that I could be capable of doing but having someone tell me that they believed in me changed everything. Since then I’ve felt so welcomed into the scene and grateful for the friends I’ve made.
Who or what has helped you find your footing in the music community here?
As I said Louis has helped me carve a space in the scene but I don’t know if I could have played so much without support from my women friends. They have come to every single gig we’ve played and the energy in the room would not be the same without them.
Are there any barriers you’ve noticed (big or small) that affect how you participate in the scene?
Not really to be honest I’ve been quite fortunate to only really make music with people who listen and respect me. I guess though if there was something I wished I could have more of it’d be room to learn out loud. I am still learning the technical side of things so I often get shy at sound checks and leave it up to Louis (Ghanjee) who knows more. I am lucky that I do still have a lot of people in the scene who admit the same, so I think we should all stop being shy and learn out loud instead–without worrying about being wrong.
What would you want younger women or queer people coming into this scene to know?
I’d want them to know that there is a beautiful scene of women and/or queer people who want the best for you as an artist and despite being minorities in the scene you’ll gravitate towards each other in support.
Follow Sophie and Synthia x Ghanjee