Soko on Music, Motherhood, and Mastering the Art of Feeling Well
Musician, artist and long-term customer of The Nue Co, Soko shares her Art of Feeling Well: The meeting of physical and mental health, and how this balance fuels her creativity and beyond.
How did you get into music?
I started piano lessons when I was five, but I didn’t do much with it at the time. Then I began writing songs when I was about 18. When I left home at 16, I started downloading lots of music, going to shows, and always standing in the front row. I’d look at the performers and think, They look like they’re having so much fun. This looks like the dream. That’s what I wanted—I didn’t want to be in the audience watching; I wanted to be up there making music with these people.
So, I started writing songs and recording demos. Those demos turned into releases, which led to tours, bands, countries, songs, and albums. And now, here we are.
What is your earliest memory of music?
My earliest memory of music is probably singing Yesterday during an end-of-the-year school choir performance. I remember thinking, Wow, this song gives me so many emotions. I love The Beatles!
Talk us through your songwriting process.
I don’t really have a set process for writing songs. Most of my songs that I'm the proudest of start with little voice memos of words and ideas. It can happen while I’m running, driving, or even riding my bike. Sometimes I have to pull over to the side of the road to record a quick voice note and hope the traffic sounds don’t drown it out. Then I go home and try to find the chords. And yeah, that's how they are born.
I've been loving collaborating with a lot more people recently, especially on my last album. I really do enjoy going into the studio with nothing and just feeling whatever is to be felt on the day, coming up with chords and feeling inspired by that. I write lyrics pretty quickly.
Where’s your favourite place to clear your mind?
My favourite place to clear my mind is anywhere in nature, with only nature sounds. The one thing that helps me recharge the fastest would be the ocean or river, anywhere with the sound of water. Sometimes, I use a noise machine to play sounds like running water, rain, or storms. I love going to Costa Rica and hearing tropical storms in the jungle. Being indoors during a storm, looking out the window, is so beautiful to me.
The second I'm in nature—away from the city—I can feel my cortisol levels drop. My entire body says, Thank you so much for this gift of nature. I'm very attuned to sounds so the sound of nature is actual music to my ears.
Talk us through your daily routine and any wellness rituals you have.
I’m usually woken up early by my kid. The first thing I do is have a big glass of water. Then, we enjoy a nice vegan breakfast with lots of fruits, nuts, and Pre + Probiotics. I make sure we include greens and proteins in a smoothie or a frozen banana “ice cream.” We cook a lot.
I love running. When I lived in LA for 15 years, I had a perfect running route. But now that I’m in Paris, it’s more challenging—the weather doesn’t help since I’m not a fan of the cold. Still, staying active is really important for my mental health.
Sometimes, my exercise routine is just biking to take my kid to school. When I’m in a good rhythm, I also meditate, practice tapping meditations, or listen to music with specific frequencies for stress relief and overall wellness.
Spending quality time with my child—kisses, cuddles, and love—is a very important part of my routine.
How do you embody The Art of Feeling Well’? What does it mean to you?
Feeling well is a tender balance between mental and physical health. I’ve noticed that when I take care of my physical health by staying active, I sleep better and feel better overall. It's all sort of like a little perfect universe that takes care of itself.
What does health mean to you?
Health means not having to worry about whether your body and mind are okay, so you can just enjoy life. When health is in balance, you’re free to focus on the things you love without that constant worry. So health is definitely a big priority for me and my child.
Health is something that I put a lot of thought and attention to, especially because I’ve been on a journey with endometriosis. I’ve had to figure out what works to keep my hormones balanced. Therapy, meditation, working out, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep are all crucial for me.
How are you passing down your wellness rituals to your child?
I think what I'm showing my kid is that health can be simple. They're very aware of eating organic as much as we can and eating enough fruit and vegetables every day. They don't eat sugar and they're vegan. They really care about the planet, even at six years old. I hope I lead by example in showing that it's simple to eat very well and therefore take care of our planet and the future of humanity. When friends visit and my child asks them, Are you vegan? Do you care about the planet? It makes me think, Yes, job well done - go, Mum!