Kevin Bronson on May 4th, 2020

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The good news is that SoKo and her family have all recovered from COVID-19. The bad news is that it took the French singer-songwriter/actress a month to shake the bug. With her new album “Feel Feelings” coming in June, SoKo tells Buzz Bands LA about family time, movie picks and mellow music in today’s episode of QUARANTUNES.

THE LATEST FROM SOKO

French singer-songwriter and actress SoKo makes songs that often play out like fragile, beautiful miniatures, and so it is with her latest single “Are You a Magician?” In the Gia Coppola-directed video, after all, she brings a stuffed toy to life (though all does not necessarily end well). The tune is the latest from the artist’s first album in five years, “Feel Feelings.” It’s an album rife with emotional complexities centered around the theme of making peace with the inevitable highs and lows.

The L.A.-based artist (born Stephanie Sokolinski) truly embraced that notion on the first single, “Being Sad Is Not a Crime.” “Why should we have to pretend smile and put filters on everything?” SoKo says of the song. “You shouldn’t have to apologize for having emotions. As long as you’re not hurting anyone, all emotions should always be welcome. I wrote the song feeling very hopeless, but wanting the music to sound very happy and comforting.” The video, directed by Gilbert Trejo and filmed at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, has its own magic, too, as it features SoKo’s young son, Indigo Blue Honey Sokolinski, and a crew of very adult law enforcement officers we’ll call the Sad Police.

“Feel Feelings” is out June 12.

HOW ARE YOU HOLDING UP AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MANAGE THE ‘STAY AT HOME’ EDICT?

Me and my whole little gay-ass family (my girlfriend, our baby and I) all had coronavirus. I had it the worst, and it took me a whole month to recover. I have to say, though, I’ve really enjoyed slowing down and staying home with my two lovies. It’s been fun: We make a lot of food and run after our little toddler all day long. We’ve been making a little swimming pool out of a big bucket for the hot days.

We’re listening to a lot of music and having little dance parties. We’ve also been watching really good movies. Among the latest is “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” which made me cry my eyes out. It’s so beautiful. It’s a perfect movie. And “What the Health” was a really great documentary about health, and the damage of meat and dairy consumption on everyone’s overall health. It is definitely a must-watch.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN THIS IS OVER?

I really can’t wait to see and hold my friends and to travel back to France to see my family. And hopefully make a lot of movies soon and record a lot of songs!

ANYTHING WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS PLAYLIST?

It’s the mellowest playlist — the kind of playlist you can read to or nap to. This has been my mood lately — mellow, ambient, beautiful, sad songs, piano, harp … I hope you find some comfort in it.