The track, which features Inglorious frontman Nathan James, previews Imposter Syndrome, which is expected to arrive next year
(Image credit: Press)
Social media shred star Sophie Lloyd has announced that her first-ever studio album, titled Imposter Syndrome, is finally on the way.
To preview the effort – and to usher in the next stage of her electric guitar-playing career – the Kiesel-endorsed artist has shared the record’s lead single, Do or Die, for which she’s recruited Inglorious frontman Nathan James.
Since the music for Do or Die was written by Lloyd, it’s no surprise the guitar work on display is first class. Having honed her craft with various shred reimaginings of popular tracks – such as Britney Spears’ Toxicand Beethoven’s 5th Symphony – Lloyd’s new single sees her let loose on her own material, flexing both her compositional chops and six-string skills.
It’s a three-minute masterclass of what makes Lloyd such a force to be reckoned with. The rapid-fire riffs of the opening exchanges hit like a sonic sucker punch, while the relentless guitar solo at the 1:53 mark is filled with blistering pentatonic runs and, of course, some lightning-quick shreds.
When Imposter Syndrome arrives, it will be Lloyd’s first original material since 2019’s Bulletproof Revolver and, more notably, the first time she’s teamed up with a vocalist for her own songs.
Of the album, which has been in the works since before the first Covid-19 lockdown, Lloyd commented, “I can finally say that I have new music coming.
“All my music before was instrumental, so this is a very special release for me as it includes vocals, and some of the people we’ve worked with are people I used to have as posters on my wall as a kid, so it feels very full circle,” she added. “It's something that I have been working on before the first lockdown, and to be here talking about it feels amazing.”
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As for her partnership with James, Lloyd reflected, “I have been following his music for many years and he just has the most incredible voice and did such an amazing job on bringing this track to life.
“I'm so grateful he was able to take part,” she continued. “I remember getting the rough vocals back from Nathan while I was away in LA, and we were just blasting it out of the car on the freeway. That's when I knew this would be the first single to be released from my album.”
(Image credit: Nathersonn)
James echoed Lloyd’s sentiments, offering, “It was great working with Sophie on this track. I was sent the track without lyrics or melody and I wanted to write something that made sense, as if Sophie were saying it herself.”
For the single, Lloyd and James were joined by bassist Adam Da Rat and drummer Christopher Painter. Romesh Dodangoda, whose credits include Nova Twins, Bring Me The Horizon and Motörhead, was in charge of production.
Though there’s no official release date, Imposter Syndrome will land sometime next year, and will see Lloyd team up with “some impressive names from the world of rock”. A music video for Do or Die will also be released next Friday (November 25).
Lloyd turns her attention to her own solo career after having spent the past few months working with Machine Gun Kelly, who recruited her for his 2022 Mainstream Sellout tour.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
