Sofie Royer has a way of making high-art pop feel deeply personal, and her new single “Actress” is no exception. Released via Stones Throw Records as part of her album before/after, the track is a masterclass in blending classical training with Gen-X nostalgia and early-aughts culture.

Born in California and now based in Vienna, Royer studied classical composition at the Konservatorium Wien. That background bleeds directly into her music, giving her indie-pop output a distinct baroque twist. But instead of feeling overly academic, her work drips with references to early-aughts reality television, mall-punk soundtracks, and the strange, performative nature of coming of age.

“Actress” zeros in on the friction between illusion and reality. Co-produced with Matt Cohn, Jorgen Odegard, and Eli Hirsch, the track pairs shimmering synth arrangements with subtle orchestral flourishes. It’s catchy, self-aware, and thoroughly cinematic—sounding like the end credits of a cult classic teen movie that never got made.

The accompanying music video, directed by Grégoire Léon-Dufour, leans right into that identity crisis. It drops Royer into a high-gloss awards show setting where the red-carpet glam quickly unravels, perfectly matching the song’s underlying themes of fame and self-doubt.

Quick Release Details

• Artist: Sofie Royer

• Single: “Actress”

• Album: before/after

• Label: Stones Throw Records

• Live Dates: Playing select dates across the US, UK, and Europe, including a stop at London’s Rough Trade.

What’s your take on Royer’s baroque-pop evolution, and how does “Actress” stack up against the rest of the before/after tracklist?