Fresh off her headline performance at Tokyo’s Gloomy Bear Rave hosted by Subculture LA , where she debuted her new hit single “Goals” alongside her highly anticipated Gloomy Bear x ACDC RAG. collection, Sophie Powers is riding a creative high. The 20-year-old artist has been making waves with her recent EP “Glitch: Lvl. 1,” a kawaii-meets-edge exploration that perfectly mirrors the duality of her fashion designs. The collection, which marks Powers’ first major fashion collaboration, showcases the same genre-defying approach that’s become her signature, split between pastel dreams and darker aesthetics. We caught up with Powers over Zoom from her hotel room in South Korea, her voice still raw from the 2:55 AM Tokyo performance that marked her collection’s explosive debut. Despite the intense schedule and recent travel, Powers’ enthusiasm was contagious as she opened up about creative freedom, finding her voice, and the intersection of music and fashion.
On Fashion, Music, and Identity: An Interview with Sophie Powers
On Personal Style and Creative Vision
Your fashion designs feel as much like armor as they do art. When you’re designing, are you thinking about protection, rebellion, or pure self-expression—or is it something else entirely?
Sophie Powers: “I view fashion as a sense of armor because when I’m in my own designs, that’s when I feel my most authentic self, and no one can attack me for that. And no one should be attacked for being their most authentic self. Which is so empowering for clothing and style—you know, being able to create outfits from your head and making them real!”
You’ve said you’ve been designing since you were eight years old. What was the first piece you ever created, and does it still resonate with you today?
Sophie Powers: “When I was eight years old, I designed a collection inspired by Fabletics and Maddie Ziegler because I was watching Dance Moms at the time. So I’m not sure it still resonates with me, to be honest. It was literally like the most colorful jungle dancewear, and it had leaf patterns and stuff. But I think it would resonate with a lot of yoga moms.”
Gloomy Bear is this blend of cute and violent, and your collection reflects that perfectly. Do you ever feel like you embody that same duality as a person?
Sophie Powers: “Totally, and that’s why the collection makes so much sense too because we did it in two different colorways. The first one is the lighter colors, and the second one is darker. I mean, I think every girl wakes up and chooses one personality each morning. One of the two.”
ACDC RAG and Gloomy Bear are both rooted in counterculture. What does “counterculture” mean to you in 2025, when mainstream trends are being shaped by the same rebellious aesthetics?
Sophie Powers: “It’s weird because I feel like those mainstream trends are emulating counterculture so much it’s hard to tell what’s counterculture anymore. And I think Gloomy Bear, for that reason, for both good and bad, has opened up to a larger mass market appeal. And people are willing to take more chances because everything has been done—there are not as big chances as they used to be, which is so cool and I love that and also weird.”
Fashion and music can both be deeply personal forms of storytelling. Do you ever find that one expresses things you can’t capture in the other?
Sophie Powers: “Yes, I think fashion does a great job of telling a story before you even open your mouth, and it can speak on your behalf. I think music does a good job before anyone can see you. One of them is more visually empowering off the bat, and one of them is more audibly empowering off the bat. I think they represent sides of who everyone is at their core.”
In a world obsessed with categorizing everything, your work feels beautifully undefinable. Do you ever feel pressure to fit into one box—fashion designer, musician, performer—or do you thrive in the chaos of being all of them?
Sophie Powers: “Gosh, of course I feel pressure. I think it’s very similar to going to university and being asked to pick your major. But I think there’s also more power in being well-rounded as a person today than there once was, which is why I am thriving in the chaos of it and trying to ignore that pressure every day.”
The Gloomy Bear Collection
What’s the emotional core of the Gloomy Bear x Sophie Powers collection? If people could take away one feeling from wearing it, what would you want that to be?
Sophie Powers: “I think I would want people to feel like… I’m trying to think of the best way to describe it… not real. Like a video game character of themselves. Like the version of themselves they grew up playing as, whether it’s dressing up today or ten years ago with Polly Pockets. Their inner child should definitely be at hand, and I think that’s cool. We shouldn’t neglect our inner child, and fashion can bring that out in a lot of awesome ways and make us more comfortable on the outside for that reason because we’re comfortable on the inside.”
Part 1 of the collection is vibrant and pastel, while Part 2 dives into darker, moodier tones. Was this duality inspired by Gloomy Bear’s cute-but-edgy persona, or does it reflect something deeper in your own creative journey?
Sophie Powers: “It’s both! Part 1 of the collection actually is reflective of my most recent EP ‘Glitch Level One’ which is very cute and kawaii, colorful and glittery. Part 2 is the path that I’m moving towards artistically and musically in the future. Gloomy Bear and ACDC RAG have both of those audiences that they want to hit, which is why it makes sense breaking up the collection into two parts.”
Creating for Gloomy Bear must have come with its own set of challenges. How did you balance staying true to the iconic character while injecting your own essence into the designs?
Sophie Powers: “Gloomy Bear is very established because they are willing to push the mold. Them being flexible and creative people allowed me to do my thing and not feel any sort of boundaries or restrictions when creating these designs. And ACDC RAG also has had a revamp recently and totally invaded different fashion spaces that they weren’t a part of before. So I think it was uncharted territory for all of us in a way. That’s what made it so easy and comfortable.”
The Tokyo Rave is such a high-energy way to debut a collection. What was it like seeing your designs come to life in that atmosphere, and how did the event reflect the spirit of the collection?
Sophie Powers: “That event reflected the chaotic experience of designing your first clothing collection. You don’t know what’s happening even though you have been designing clothing. To go from that to launching a collection are two very different things. I’ve been a part of raves before, but never in my life have I gone on at 2:55 in the morning for a show and then got on a plane four hours later—that’s actually why my voice sounds like this right now because it’s literally so shot. It was definitely an experience to remember, walking in there with no expectations. I walked out really satisfied because of that, and I felt very loved by not only the Gloomy Bear mascot that was on stage with me but also the Gloomy girls and the gays and theys who came onstage in the Gloomy gear.”
How was the vibe that night?
Sophie Powers: It was like nothing I’ve ever seen. Japan sure knows how to throw a rave!
Gloomy Bear has been a symbol of counterculture since the early 2000s. What about its ethos do you think still resonates with today’s generation?
Sophie Powers: “I think Gloomy Bear does a very good job at pivoting, and every generation experiences different things so brands need to pivot with that or be left in the dust. They understand that Gen Z is willing to take risks. We have been told all our lives we aren’t going to be here long. The planet is on the brink of collapse so we have a much more carefree, nihilistic attitude. I think the brand does a great job at understanding that, and ACDC RAG recently had a resurgence because they’ve aligned with Gen Z on that as well.”
Music Meets Fashion
Your new single, “Goals,” debuted alongside the Gloomy Bear collection. Do you see the song and the designs as two sides of the same coin, or are they expressing completely different ideas?
Sophie Powers: “They are not two sides of the same coin, but they’d be in the same change pouch hanging out next to each other because, like you said, fashion and music are two very different ways of telling stories. So I tried to separate them, but also keep the color waves a little bit cohesive for the sake of telling a much broader story, and thankfully they lined up timing wise.”
How did you come up with “Goals”? What made you start writing the song? What was the inspiration?
Sophie Powers: We actually initially wrote the song for the Barbie movie as a pitch, and I wanted, like, a girl-boss, empowering song. So this song has been done for, like, two years, and then we had an artist feature on it. It got sent to NHL25, and we wanted to release it around then with the featured artist, but the artist couldn’t release it, so we said “okay” and strategized. My label went through a massive shift, and then we had to wait another while. And it finally is coming out.
And it feels like the last part of my glitch era for me. In the Gloomy Bear Part 2 collection, there might be a song that will coincide as well—or come a little bit later—that is stepping into a new era, I would say.
If someone put on a piece from your collection and listened to Glitch: Lvl. 1, what kind of world are they stepping into?
Sophie Powers: “Candyland-themed rainbow pink turquoise sky land with go-karts available to their every need—that’s how I visually see that world. And I think it’s childish, but like, who cares? You only have one childhood. You should be able to look back at it fondly. And in a lot of ways, I can’t. So this is my way of repairing that.”
Do you ever feel more like a character on stage than yourself?
Sophie Powers: “On stage, I feel like a superhero. I don’t feel like it’s a character—I feel like it’s part of me I get to be. I’m not going to the grocery store, I’m not around my friends, but on stage… and there’s something very special about that that I will never take for granted.”
Fashion is often about visual storytelling, while music is auditory. How do you merge the two when building your creative universe?
Sophie Powers: “I blend the two because I can’t help it. I literally can’t help it—I have synesthesia and they go hand in hand even if I didn’t want them to. I actually wish I could separate them more sometimes because I think it would change how I tell the story or how I market a song release as opposed to a clothing collection launch. I wouldn’t need to lean on one or the other, but they’re just so intertwined for me. I’m at the point where I’m just embracing it, and if you can’t beat them, join them. People seem to like it so I’m just rolling with the punches.”
Her Creative Outlook
You’ve said your goal is to create a “safe space” for people to express themselves. Why is that mission so important to you, and how have fashion and music helped create that space in your own life?
Sophie Powers: “I think a lot of it has to do with my own experience of expressing myself to the maximum and being this authentic, bold, daring, cringe—whatever you want to call it—theatre kid who was full of light, and that light was dimmed a lot by bullying, both online and in person. I think people assume that bullying is like this outdated thing, but even microaggressions really add up. And without sounding like whatever the kids call it—a snowflake—that stuff never fully leaves you. I finally got to a point where I was so miserable that I started expressing myself through another person that wasn’t me, and that was Sophie Powers. But Sophie Powers is really the most authentic version of me because the other at that time wasn’t the real me, you know. So that’s why I believe in self-expression because it changed my life. And I wouldn’t be here today if I hadn’t found that creative outlet.”
How did you come up with “Powers”?
Sophie Powers: Oh, “Powers” is actually my mom’s and grandma’s last name. I always loved how powerful it sounded; it reminds me of something like Scott Pilgrim—Sophie Powers.
You’re collaborating with these incredible brands that celebrate individuality, but what’s your personal definition of individuality?
Sophie Powers: “My personal definition of individuality is equated to a sandcastle—everyone of them falls and they’re remade differently each time. And as people, we aren’t one sandcastle our whole lives. We are rocked by waves and other exterior measures. Life is not easy. We get back up and sometimes better and sometimes worse off, but I think that’s what makes someone them because it’s that history and that ability to change, create new versions of themselves—almost like shapeshifting and being malleable to art and expression as a whole. That’s so cool and I don’t think we really internalize that enough.”
Your designs have this undeniable energy, almost like they’re alive. Do you think clothing has the power to create a new persona, or does it reveal the person you already are?
Sophie Powers: “Clothing has the ability to emphasize a new persona, but I think that persona has to already be in you before you put on the design. I think it has the ability to bring it out, but if it’s not there naturally, you are just going to be uncomfortable in the clothing you’re wearing. That’s why I think it’s really important to find a balance on what other sides of yourself there are—you know, learning yourself, going to therapy or, I mean, therapy is so freaking expensive nowadays, but like taking other creative measures outside of fashion to apply to your fashion, if that makes sense.”
You’ve built these communities with your Powerpuffs, Gloomy’s, and ACDC fans. How do you see these groups coming together and influencing the culture at large?
Sophie Powers: I think they’re all very welcoming communities, and creatives and artists often are still not welcomed in a lot of places and ways. So I feel like it’s a great place for new creatives, or young creatives, or bubbling creatives to find themselves more through community, connection, companionship, and self-expression.
Sophie Powers, the Artist and the Person
When you look at where you are now—headlining Tokyo raves, designing with iconic brands, releasing music—what would the eight-year-old version of you think of all this?
Sophie Powers: “I think the eight-year-old version of me would both be like, ‘Wow, you’re the coolest person on earth.’ But at the same time, I’m very hard on myself. So they would say, ‘Well, why don’t you have your own clothing collection? Why aren’t you as big as Madonna?’ And it’s that relentless need to get better, be harder on myself that continues to push me but hurt me at the same time.”
You’ve described this collection as your first step into the fashion world outside of music. How does it feel to carve out space for yourself in an entirely new medium?
Sophie Powers: It’s been a long time coming, so it doesn’t feel real. I’ve been designing clothes for so long without any ambitions as big as this, so I’m not sure I’ve fully processed it yet. It feels both rewarding and unreal, and I’m so excited to do more. I think this is just the first step in a very long journey for me.
If you could design an outfit that perfectly represented your personality, what would it look like?
Sophie Powers: “I think it depends on what era I’m in, like headspace mentally, physically, emotionally, music-wise. Right now it’s healing from my childhood and that’s why you see these bright colors, Candy Crush aesthetics and themes. But in the future, I feel like, you know, I turned 20 this year. I’m getting ready to step into a more mature vibe. And I’m excited to show people what that looks like on me and from me.”
Your work feels like it’s constantly blurring boundaries—between genres, aesthetics, and even industries. Do you think you’re creating a new kind of artist altogether?
Sophie Powers: “I mean, that’s the goal, and I think nowadays the artist is the genre—it’s less about the genre than it ever has been. You take an artist like Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, and what they’ve done so well is being influenced by a bunch of different things and making it their own. And honestly, I view what I do no differently.”
What scares you more: the idea of being misunderstood or the idea of being completely understood?
Sophie Powers: “I think the idea of being misunderstood because I value my character, and when people misjudge my character, that is a very personal thing, especially after I worked on it for so long. I’m very close with my mom—certain things about loyalty she pushed towards me my whole life. If I was ever viewed the other way, I think I would have a self-identity crisis. Being misunderstood is pretty scary. Being understood in a convoluted way is almost fearless.”
The Future
You’ve said “Goals” is about ambition, but what does success look like to you? Is it a tangible milestone, or is it more about how you feel along the way?
Sophie Powers: “It really is just about community building at the end of the day. And I don’t want to say core fans because I hate the word fans. So I say ‘Frans’ because it feels like showcasing your art—art takes a lot of courage and vulnerability. No one should ever be shamed for that, and if you are there to witness a part of that or listen to my songs, you’ve witnessed a part of me—we’re friends now. And I view it in the same way for fashion: if you’ve bought my designs, that’s a part of me that will be with you in your closet.
I think because I am so hard on myself, it’s several different milestones along the way. And I don’t think that there is one milestone that I’m going to reach and say, ‘Okay, I’ve done it.’ I’m proud of myself because I’m just going to want to keep going until I can do better and better and better. It’s honestly quite toxic, but it pushes my ambition to be better and hopefully people can see that and be part of my community, be my Fran and share their pieces of art among themselves.”
If you could collaborate with any artist—designer, musician, or visual artist—in the world, who would it be, and why?
Sophie Powers: “Alive or Dead?”
NARCISSIST: “Yeah!”
Sophie Powers: “Honestly, Kurt Cobain. Because the way he approached storytelling lyrically and physically… Artists have always used fashion to help get themselves ahead, but I don’t think I’ve seen it that way before, and he really created such a unique mold. That’s something I want to do for myself, and I’d love to ask him about what drove him to make certain decisions or how he did it. He is so good at storytelling. I think he’s the best storyteller of our generation—or I guess not our generation but the generation before us. I want to keep his art alive forever.”
Would you ever do a Nirvana cover?
Sophie Powers: “Actually, I already have—’Heart-Shaped Box‘ by Nirvana.”
Would you do any other covers?
Sophie Powers:“I would do ‘Dumb’ by Nirvana. And I would also cover Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’ because that’s a song I listen to every time before I go up on stage.”
What’s next for Sophie Powers? Is there a dream you haven’t chased yet?
Sophie Powers: “Yeah, I want to design for not only brands but artists and groups and figures. I also want to launch my own clothing collection and tour outside. I want to explore more of Asia—a lot more international work—and really focus on stepping into a more mature aesthetic and music landscape.”
Some Random shit we want to ask.
Three movies that best represent you?
Sophie Powers: “The Barbie dolphin movie, Twilight, and Past Lives.”
In a parallel universe, what would you be doing right now?
Sophie Powers: “I would be a genie in a bottle. I would be inside of it because I love giving people gifts so much and I’m so bad at showing affection otherwise. I feel like that would be just the greatest gift ever to be able to give gifts and just rot in my little lamp every day.”
Do you believe in aliens?
Sophie Powers: “Yes. I’m a pretty realistic person, and realistically, there are hundreds of thousands of other galaxies just like ours. The idea that there is no life on any of them is kind of insane and sounds a little immature to me.”
Do you think we might be aliens?
Sophie Powers: “To other aliens, yes.”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?
Sophie Powers: “It’s harder than you think, but you’re better than you think.”
What do you love most about Tokyo and Korea?
Sophie Powers: “In Tokyo, I loved how expressive everyone was. In Korea—I don’t want this to sound rude—but I love how blunt everyone is, like in a nice way. Very direct. I like directness. But in Japan, I thought I was an actor. They are both such powerhouses. I seriously want to come back soon.”
Gloomy bear X Sophie Collection Part 1 & 2 available now here.
Keep up with Sophie on Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube.