This week we warm up in the tubs with our new friend Sophie Hawley-Weld. One-half of energetic and colorful duo Sofi Tukker, she’s a creative mind who interweaves culture, identity, and fun into her musical journey. On today’s episode, we dive in deep about our connection to community, mental health and rituals on the road, and the development that happens behind the scenes within her music projects. She is thankful for growing up with a life full of opportunities where she could mix and mingle with an international community.  The expectation at school was always to become a diplomat or leader, so the concept of artistry as a form of giving back to the world was an eye-opening realization.Initially pursuing academia at Brown University, Sophie was wavering in her passion after a big diversion: falling in love with Brazilian culture. She considered spurning it all, and moving to her heart home. It was in this love of Brazil, that she performed a Bossa Nova song at an event in providence where Tucker Halpern was also DJ’ing. It was there that the two began their musical and life collaboration.However, music was always in her blood. As a child, she developed an interest in the Brazilian Bossa Nova genre from her exposure to a very international community, in which she found herself naturally drawn to the harmonious sound of the friends who spoke the Portuguese language. This draw would shape her world in more ways than one, as she explores language through words, music, lyrics and collaboration. In an embrace of beginner’s mind, Sophie isn’t afraid to explore the silly and playful side of writing songs, leaning into sound versus lyrical meaning. Now, she aims to get back to Brazil as much as possible to keep her creativity alive.Using her stage performance as a form of expression, but also meditation, is a practice of presence for Sophie’s life. She tells us how she finds stepping onto the stage to be a way of letting all of her problems go. When she takes that first step in front of their audience, it is a time to be experimental, get silly, and share her most vibrant self to the world. The energy they get back from the audience is an even greater joy.Loving the concept of what Sophie saw on Secular Sabbath from the internet, she was drawn to know more as her personality asks her always be curious, a trait that constantly guides her through wild experiences in her life. Realizing that this has been a key way to developing and opening up as an artist, she keeps this element of curiosity alive by saying yes to as many funky opportunities that present themselves. For her this is part of doing the work to stay fluid as an artist, keeping her work from being stagnant, and staying inspired to turn out new sounds under her project Sofi Tukker. So take a deep breathe with us as we settle into this inspiring conversation about managing creative passions and the balance of taking that to the professional level with Sophie Hawley-Weld.To join Secular Sabbath membership, you can find us at secular-sabbath.com/membership. Joining grants you access to our Inner Circle community of sensory-exploring like-minded people, where you can gather with us locally in LA for monthly meet-up experiences, and pop-up events around the globe, and partake in our exclusive ambient online community.Ready to dive into the dialogue deeper? Join us on our Discord channel.See what we get up to at @secularsabbath.