Modern Woman
“Edgy, gritty and exhilarating”
Modern Woman are a London art-rock outfit fronted by primary songwriter Sophie Harris, whose work has evolved from an intimate solo project into a full-bodied band capable of folding post-punk, avant-garde and folk traditions into a live force of dynamic originality. Their music is driven by contrast and tension, balancing delicacy and abrasion, noise and melody, instinct and control.
At the heart of Modern Woman’s songwriting is a fascination with the strange poetry buried within the ordinary. Harris’s lyrics, steeped in literary detail and filmic atmosphere, explore the dark underbelly of everyday life and the contradictions of womanhood, finding meaning in moments that are quietly unsettling as well as emotionally expansive. As Harris puts it, “A vital theme I’ve always wanted in Modern Woman is the idea of conflicting things — the tender and the harsh, loud and quiet, scrappy and polished. Everyone’s playing draws from a melting pot of influences, coming together to form something new.”
The band’s sound took shape through years of creative refinement. Modern Woman coalesced when Harris met violinist and composer David Denyer, whose background in experimental composition and textural sound work helped expand the project’s sonic language. Joined by Juan Brint-Gutiérrez on bass and saxophone and Adam Blackhurst on drums, the group developed a style that values friction: folk-rooted lyricism rubbing against noise, dissonance, and rhythmic urgency. Working with producer Joel Burton, Modern Woman honed a recorded sound that captures the raw intensity of their performances while retaining a sense of openness and unpredictability. The result is music that feels both considered and volatile — rooted in careful songwriting, yet always alive to the possibility of rupture.
Represented by Rob Gibbs