SoKo is a French singer-songwriter and actress whose raw, emotional sound has won fans across Europe, Australia, and North America. Born Stéphanie Alexandra Mina Sokolinski on October 26, 1985, in Bordeaux, France, she first grabbed the world’s attention with her breakout single “I’ll Kill Her” in 2007.
Since then, SoKo has built a unique career that spans indie pop music, French cinema, and Hollywood films — all while staying fiercely independent and unapologetically herself. She is one of the most distinctive French artists of her generation.
Table of Contents
Quick Bio About SoKo
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Stéphanie Alexandra Mina Sokolinski |
| Stage Name | SoKo (stylized) |
| Date of Birth | October 26, 1985 |
| Age (2026) | 40 years old |
| Birthplace | Bordeaux, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Ethnicity | Russian-Polish (father), French-Italian (mother) |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Profession | Singer-songwriter, Actress, Musician |
| Genres | Indie pop, Alt-pop, Folk, Indie folk, Lo-fi |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) |
| Weight | 128 lbs (58 kg) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Green |
| Net Worth | ~$2–$3 million (est. 2026) |
| @sokothecat | |
| Official Website | sokothecat.com |
Who Is SoKo? Early Life & Childhood
SoKo was born in Bordeaux, a city in southwestern France, to a Russian-Polish father and a French-Italian mother. She grew up with five siblings in a household shaped by both joy and deep loss.
Her father died of a brain aneurysm when SoKo was just five years old. That single event changed the course of her life. It made her think deeply about death, loss, and the meaning of life at a very young age. She has said that losing her father so early made her “obsessed with death.” The grief continued — her grandparents and godfather also passed away within a span of four years.
Her mother, who was raising the family alone, was emotionally unavailable during this time. SoKo has spoken openly about developing abandonment issues as a result.
Despite the pain, music became her escape. She started piano lessons at age five but called herself a “very bad student” and quit by age 11. She has Jewish ancestry on her father’s side and was raised Catholic, though she has spoken about feeling a deep “Jewish trauma” connected to her family’s history — she has said that half of her family died in concentration camps during the Holocaust.
SoKo’s Education & Move to Paris
SoKo dropped out of school at 16 and left Bordeaux for Paris to pursue acting. She enrolled in acting classes at Cours Eva Saint-Paul for one year. Then she went back to regular school briefly before dropping out again.
It was during her acting training in Paris that she first started writing songs. She taught herself how to play guitar, bass, and drums — all without formal lessons. She picked up songwriting around the age of 20, and music quickly became just as important to her as acting.
She has used the nickname SoKo for as long as she can remember — it is simply a short form of her family name, Sokolinski.
SoKo’s Music Career
The Breakthrough: “I’ll Kill Her” (2007)
SoKo’s music career launched with a bang. In 2007, her deeply personal song “I’ll Kill Her” became a hit across Europe and Australia almost overnight. The Danish radio program The Black Boy Scouts began promoting it, and the song shot to number one on the Danish iTunes chart. It also reached the top 10 of Triple J’s Hottest 100 in Australia and was picked up by radio stations across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.
The song’s raw honesty — written about real heartbreak — connected with listeners in a way that polished pop music often doesn’t. SoKo had not even signed to a major record label at this point. She deliberately held off, saying she did not want to rush into a deal.
She toured the UK in late 2007 supporting M.I.A. on the KALA Tour. Her music was also featured in a Stella McCartney fashion show in Paris that same year.
Self-Released EP: Not Sokute (2007)
Before her debut album, SoKo released her own EP called Not Sokute in 2007. It was entirely self-released — a decision that showed her commitment to staying independent. She also collaborated with bands The Go! Team and Cornershop during this period.
Babycat Records & Because Music
SoKo founded her own record label, Babycat Records, and signed a distribution deal with Because Music in France. Running her own label gave her full creative control over her music — something she has always prioritized over commercial success.
Debut Album: I Thought I Was an Alien (2012)
After a period of uncertainty — including a 2009 post on Myspace where she declared she was “quitting music” and felt scared of the industry — SoKo came back stronger. Her debut full-length album, I Thought I Was an Alien, was released in February 2012.
It was described by critics as “woozy lo-fi alt-pop,” drawing comparisons to the works of Leonard Cohen and Daniel Johnston. The album had a raw, demo-like quality that felt intentional — intimate and honest rather than overproduced.
The lead single, “We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow,” reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became her most well-known song. The album peaked at number 12 on the UK Independent Albums Breakers chart and number 35 on the Belgian charts. Metacritic rated it 68/100.
Second Album: My Dreams Dictate My Reality (2015)
SoKo’s second studio album arrived in 2015. My Dreams Dictate My Reality showed her growing as an artist and exploring her sound further. She described her music around this time as “dreamy, punky, new wavey, raw, vital, emotional, very personal lyrics, sad but happy.” The album confirmed that she was not a one-hit wonder — she was a serious artist building a real body of work.
Third Album: Feel Feelings (2020)
SoKo’s third album, Feel Feelings, was released in 2020. She originally planned to release it earlier but deliberately delayed the launch to avoid drawing attention away from the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement. That decision said a lot about who SoKo is as a person.
The album received warm reviews for its soothing yet emotionally gutting quality. Around this time, SoKo had also become a mother — she has a child named Indigo Blue — and that experience brought a new layer of tenderness to her music.
Live Performances & Tours
As a live performer, SoKo is known for being unpredictable. She never uses a set list. Her backing band is often made up of different friends at each show. She has performed at major Australian festivals including the Falls Festival, Southbound Festival, and Sunset Sounds Festival. She has headlined venues across Scandinavia, the UK, and the United States — including the Fonda Theatre, Troubadour, Bootleg Theatre, and Echoplex in Los Angeles.
She has supported major artists including Pete Doherty, Kate Nash, Nouvelle Vague, Daniel Johnston, Foster the People, and Johnny Borrell.
SoKo’s Acting Career
SoKo is not just a musician — she is a trained actress with a serious filmography.
She made her first screen appearance in the short film L’escalier in 2003 and appeared in the French TV show P.J. the same year. Over the next decade, she built a steady presence in French cinema.
Her biggest acting recognition came with her role in the film À l’origine (2009), also known in English as In the Beginning. Her performance earned her a César Award for Most Promising Actress nomination — one of the highest honors in French cinema.
Notable Films
- Augustine (2012) — a French historical drama in which SoKo plays the lead role of a young woman with a neurological disorder
- Her (2013) — Spike Jonze’s Oscar-winning film, in which SoKo provided the voice of the character Isabella
- The Dancer (2016) — a biopic in which she plays dancer Loïe Fuller alongside Lily-Rose Depp
- Mayday (Hulu) — a more recent project continuing her Hollywood presence
- The Premise (FX/Hulu, created by B.J. Novak) — a TV anthology series
The animated short film Mourir Auprès De Toi (2011), co-written and directed by Spike Jonze, also featured a song written by SoKo — further cementing the creative relationship between the two artists.
How Old Is SoKo?
SoKo was born on October 26, 1985, which makes her 40 years old as of 2026. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio — a sign known for intensity and emotional depth, which seems very fitting for her artistic personality.
SoKo Net Worth
As of 2026, SoKo estimated net worth is approximately $2 to $3 million. Her wealth comes from several sources:
- Album sales and streaming royalties from three studio albums and her EP
- Acting fees from French and Hollywood film and television roles
- Tour revenue from sold-out concerts across Europe, Australia, and the US
- Her own record label, Babycat Records, which gives her a share of label income
- Collaborations and licensing, including her song being sampled by CeeLo Green in 2010
SoKo has never chased mainstream commercial success. She has prioritized creative independence over big label advances, which means her income comes steadily from a variety of artistic sources rather than blockbuster hits.
Physical Appearance
SoKo has a naturally striking and effortlessly artistic look that matches her musical persona.
- Height: 5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
- Weight: approximately 128 lbs (58 kg)
- Hair: Dark black
- Eyes: Green
- Body measurements: approximately 34-28-36 in (86-71-91.5 cm)
- Style: SoKo is known for an androgynous, vintage-inspired personal style that blends gothic influences with bohemian ease. She has been noted as a fashion icon among indie music fans.
She identifies as vegan and straight edge — meaning she avoids alcohol and drugs. Her lifestyle choices are deeply connected to her values and the loss of her father at a young age.
SoKo’s Boyfriend, Relationships & Personal Life
SoKo identifies as bisexual — she publicly stated this in March 2012 and has since also used the word queer to describe her sexuality. She has said she has always been open about her orientation and did not feel the need to formally “come out” even to her family.
Dating History
Her most high-profile relationship was with Kristen Stewart in early 2016. The two were photographed together and SoKo confirmed the relationship in a March 2016 interview with W Magazine. By May 2016, US Weekly confirmed that Stewart and SoKo had separated after a few months of dating.
As of 2026, SoKo appears to be focused on her music, her acting career, and raising her child, Indigo Blue. She has not publicly confirmed a current romantic partner.
Motherhood
One of the most significant chapters in SoKo’s personal life that many competitor websites overlook is her journey into motherhood. SoKo has a child named Indigo Blue, and she has spoken about how becoming a mother deeply influenced her music and outlook. Her 2020 album Feel Feelings reflected this new dimension of her life — a softer, more tender emotional world alongside her characteristic melancholy.
In 2022, SoKo left Los Angeles and returned to Paris with Indigo Blue, marking a new chapter in her personal and artistic life.
Values & Advocacy
SoKo is:
- Vegan — she became vegetarian after her father’s death and transitioned to veganism later. She has said she would refuse an acting role that required her to eat meat on screen.
- Straight edge — she does not drink or use drugs
- An active supporter of Black Lives Matter
- Dyslexic — she has spoken openly about her dyslexia
- Known for describing herself as a “White Goth”
She grew up being influenced by bands like The Cure and The Smiths. She has cited Three Imaginary Boys by The Cure as her favorite album of all time and called Robert Smith her “living hero.” Other musical inspirations include Joy Division, New Order, Patti Smith, and Conor Oberst.
SoKo’s Social Media & Online Presence
SoKo maintains an active presence online, particularly on Instagram where she shares personal updates, music news, and advocacy content.
| Platform | Handle |
|---|---|
| @sokothecat | |
| Twitter / X | @sokothecat |
| YouTube | SoKo (official channel) |
| SoundCloud | SoKo |
| Official Website | sokothecat.com |
She has used social media as a genuine extension of her personality — candid, unfiltered, and occasionally surprising. Fans follow her not just for music updates but for the honest window she gives into her life and values.
Discography at a Glance
| Year | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Not Sokute | EP |
| 2007 | “I’ll Kill Her” | Single |
| 2012 | I Thought I Was an Alien | Studio Album |
| 2012 | “We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow” | Single |
| 2015 | My Dreams Dictate My Reality | Studio Album |
| 2020 | Feel Feelings | Studio Album |
Frequently Asked Questions About SoKo
What is SoKo real name?
Her real name is Stéphanie Alexandra Mina Sokolinski. She has used the nickname SoKo since childhood as a short form of her surname.
How old is SoKo?
SoKo is 40 years old as of 2026. She was born on October 26, 1985.
Where is SoKo from?
SoKo was born and raised in Bordeaux, France. She later moved to Paris as a teenager and eventually spent many years living in Los Angeles before returning to Paris.
What is SoKo net worth?
SoKo’s estimated net worth in 2026 is approximately $2 to $3 million, earned through music, acting, touring, and her own record label.
Is SoKo married?
No, SoKo is not married. She has had public relationships in the past, most notably with actress Kristen Stewart in 2016, but she is not currently known to be in a public relationship.
Does SoKo have children?
Yes. SoKo has a child named Indigo Blue. She became a mother before releasing her 2020 album Feel Feelings and has spoken about how motherhood changed her perspective on life and music.
What genre is SoKo’s music?
SoKo’s music blends indie pop, folk, lo-fi alt-pop, and indie electronic sounds. She has described her own style as “dreamy, punky, new wavey, raw, vital, and emotional.”
Is SoKo bisexual?
Yes. SoKo publicly identified as bisexual in 2012 and has since also used the word queer to describe her sexuality. She has always been open about her orientation.
What movies has SoKo been in?
Her most notable film roles include Augustine (2012), Her (2013), and The Dancer (2016). She was also nominated for a César Award for her role in À l’origine (2009).
What is SoKo’s Instagram?
SoKo’s Instagram handle is @sokothecat.
What is SoKo’s biggest song?
Her most streamed and recognized song is “We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow” from her 2012 debut album. Her original breakthrough single was “I’ll Kill Her” (2007).
What record label is SoKo on?
SoKo runs her own label, Babycat Records, which is distributed through Because Music in France.
Conclusion
SoKo is more than a French indie pop singer — she is a storyteller, an actress, a mother, and a fearless creative who has never followed anyone else’s rules. From losing her father at five years old in Bordeaux to earning a César nomination in Paris and charming audiences in Hollywood, her journey is one of raw resilience.
Whether you discovered her through “We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow” or stumbled across her on Instagram, one thing is clear — SoKo’s best chapters are still being written. Follow her at @sokothecat to stay updated on everything she does next.