First performed as a short concept instrumental in 2016 (dubbed “SQUEEZE” by fans), the fully realized song, featuring vocals from frequent collaborator Mozart’s Sister, premiered at SOPHIE’S debut event, Open Beta in October of 2017, and was played at several live shows thereafter.
When played live, it is typically accompanied by a backdrop featuring sets of rapidly-flashing images, lyrics, and shots of a CGI SOPHIE body contorted and manipulated into various gelatinous formations. The backdrop was released two months later as the song’s official video.
SOPHIE has said that Caila (Mozart’s sister) helped inspire the song. This marks it as the first solo song that SOPHIE released that she did not write entirely herself. Her previous singles were all written and produced solely by SOPHIE herself.
“Faceshopping” was featured in a video essay by popular trans Youtuber ContraPoints, in which she discussed facial feminization surgery and her personal experience with it.
Faceshopping
Sophie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My face is the real shop front
My shop is the face I front
I'm real when I shop my face
Artificial bloom
Hydroponic skin
Chemical release
Plastic surgery
Social dialect
Positive results
Documents of life
Oh
Nana-nana-nana-nana
Nana-nana-nana-nana-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-nana-nana
My face is the front of shop
My face is the real shop front
My shop is the face I front, front
I'm real when I shop my face
Scalpel, lipstick, gel
Action, camera, lights
Violence in your heart
Memories of love (What?)
Professor?
Oh
Nana-nana-nana-nana (hold it)
Nana-nana-nana-nana-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-nana-nana
My face is the front of shop
My face is the real shop front
My shop is the face I front, front
I'm real when I shop my face
So you must be the one
That I've seen in my dreams
Come on, touch me
Set my spirit free
Oh, test me
Do you feel what I feel?
Do you see what I see?
Oh, reduce me to nothingness
Yes, yes
My face is the front of shop
My face is the real shop front
My shop is the face I front, front
I'm real when I shop my face
And you know what I want
My face is the front of shop
So give me what I want
My face is the real shop front
I said everything I want
My shop is the face I front
So give me what I want
I'm real when I shop my face
And you know what I want
My face is the front of shop
So give me what I want
My face is the real shop front
I said everything I want
My shop is the face I front
So give me what I want
I'm real when I shop my face
The song "Faceshopping" by Sophie explores the intersection between identity and consumerism, with the artist using their own face as a metaphorical shop front. The lyrics suggest that our appearances are often curated and constructed, with references to plastic surgery, hydroponic skin, and synthesizing the real. Sophie also brings up the idea of "positive results" and "documents of life," implying that we value the way we look in order to present a certain image of ourselves to the world.
The chorus repeats the lines "My face is the front of shop/My face is the real shop front/My shop is the face I front/I'm real when I shop my face," emphasizing this idea that our faces are a product to be consumed and marketed. The bridge of the song introduces the idea of touch and physical contact, with lyrics such as "So you must be the one/That I've seen in my dreams/Come on, touch me/Set my spirit free." This could be interpreted as Sophie expressing a desire for genuine connection and intimacy in a world where our appearances are so heavily emphasized.
The song's upbeat and electronic sound contrasts with the meaning behind the lyrics, highlighting the disconnect between the surface-level excitement and the darker themes at play.
Line by Line Meaning
My face is the front of shop
My face is what people see first, it represents me and my identity
My face is the real shop front
My face is not just a cover, it represents everything about me
My shop is the face I front
I present myself to the world through my face
I'm real when I shop my face
I feel genuine when I use my appearance to express myself
Artificial bloom
My appearance may look fake, but it is my self-expression
Hydroponic skin
I take care of my skin using modern techniques
Chemical release
I use artificial products to enhance my look
Synthesize the real
I use artificial products to create a look that feels authentic to me
Plastic surgery
I modify my face to reflect who I am
Social dialect
My appearance reflects my social environment
Positive results
I feel good when I look good
Documents of life
My appearance is a record of my life experiences
Scalpel, lipstick, gel
Sometimes I need to use drastic measures to achieve the look I want
Action, camera, lights
I present myself in a way that draws attention
Violence in your heart
Your negative feelings towards me are reflected in your actions
Memories of love (What?)
My appearance is a reminder of past relationships
Professor?
I am questioning your authority on the topic of appearance
So you must be the one
I am searching for someone who can appreciate my appearance
That I've seen in my dreams
I am looking for someone who can understand me on a deeper level
Come on, touch me
I want to connect with someone physically and emotionally
Set my spirit free
I want to be with someone who can allow me to be myself
Oh, test me
I want to see if you can truly appreciate me for who I am
Do you feel what I feel?
I want to know if you can understand my perspective
Do you see what I see?
I want to know if you can appreciate my appearance in the same way that I do
Oh, reduce me to nothingness
I want to be accepted for who I am, rather than judged based on appearance
Yes, yes
I am confident in who I am, and I want you to see that too
And you know what I want
I am direct about my desires and aspirations
So give me what I want
I expect to receive what I desire
I said everything I want
I have made my desires clear
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Sophie Xeon, Caila Thompson Hannant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@majesticcasual
THE FUTURE IS LOOKING BRIGHT! 🌈💖
@wolfe9306
yes very much
@sefsprit3
Brando Torres lol what
@djalmadevil
Aaaaah 2020 makes these kind of statements so sad
@omichillian
This makes me so sad now
@edwinlevin7959
How?
@philippizza1
skin: hydrophonic
face: shopped
wig: gone
people w/ epilepsy: dead
@joshuad9929
I just choked on my drink
@Nooreebby
Hotel: trivago
@alexanderanstand8453
@@Nooreebby this made me laugh thanks sis