Sophia Essel grew up in liverpool and came to house music at thirteen. she spent about a decade dancing competitively before she moved to djing, then taught herself production with no formal training behind her.

toolroom found her through its we are listening platform for female talent, and she made her debut for the label in 2021 with Love Vibration, which remains her biggest selling and biggest streaming record. Sweat followed on 21 april 2023, and beatport reported it as her first record to reach number one on its charts, ahead of a top ten that also held four tet, fred again and Chris Lake.

It's the first time I've used my own vocals on one of my own tracks. Buzzing, it happens to be the record that got to number 1.

essel to beatportal, 16 may 2023

the vocal on Sweat came out of her residency at sankeys in ibiza, where she recorded herself talking about the room. her earlier Lennon, also on toolroom in 2023, had stopped at number three on the same chart.

the run since has stayed busy and stayed varied. Give Me Desire and Look Back went out on toolroom in january and march 2025, Legacy on toolroom trax on 23 may 2025, UR LUV on 3 beat music on 5 september 2025, then Activate back on toolroom on 13 february 2026 and Shined On Me on myth of nyx on 20 march 2026.

she is booked at the concourse project in austin on 27 august 2026 on a free entry bill with tony romera, listed on the venue's own calendar. it is the only date published on her pages.