The Softies | |
|---|---|
 The Softies onstage atYoyo A Gogo in 1997 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Portland, Oregon |
| Genres | Indie pop,cuddlecore[1] |
| Years active | 1994–2000, 2012, 2018, 2023–present |
| Members | Rose Melberg Jen Sbragia |
The Softies is a musical duo consisting ofRose Melberg and Jen Sbragia, who are known for their minimal approach to pop music.
Beginning in 1994, the band was intended to be a side project for both artists.[2] Along with an eventual career as a solo artist, Rose Melberg performed withTiger Trap,Gaze, andGo Sailor. Jen Sbragia was known for her work with the bandPretty Face. Sbragia first approached Melberg shortly following a Tiger Trap concert inSacramento, and the two began collaborating after Tiger Trap disbanded in January 1994.[3]
The pair formed The Softies, a name deriving from a UKnew wave group,[4] and recorded the four-song “Love Seat” 7-inch single forSlumberland Records. Shortly after the single's release, Melberg and Sbragia relocated toPortland, Oregon.[3]Calvin Johnson later produced their “He’ll Never Have To Know” single and the band’s debut albumIt’s Love on theK Records label.
They released an eponymousEP under Slumberland Records in 1996 (recorded beforeIt's Love). Within months, they would record their critically acclaimed[citation needed] full-lengthWinter Pageant in Melberg’s childhood home inSacramento, California.
In 2000, they released their final record with K Records,Holiday in Rhode Island. It is sometimes speculated that their albums correspond with the seasons of the year as follows:It's Love (Summer),The Softies (Autumn),Winter Pageant (Winter),Holiday in Rhode Island (Spring).
The band undertook a few tours, including as an opening act for singer/songwriterElliott Smith.[5]
For the first time since 2000, the Softies toured as part ofChickfactor 2012: For the Love of Pop, with shows in Brooklyn, Portland and San Francisco.[6][7]
In 2018 the Softies played live again for a benefit concert in Vancouver.[2]
In 2024 the band releasedThe Bed I Made onFather/Daughter Records, their first album in 24 years, and toured North America.[8][9]
The Softies almost exclusively use two electric guitars and harmonizing vocal melodies for their recorded tracks and live performances, with their prominence in the 1990sPortland music scene being attributed to their "quieter" style.[3] Though the band's music is sometimes categorized astwee pop, Melberg has eschewed the description in favor ofindie pop, saying in 2024 that twee was: "not a word we feel connected to."[8]
