Sophie Doyle Ryder on her new single 'Little Black Book'

Following a string of acclaimed singles, and a stunning set on the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions' Y&E Series, Sophie Doyle Ryder has rapidly established herself as one of the most hotly tipped pop artists in the country.

Although still in secondary school, the Malahide singer-songwriter has already been compared to the likes of Ariana Grande and Anne-Marie, for her commanding vocals and powerful pop tracks that deal with themes of female empowerment – as showcased in her new single, 'Little Black Book'.

"I feel like 'Little Black Book' is about me saying,'I'm a woman'," she tells us. "When I sing it, I feel like I'm singing to all these girls, and only to these girls – as if the boys don't get the message!"

Before she was clocking up radio impacts in their millions, Sophie's musical journey began in a surprising place...

"When I was 12 or 13, I loved doing karaoke in Spain," she recalls. "And then I found myself coming home from Spain, and singing – when I usually didn't do that. When I was 14, I realised that this was all that I want to do.

"My family is full of music," she adds. "So I was  introduced to a lot of different types of music when I was a kid. I really feel like that played a massive part."

With her profile continue to rise, she's also had to learn how to balance her career with her upcoming Leaving Cert.

"I always put music first," she says. "If there's something that needs to be done in music, school has to wait. It's really a case of going to school as much as possible – I really don't take sick days offs, because I can't afford to miss school for that. I'd rather miss it for music."

Of course, Sophie is part of a new generation of pop artists – emerging in a industry already defined by Spotify and, increasingly, TikTok.

"Numbers do play a big part in it, but they can also be a bit of a hit and miss thing," she argues. "Some people are mad about them, and then some people will tell you that they mean nothing. But, at the end of the day, it's talent that matters. If you're not talented, and people are sharing your song around, it will die down eventually."

Capping off a landmark year in her career, Sophie is also set to feature on the highly anticipated Irish Women In Harmony Christmas Single.

"I remember when I was told that," she reflects. "I was like, 'Oh my God – absolutely!' Obviously! I recorded it already, so I've heard it and all. It's so good."

And with an Upstairs in Whelan's headline gig lined up for 2021, her career looks set to continue to skyrocket.

"I'm definitely going to be looking to release another single before the year ends," she says. "I have the gig in Whelan's in March, so I want to have all the songs out and rehearsed, to be ready to sing that night. That's going to be my main focus after Christmas."

Take a look at the video for 'Little Black Book' below:

Sophie Doyle Ryder plays Upstairs at Whelan's on March 6.