A moving anthem that resonates to anyone who’s ever felt the pain of being singled out, its vocals crisp and clean, while the stars of the video act like a call to arms; letting you know you’re not alone. Sody’s The Bully, rightfully deserves a place in musical history as one of the most powerful soul-stirring songs of today, featuring alongside; This is Me (from The Greatest Showman), Beautiful (Christina Aguilera) and Ugly (Sugababes) – all of which celebrate the differences of people. But it’s Sody’s captivating honesty that singles it out from the rest. Written about her own experiences, Sody has created a song that celebrates the resilience of those who’ve been bullied, whilst confronting the bully; telling them of their own weakness, while having a degree of pity for them. Through her expressive voice, and the accompaniment of the beautiful music video, Sody creates a cathartic experience, not just for herself, but for others.
“I hope no one does to you what you did to me
I wouldn’t wish it upon you, no not anybody
But only I could’ve dealt with what you put me through
Glad it happened to me and not you”
A calming melody instills a sense of peace to the song, as opposed to the unrest of being bullied. Sody’s voice relating to the hurt and strength of the lyrics, while adding a gracefulness to them. Her voice having a working contrast of delicacy to utter raw strength; her notes ringing out, without ever being shouted.
The Bully (2019), directed by Will and Carly, places people of all ages in the awkward position of posing for a school portrait – the arrangement of the photoshoot homing in on our insecurities, whilst situating it for where most bullying takes place – at school. Each person, a star in their own right, mimes along to the song, taking on the role of it being their own personal narrative and an echo to their own experiences – with each of them having been/being bullied at some point in their life. This connection comes through with absolute transparency, and in knowing this it helps to build a stronger link between those in the video to those in the audience.
Unlike other videos that employ a similar technique in having people that actually represent the meaning of the song, it’s the close-up shots in The Bully with its plain backdrops and perfect lip-sync that makes the difference and with it carries the weight of the song.
Sody (the stage name for Sophie Dyson) began her career from the young age of fifteen with the EP release Youth (2016). A singer/songwriter, Sody’s work often encompass a truthfulness to her life. The maturity in her songs often taking other artists years to develop, but with years beyond her age Sody has come straight in at the deep end – good thing she can swim. In starting so strong it will be interesting to see how her songs change in time. Hopefully though they’ll always contain such stunning sincerity.
Other songs by Sody we love:
- Old Flame (2021 – single)
- i’ve got you (2020 – real growth takes time [EP])
- Charlotte (2020 – single)
- What We Had (2020 – I’m Sorry, I’m Not Sorry [EP])
- Let You Know (2018 – single)
- Maybe It Was Me (2018 – single)
- Let Go (2017 – single)
Other artists you might like:
- Charlotte Lawrence
- Rhys Lewis
- Sasha Sloan
- SHY Martin
