Soofire, coined from the Ghanaian pronunciation of the name Sophia (So-Fi-Yah) to create a brand that still holds onto her roots, is a Ghanaian-American DJ and Entrepreneur based in LA.
Born in Newark, New Jersey to Ghanaian immigrant parents, her early years were a blend of American hustle and Ghanaian roots. Her family later moved to Worcester, Massachusetts were she grew up surrounded by the sounds of her father, a DJ known as Nananom Sounds. This was her early introduction to Ghanaian music and that sparked her love for music and the arts.
As the first Ghanaian female DJ in Los Angeles, SooFire has carved out a place in a space that wasn’t built with women like her in mind. She’s been in the DJ scene for about five years, including a short break. It hasn’t been easy navigating this male-dominated industry. It’s a boys’ club, and as a woman, it can be hard to find space. For her, it’s simple: she only goes where she’s welcomed.
Now, more female DJs are entering the scene, and she sees it as a powerful shift. Women are the biggest consumers of music, they decide what’s popular, they dance when it sounds good, they support what they love. It’s time for more women to be behind the scenes, driving the sound and the industry forward.
When it comes to her sound, SooFire started with genres like Amapiano, Gqom, and Afrohouse, long before her community was ready to move away from the more popular Afrobeats. She never wanted to be stuck in a box.
Her most unforgettable show was in Ghana at Sandbox and Polo Beach Club, where the energy was unmatched. She’s never flopped a show not even in the beginning this is because the space she finds herself in comes with heavy criticism, so she always makes sure she’s overly prepared. Her motto: stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.
One of her favorite collaborations so far has been shooting a music video for A-Star and Medikal. When it comes to style, she doesn’t have one specific icon. Her fashion sense is African, sporty, and sexy, a mix of her American upbringing and Ghanaian heritage.
That same sense of cultural pride extends to her entrepreneurial path. SooFire.com was born from the absence of African representation in mainstream fashion. Growing up, she never saw merch celebrating Ghana or Africa only Jamaica or the U.S. She created the brand to rewrite that narrative. Now, a new generation wears Africa proudly. What was once “not cool” is now a source of power, pride, and global influence.
She’s also the founder of SooFire Cares, a foundation she created in honor of her grandmother, Christie Assibu. Located in Senya-Beraku, Ghana. The foundation is based at her grandmother’s house. It’s a place where abandoned mothers and children can come for help. In just five years, they’ve renovated the home, paid school fees for about 50 children, and provided food, clothes, and shelter to people in need. Many women in that area are struggling, and SooFire Cares is doing the work to support them.
Her first mix ever was called something like DJ SooFire 419 Mix. She got a great response from her community because she was already known for putting people on to good music. Becoming a DJ just made it official, and her supporters were excited to see her take up space especially in LA, where there weren’t any Ghanaian female DJs at the time. Now with Detty December coming up, she’s hoping to land another gig in Ghana.
SooFire loves working with Afro-fusion. It blends genres like reggae, highlife, R&B, and Afrobeats, and that layered, genre-blending sound speaks to her creative style.
What’s next? More gigs in more cities. She’s been spinning in Atlanta this summer, and she’s looking to take her sound worldwide. Traveling and sharing music is the dream, and she’s just getting started.
