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Interview with
RATBAG
(4th March, 2025)

Interview with Shaquira Hobbs

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RATBAG: The Fearless DIY Spirit of Sophie

Some artists are meticulously trained, their paths paved with formal lessons and years of structured practice. But for Sophie, better known as Ratbag, it all started with a ukulele and a handful of lyrics. She simply picked it up, started playing, and before she knew it, she had written her first song. Now, she’s gearing up for the release of Juliet & Juliet on March 13, the second single from her upcoming EP.

Her advice to anyone wanting to create? Just do it. “You never know until you try, so just do it,” she says with an infectious enthusiasm that mirrors her music which is bold, unfiltered, and unapologetically her own.

Sophie is the kind of artist who instantly lights up a room. With her bubbly, infectious energy and effortlessly cool vibe, she brings a refreshing sense of authenticity to everything she does. The music industry needs more people like her—artists who aren’t just here to perform but to create an experience, a story, and a world for their audience to step into. Ratbag isn’t just another act; she’s a force of creativity, pouring herself into every beat, lyric, and visual element. And at only the beginning of her journey, it’s clear that this is just the start of something much bigger.

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A Tribute to the Juliets of the World

Describing Juliet & Juliet, Sophie explains, “It’s about that feeling you get when you’re with your partner in crime. Romantic or not, they’re that one person who just gets you and can make any night better by just existing.” It’s a song for all the Juliets out there, the ones who turn ordinary moments into something magical.

Following her debut single, Look What You’re Doing to Me, this track gives another glimpse into the world she’s crafting, one that delves into the love and horror of womanhood, the messy reality of adulthood, and the fluidity of queer identity.

The Ratbag Aesthetic: A DIY Creative Universe

Sophie isn’t just making music, she’s building an entire creative world around it. She writes, produces, and designs everything herself, from her songs to the visuals that accompany them. “I love being able to shape the world of my music exactly how I see it,” she says. This hands-on approach makes her work deeply personal, each element reflecting her vision with no compromises.

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Ratbag artwork for Magdalena Bay Tour

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What’s in a Name?

The name Ratbag has a family connection. “My grandfather used to call me Ratbag and my younger sibling Rascal,” Sophie shares. What started as an affectionate nickname has since taken on a life of its own. “It’s funny because I’ve found that ‘ratbag’ doesn’t mean the same thing everywhere. It’s been interesting learning how different countries perceive it.”

Just like her name, Sophie’s music is playful, full of energy, and impossible to ignore. As Juliet & Juliet prepares to drop, one thing is clear: Ratbag is an artist who isn’t afraid to take risks, embrace the chaos, and make something uniquely her own. And with the momentum she’s building, this is only the beginning.

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RATBAG hits the road with MAGDALENA BAY

Fresh off the release of her debut single Look What You’re Doing to Me and gearing up for the launch of Juliet & Juliet on March 13, Ratbag is wasting no time making her mark. Currently touring Australia as a support act for Magdalena Bay’s Imaginal Mystery Tour, she’s bringing her signature DIY spirit and high-energy performances to audiences across the country.

The tour has already been a whirlwind, with sold-out shows and venue upgrades reflecting the hype surrounding Magdalena Bay’s return and Ratbag is seizing the moment. Her unique blend of raw storytelling, self-produced beats, and immersive visuals make her the perfect addition to the lineup.

For Sophie, this tour is another step in building the world of Ratbag—one where music, visuals, and raw emotion collide. Whether it’s on stage supporting an act like Magdalena Bay or in the studio crafting every element of her sound, one thing is clear: Ratbag isn’t just here to play!

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Ratbag artwork for ‘look what you’re doing to me’

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About RATBAG

Since the release of her debut EP last year, ratbag has seen global support from Zane Lowe, 6Music, Radio 1, triple J, Radio X, i-D, NME, Kerrang!, The Line of Best Fit, DIY, Clash, Notion, Dork and more.

why aren’t you laughing? served as the first full look into the ever-expanding world of ratbag and her monstrous band that fuses music, art and theatrics into a truly singular concoction. The EP was supported by a four-episode series of live performances released earlier this year. Each episode found ratbagperforming one of the EP tracks in the natural habitats of her bandmates: ‘rot in love’ in Slug’s Grove, ‘rats in my walls’ in Deemo’s Cave, ‘dead end kids’ in Eugene’s Junkyard and ‘exit girl’ in Fritz’s Swamp.

Abandon all matter and trip into the enigmatic world of the ratbag comes for tea tour, where the strange, scary and surreal come shuddering to life. Australian audiences will be able to experience this immersive visual and phonic world for the first time ever at the Northcote Social Club, Melbourne and The Lansdowne, Sydney this October.

The ratbag comes for tea tour follows the release of the characteristically chaotic new singles ‘pinky boy’and ‘pinky girl’, as well as 2023’s punk-angst fuelled EP why aren’t you laughing? featuring the debut single ‘rats in my walls’.

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Praise for RATBAG

“‘rats in my walls’ becomes a point of introduction for the world at large. Enormously independent in its creative pathways, there’s a kind of punk-like energy to her intensity.” – Clash

“ratbag is a multifaceted artist beckoning mere mortals into her wild world of art, work that bleeds beyond the sonic realm and into the freaky horrors and mesmerizing drama of the visual space.” – The Line of Best Fit

“screams with punky angst, propelled by brisk, indie-folk instrumentals and wacky pop lyricism” – The Forty-Five

“Who or what is ratbag? The mystery surrounding the new project is still great, but that makes it all the more exciting.” – Enfnts Terribles

“brilliant” – Kerrang!

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Ratbag artwork to first EP “why aren’t you laughing?”

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Follow RATBAG
Instagram – Tik Tok – YouTube – Spotify

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Press Release 13th February 2025 (below) HERE

MAGDALENA BAY
announce
RATBAG
as National support for
highly anticipated
2025 Australian Tour

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AMNPLIFY – DB