Few artists weave tradition and innovation like Sophie Lukacs, blending the kora with a singer-songwriter’s heart and a voice fluent in four languages.

Budapest-born, Montreal-based, Sophie's journey began with classical violin and Hungarian folk songs learned from her grandmother Eva Fahidi, a Holocaust survivor whose resilience and artistry shaped Sophie's understanding of music's healing power. But it was a chance encounter in Burkina Faso during university that changed everything: her first taste of West African kora music. The 21-string harp called to her with an intensity that she couldn't shake. She was captivated, yet also deeply apprehensive; the kora is an instrument traditionally passed down through male djeli (griot) families, a revered lineage she was scared to approach as an outsider and woman. For years, she devoted herself to listening, absorbing the kora's rich repertoire. Then, as if fate intervened, on a New York subway platform—stepping off at Columbus Circle—she heard the unmistakable voice of a kora echoing through the station. Following the music led her to master Malang Jobarteh. It's the sign she had been waiting for.

What followed was a seven-year pilgrimage to Mali, where Sophie immersed herself completely in the kora tradition. In a musical culture where the kora is typically played by men of the djeli (griot) caste, she earned her place amongst the other kora players through years of dedication and practice.

Studying with kora legends such as Toumani Diabaté and collaborating with the acclaimed Habib Koité, Sophie gained significant technical proficiency on the instrument and a community of Malian musicians, who continue to guide her today. Only after years of devoted study did Sophie allow her own compositions to emerge—a fusion of her Hungarian roots, western classical training, and Mandingue tradtion. Her debut album "Bamako" (2023) captures this musical journey, earning the Global Roots Album of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards and praise from SONGLINES as a "splendid debut" with "rich and lyrical" playing.

On stage, Sophie moves between English, French, Hungarian, and Bambara, bringing the kora into a contemporary sound shaped by West African traditions, Hungarian folk music, and her classical roots. Her music has taken her across Canada, the United States, Europe, and West Africa, with performances at the Saint-Louis Jazz Festival in Senegal, the Canadian Cultural Centre in Paris, The Tung Auditorium in Liverpool, Nuits d’Afrique in Montreal, and the Stan Rogers Folk Festival, among others. Her sophomore album will be released in spring 2027.