Sofi De La Torre Faster 6v512v

Sofi de la Torre Can you say where the person comes from by her name? Look at the photo and describe Sofi. Read the text and find more information about Sofi. Fill in all the missing parts: • everyday life and love • a tune and wield our emotions • something you didn’t know • with hints of folk • warm and intense “Sofi de la Torre is a singer/songwriter from Las Palmas, currently living in London where she attends the Goldsmiths College of Arts. Her music is raw and heartfelt, 1……… . Her voice is naturally 2………, sometimes gracefully teasing. She knows how to play 3………, to bring us in her fresh and authentic way, simple stories of 4……… . Sofi's music will remind you of 5……… you had.”

Listen to the song and fill in the blanks, then guess the title of the song:

Can you feel it …… through your veins? Running around like a mad man Looking for a game plan That will take your …… away Flying high like an airplane …… on a tight rope Waiting for the big show Hoping I can do it all over again Fill me up with the glorious …… you say Make me part of the wonderful games you play It’s gotta be faster, faster Harder, harder A …… version of me Gotta be crazy, sexy, louder, edgy A bigger version of me So here’s something we can all …… to I’ll sing about the beat to make us all move It’s gotta be faster, faster Harder, harder But you don’t know what it .......

So come and brief me You’re obviously the chief of me You always know what’s best I am just a …… in a hotel room Trying hard to your test And if I’m ticking all the boxes Or …… all the foxes I guess it’s not my call Fill me up with the glorious words you say Make me part of the wonderful games you play And if you …… me as I am Would it be such a bad thing? Saw me as I am Would it be …… bad? If you felt what I had Would it be such a bad thing? Be such a bad thing? It’s gotta be faster, faster…

After listening to the song check whether the information from the text is true or not. What is your impression of this song?

Ludmila Oinonen

Teacher’s Notes Can you say where the person comes from by her name? (Spain) Look at the photo and describe Sofi. Encourage students by asking questions: Where is she? How does she look like? What is she doing (wearing)? How does she feel? Would you like to be in her shoes? Why? Read the text and find more information about Sofi. Fill in all the missing parts. Give the students 2-3 minutes to do this task then check. Elicit or explain the meaning of any unknown words. “Sofi de la Torre is a singer/songwriter from Las Palmas, currently living in London where she attends the Goldsmiths College of Arts. Her music is raw and heartfelt, with hints of folk. Her voice is naturally warm and intense, sometimes gracefully teasing. She knows how to play a tune and wield our emotions, to bring us in her fresh and authentic way, simple stories of everyday life and love. Sofi's music will remind you of something you did not know you had.”

Provide with some extra activities to check comprehension of the text and appeal to students’ life experience: What is she? Where is she from? What is Las Palmas? (one of the co-capitals (with Santa Cruz) of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands; one of the most populous cities in Spain (the 9th largest, with a population of 383,308 in 2010) Where is she currently living? Why? What is her music like? What is her voice like? What about her way of singing? Have you ever heard her songs? If yes, when was it? Did you like them? Why? Have you ever seen the “Rubinrot” (“Ruby Red”) film or read the novel “Rubinrot” (“Ruby Red”) by Kerstin Gier? If yes, when was it? Did you like it? Why? If no, the book (and the film) is about travellers through time. The song we are going to listen to is the soundtrack to this film. Maybe after this class you’ll have the wish to watch the film or read the book. Listen to the song and fill in the blanks, then guess the title of the song. To check ask students to read the song (it’ll help them to catch the story of the song), elicit or explain the meaning of any unknown words: Can you feel it pulsing through your veins? Running around like a mad man Looking for a game plan That will take your breath away Flying high like an airplane Balanced on a tight rope Waiting for the big show Hoping I can do it all over again Fill me up with the glorious words you say Make me part of the wonderful games you play It’s gotta be faster, faster Harder, harder A better version of me Gotta be crazy, sexy, louder, edgy A bigger version of me So here’s something we can all dance to I’ll sing about the beat to make us all move It’s gotta be faster, faster Harder, harder

But you don’t know what it means So come and brief me You’re obviously the chief of me You always know what’s best I am just a singer in a hotel room Trying hard to your test And if I’m ticking all the boxes Or tricking all the foxes I guess it’s not my call Fill me up with the glorious words you say Make me part of the wonderful games you play And if you took me as I am Would it be such a bad thing? Saw me as I am Would it be so bad? If you felt what I had Would it be such a bad thing? Be such a bad thing? It’s gotta be faster, faster…

After listening to Sofi’s song check whether the information from the text is true or not. Ask students to compare information about music and voice from the text with what they’ve heard. Ask for the title of the song (it’s Faster). What is the story of the song? How does the title correspond with the story of the song? What is your impression of this song? Let students speak about their feelings, whether they liked the song or not? Why? Does the song encourage them to watch the film or read the book? Ludmila Oinonen