Viral success was not on Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2024 bingo card. And yet, thanks to its now-notorious sync in Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, Sophie’s early 00s smash hit Murder On The Dancefloor returned to the top 10 of the UK in January – a full 23 years on from its original release.
Unsurprisingly, the rest of the year has been a bit of a blur for the 45-year-old singer, seeing her squeeze in sessions for her eighth studio album amongst a truly gruelling live schedule and high-profile TV performances including Fallon and the Baftas. Today, she shares the truly irresistible first taster from it.
A glittering, string-flecked, disco stomper co-written with long-time collaborator Biff Stannard (Spice Girls, Kylie), Freedom of the Night signals Sophie’s much-anticipated return to the dancefloor. We gave her a call to find out more about the new direction, as well as to hear her thoughts on Barry Keoghan and Victoria Beckham.
1. Where are you today? I’m actually at home. I’ve been having some lovely time not travelling for the last ten days – which sounds a bit silly but I’ve been away so much this year that being home has just been glorious.
2. What was the last thing you ate? I had toast and tea at 6.30am, which is the time I have to get up to get my kids ready for secondary school.
3. What has been the most exciting thing about 2024? Oh golly, where do I start? This year has taken such a different shape to the one I’d envisaged – and I already had some lovely, exciting things in the diary. But I think performing on Fallon, performing at the Baftas and taking all five children on holiday for a week in Manhattan have all been really unexpected, glorious things.
4. How does it feel to go viral? Like a bit of magic lightning striking. You know, it’s a pretty glorious thing to happen, especially with an old friend like Murder on the Dancefloor. It’s like having a second honeymoon.
5. Were you a TikTok user before all this? Only a little bit here and there. But I do love the way you can interact on social media. When Murder … first came out, I had to wait ‘til I went on tour to see people’s reactions. But now, with TikTok, you get to see an immediate insight into people having fun with your music, and that lends even more energy to what you’re doing.
6. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? If I was four, then probably a ballerina. If I was eight, then a nurse. And as I started getting in double figures, I was thinking about all sorts of things, from acting to law and journalism. I didn’t really think of singing until I was 16, but there was never any plan B after that.
7. What did being dropped by your record company at the age of 20 teach you? I mean, I wouldn’t recommend it. But I think it formed the foundation of my attitude to everything that’s happened since beause it's made me value what I do and all the opportunities I’ve had so much more.
8. What’s your go-to floor filler? I like songs that seduce you. Thelma Houston’s version of Don’t Leave Me This Way is the perfect example of that.
9. Freedom of the Night marks a return to the disco. What’s your favourite nightclub of all time? I don’t think it’s a place, I think it’s a feeling. Although Freedom of the Night alludes to a night out, it’s actually more about the sense of freedom I get from music, even just listening on my headphones when I’m on the tube.
10. What’s the story behind the single? I just wanted something that had that epic, invisible-shoulder-pads, under a big old disco ball-type feel. Something that felt empowering and exciting.
What did you learn growing up with a famous mum? “To take fame with a big pinch of salt” – Sophie Ellis-Bextor
11. Who were your collaborators? After completing my trio of albums with Ed Harcourt, I knew I wanted to go back to pop and dance, so I wanted to write with people who I associate with that feeling. I wrote it with one of my favourite collaborators, Biff [Stannard] – who I’ve worked with for a long time now – and then Duck [Blackwell] and a singer called Shura who I really like.
12. What can we expect from the album? I wanted something musically optimistic, upbeat, fun, with some really interesting collaborators. I’ve just had a ball, basically. It’s celebratory pop and I hope it can give other people that little pep in their step.
13. When can we hear it? I think it’s coming out in the spring.
14. Did you have a nickname growing up? I didn’t but my mum has been known to call me Angel Knickers.
15. What was the worst thing you did at school? I don’t think I was the most diligent of people. There was one time when I went into school drunk. That was actually really good fun, but I probably shouldn’t have done it.
16. Who is your celebrity crush? On the tour bus, we were talking a lot about Don Draper. He’s the kind of character you feel you could change his ways. And then the first person I ever had a crush on, was when I was four or five, was Elliot in ET.
17. What’s your favourite word? I always like ‘serendipity‘. It sounds like something Mary Poppins would say and [it sums up that] happy feeling that you can’t plan, where lots of good things all collide at once.
18. Do you have a least favourite word? The word ‘hate’ pops into my head, just because it’s a bit of a brick wall, isn’t it?
19. Is there such a thing as a guilty pleasure? I think there are definitely things that you can feel a bit shy about liking but, really, if something brings you pleasure, it‘s got a value.
20. What did you learn growing up with a famous mum? To take fame with a big pinch of salt. Also, because my mum went to drama school and my dad works in TV, I think it helped me see creative jobs as being as viable a career choice as more traditional jobs.
21. Who or what has been your biggest musical obsession this year? I’ve just been loving the pop girl dominance. Like the rest of the world I’m excited about Chappell Roan and The Last Dinner Party. There are just so many amazing women in music.
22. What do you miss about the 00s? Nothing really. I think life’s better for me now.
23. What’s on your rider? Herbal tea, chocolate, wine for after the gig and some gherkins.
24. What makes you angry? People being passive aggressive is a bit of a red flag for me.
25. What’s your current favourite TV show? I just finished Bad Monkey which I really liked. It was funny, great script, lovely cast. I’ve also just got to the final of the latest series of The Great British Sewing Bee, which I adore.
26. Who or what is the love of your life? Definitely Richard. Next year will be our 20th wedding anniversary.
27. Who would direct the movie of your life? I’d trust Emerald Fennell.
28. Can you describe your personal style? Colourful, retro, eclectic. I’m a bit of a magpie as well. My oldest boy’s into fashion, and he said he doesn’t know anyone else who’s got a more scattergun approach to what they’re into as me.
29. What three beauty items could you not live without? Sun protection because I’m a very pale individual. And probably some blusher, again just to make people are reassured that I’m actually healthy. And then eyeliner is a bit of a go-to, just to get me in the mood.
30. What is your most controversial opinion? I’m not a massive fan of pizza. I’ll only eat it if there’s literally nothing else to eat.
Barry Keoghan or Jacob Elordi? “Well, I have to go for Barry. I mean, if it wasn’t him and his naked dancing … ” – Sophie Ellis-Bextor
31. What’s the last thing you treated yourself to? On Monday I walked past a vintage shop, and they were selling this gorgeous 1960s, floor-length, sequinned silver dress. The last thing I needed was another twinkly frock, but it was a treat.
32. Do you believe in horoscopes? No.
33. Do you suffer from imposter syndrome? I think you never escape that feeling of thinking that I’ve managed to sneak into that room or onto that bill or onto that stage when I wasn’t supposed to. But the older I’ve got, the less I find it more funny and fun than intimidating.
34. What’s the best thing about growing older? I love getting older. It’s a privilege. You become more comfortable in your own skin, and being less worried about what’s cool is incredibly liberating.
35. Do you have any phobias? I don’t have that specific phobia but when I was at school I saw a girl get her fingers very badly crushed in the door hinge. So I’m very squeamish about door hinges.
36. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? Trust your instincts.
37. Did you ever clear the air with Victoria Beckham? Yeah. As I’m sure you would probably imagine there wasn’t anything real going on behind the scenes. And we did a show together around the time that Groovejet came out, actually. I went and knocked on her door and we had a little chat. She is someone that is very savvy as to how the press work and I was the one that was more unnerved by the scale of it.
38. What is your favourite place in the world to visit? I love going to Italy. It’s a place that I started going on holiday to when I was a kid, and Richard and I got married there. It’s just the place I always feel like I can really switch off.
39. Who is the artist, dead or alive, that you admire most? I think there’s a lot of musicians that have handled their careers in a way that’s felt like they’ve had fun and they’ve taken some risks. And I don’t think there’s a better example of that than someone like David Bowie.
40. What’s a song you wish you’d written? The one that just pops into my head is Tainted Love. It’s just such a great song.
41. What’s your favourite lyric ever? I would probably go with the chorus of Like A Prayer. It’s got all the layers: religion, love, lust, longing and euphoria.
42. What is your biggest regret? I don’t have any regrets actually. I don’t really believe in them. You can only do what feels right to you in the moment.
43. What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever read about yourself? That I was going to be joining the cast of Friends. It was just completely out of the blue. And then for 18 months, it was the thing I was asked about in every interview.
44. Would you have joined the cast of Friends had they asked you? Probably at that time, which was around 2001. I mean, why not? I love having things on my CV that you wouldn’t expect. Like I did an episode of Neighbours.
45. When did you do an episode of Neighbours? Quite recently, last year or the year before? I was actually in the scene with Jemma Donovan, Jason’s daughter.
46. What are your outstanding ambitions? I’ve been paying for two language apps for the last three years, and I keep not doing Italian. So I should probably just commit to actually learning a bit more Italian.
47. What motivates you? A childlike excitement about a lot of things. Because I love what I do, I’m passionate and I get excited.
48. What is your most treasured possession? I’ve bought so many things from eBay so I’d probably choose my 1976 Blythe doll that I bought around 1999. I like the fact that she’s a slightly bizarre-looking girl, and also that she introduced me to eBay, which is definitely one of the loves of my life.
49. What are you doing after this interview? I’m going to go back and listen to a version of a new song that I’ve just made. And then, it’s been a while since breakfast so I might have an early lunch.
50. Finally, Barry Keoghan or Jacob Elordi? Well, I have to go for Barry. I mean, if it wasn’t him and his naked dancing …