New Tweets

so looking forward to filming video in january for new single... woo!

filming the video in moscow a good idea. n'night pop tarts. x

All these tweets suggest that the new album is finished and the new single is ready. Any further delays can be blamed on the record company, lol. Crossing my fingers and hoping for a monster of a song! Sophie is performing in Moscow tonight. Not sure if it is going to be televised, but if you're reading this and you're going to attend the show, then please carry a camera with you. And give us a review.
*fingers crossed she performs the new single tonight*

Sophierazzi wishes all its readers

I started a website called Soph-ology a long time ago, and that became one of the most popular Sophie fan-sites. But for several reasons, i decided to abort the website and start a blog. My blog has had several loyal readers and some casual ones. I'm grateful to one and all for visiting, you kept my inspiration going. Do keep visiting. Sophierazzi promises to offer you the juiciest information, update you with all (or most) of any happenings related to Sophie and offer you some treats whenever possible.

Here's wishing you all a very Happy New Year. Hope 2010 brings a lot of smiles in all of your lives.

Cheers
Kaushik

P.S. - The new layout is made to match with the official website. Just a bit of fun. When the new artwork is out, maybe i'll change the layout again. Don't forget to leave your comments.

the new single is supposed to be MASSIVE

Fascination's recent tweet:
"Playing friends highlights from the forthcoming Sophie Ellis-Bextor album! The new single is MASSIVE! Wooo-hooo!!"

An inside source's comment:
"Her new songs are better than anything she has done till date. This album deserves to be a hit"

A PopJustice poster's comment:
"I've only heard the supposed first Sophie single ONCE a month ago and I can say it's not only massive, but I can still sing the chorus in my head after that. I consider that such a rare thing. It deserves to be everywhere."


Let the hype begin. Roll on 2010

oh. and Wiki calls the album "Another Love". Highly doubt the title. I wish we get some gigantic idiom/phrase type title

the new site is up

So i was checking last night, and i saw that the new site was online. It looks neat, definitely an improvement. But its still under construction. Love that they have made the news section like a blog (ahem!), they will finally know what fans feel.

The new forum is looking quite good too.

Can't wait for the news about the album...

Kudos to Sophie, her management and her online team for the new website. Sophierazzi gives a thumbs up. Check it out for yourself - www.sophieellisbextor.net

C'mon January

Bits from here and there

Crafty Move

With a new album on the horizon and a baby clamped to her side, the last thing singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor needed this year was a major property renovation project.

But that's exactly what she has faced - and conquered - in an action-packed 2009.

'It sounds like a stressful combination of things to be doing at the same time, but that is how I have always lived my life,' says the star.

After selling their three bedroom Victorian townhouse off Ladbroke Grove in London's trendy Notting Hill in September for a reported £1.3 million, Sophie and her Feeling guitarist husband Richard Jones, bought a dilapidated five-bedroom Victorian Arts and Crafts style property in Turnham Green near Chiswick in West London.

'Parts of the house were pretty much a shell,' says Sophie. 'When we first visited there were no floorboards - it was hard-hat territory.'

'The previous owner had been there for 60 years and just lived downstairs so there was no central heating and only sporadic electrics.'

'So that has all been gutted and updated and a rear exterior outhouse has been replaced with a modern extension, but I can't take credit for the building work as a contractor was already involved when we exchanged.'

Inside, however, Sophie - who is appearing in a celebrity online video advent calendar in support of Great Ormond Street Hospital this year (www.merrychristmas.co.uk) - has been more hands on.

'I love Fifties fashion and bright colours - the TV show Mad Men was a big influence. There is a dark navy room, powder blues and greens and lots of rich Fifties shades,' says Sophie, right, whose big hit was Murder On The Dancefloor.

'There is a fine line between creating something that's stimulating and something that looks like a children's TV set, but hopefully we've pulled that off.'

'We are just relieved that it is finished before Christmas.'

SOURCE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-1235722/Property-gossip-Crafty-singer-Sophie-Ellis-Bextor.html


Designer Clothes Are Wasted On Me

The singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, 30, is now a bigger star than her mother, the former 'Blue Peter' presenter Janet Ellis. She lives in Chiswick with her husband, Richard Jones, and their two young children.

How did your childhood experience influence your attitude to money?
I'd never really thought about it before, but now you ask I can see that how my parents handled money definitely affected my relationship with it. It's a bit like the degree to which they are respectful to one another affects the expectations you have of marriage. My parents divorced when I was young and I now have two very different influences from two very different characters. I can definitely tell when mum has got money because then she likes to go shopping to spend it, whereas dad is steadier and avoids splurges. I like to think I've inherited both sides.

In what way do you show both tendencies then?
Like my mum, I sometimes buy things I shouldn't and fill my house with rubbish. But, like dad, I try to take a more measured approach because I'm frightened by the idea of debt. Mum is happier than I am to run up a balance on her credit card. When I was 18 she told me I only needed to pay the minimum amount and I did that for a while until I got a store card and realised the interest on it was absurd. I paid it all off and I've never had another one since.

What credit cards do you have?
I only have one, a Visa, and I pay that off every month. I bank with Coutts and they also gave me a debit card, but I'm not very organised and I don't have a proper purse or wallet so I put both cards in my handbag and one day I couldn't find the debit card. I cancelled it and started using the Visa instead and now I use it for everything. I pay it off automatically each month so I think of it as more like a debit card anyway.

Are you good with money or cautious with it?
I think I'm fairly good with money, but I've developed some strange tics – in shops I don't like to go to the counter unless I've got at least two things to buy. If I'm walking around with just one thing in my hand I'll put it back and wait a few weeks because that doesn't seem like a proper purchase. I don't know whether that's a good thing because it stops me spending money so frequently or a bad thing because when I do spend it I go home with more than I came out to buy.

Do you have a financial adviser?
Yes, but I probably throw the net too wide when I want advice. I talk to my parents quite a lot about money and also my manager. My parents are good role models because they've worked hard and gave me a happy childhood. I also have an accountant and it can be difficult balancing the different advice.

How do you separate responsibility for finance with Richard? Do you have the same financial outlook?
We're pretty similar and we make a lot of decisions together. We haven't had any arguments about money. We run a joint household account and we have separate bank accounts as well so that we can enjoy a bit of independence. I think that's important, especially at a time like Christmas when you want to receive gifts without feeling you've basically bought it yourself.

Have you learnt any difficult lessons about money through mistakes?
I started my music career at 18 and for a long while I let other people handle my affairs. It's only since I've been with Richard that I've woken up to the need to take more responsibility and start planning for the future. Not that I've got very far – I'm still working out what my goals are.

Haven't you set up a pension?
Sadly no. My financial adviser brings the subject up every once in a while, but it just sounds so unsexy.

So what do you do to invest?
Apart from my home – we have a five-bedroom detached house in Chiswick – and two other properties I let, I put money into individual savings accounts (Isas) each year – my accountant makes sure of that. And I have some money saved on deposit. I'm with Coutts and they have set up my current account so that when it reaches a certain defined amount, anything over is automatically transferred into my deposit account to get a marginally better rate of interest.

Have you ever been in serious debt?
Thankfully no, but I've had a few near misses. After I had my first baby I took three years to make my next album. I wasn't touring or working and I had my head in the clouds. I was very lucky to have enough money to do it, but when I took a proper look at my accounts towards the end of that time I realised the end was in sight – if I didn't get my skates on the money would run out. I haven't let that kind of thing happen again but it's difficult to plan to be creative, it either comes or it doesn't. Still, I'm young enough that if everything went pear-shaped in my career I'm sure I could find something else. And I have a plan B.

What's your plan B?
I've got those two flats I mentioned earlier that I could sell. I bought one near Swiss Cottage as a home seven years ago and kept hold of it to let when I moved. The other one is a flat we bought earlier this year near Westbourne Grove for our nanny. She was looking for somewhere and we thought it made sense to buy it as an investment and let her rent it as part of her salary package.

What has been your best buy?
Richard and I both had our 30th birthdays this year and we decided to keep it low key. We just had a series of meals with family and friends and it was really lovely taking people out and getting together. So the pop music world is not all about materialism – my favourite way to spend money is to have warm experiences with people I love. But if you want me to cite a physical purchase, at the beginning of this year we bought a brilliant new super king size leather Chesterfield bed. It is so big all four of us can squeeze into it without touching each other and I love it.

And your worst buy?
Generally speaking, I'm quite a frugal shopper, but when I first became successful I wanted to know what it felt like to buy a really expensive dress. Designer clothes are usually wasted on me because I can get the same pleasure out of something that costs as little as £20, so I might as well go for the cheaper option. However, I bought this one for £1,000 and I have never even worn it – it's still got the label on. I don't really know why I did that except I just wanted to know what it felt like. Now I want to know what it feels like to have the money back.

Do you bank online?
The great thing about being with Coutts is they are on the end of the phone 24 hours a day. That's really helpful to me because I sometimes tour abroad and am unable to get to a British bank for long periods. I've got a code for online banking, but I've never used it because I can just as easily pick up the phone.

How do you tip? Are you an easy tipper or do they have to work hard with you?
I'm too frightened of confrontation, so I will always tip – even if the service has been really shoddy. I'm a British girl so I stick to the standard British 10pc, but I go to 15pc in restaurants and hair salons.

What has been your favourite holiday?
Last year we went to Italy and it was our first proper family holiday – the first time the three of us went away together for longer than two nights. We had 10 days on the Amalfi coast in Italy and it didn't cost as much as I thought because it's not a tourist destination – it's where the Italians go for their holidays. I think it only cost us £4,000.

Sophie is in Waitrose's online advent calendar. Waitrose donates 25p to Great Ormond Street Hospital for every UK resident who changes their home page to www.merrychristmas.co.uk for 24 hours, any day before Christmas

SOURCE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/fameandfortune/6832399/Sophie-Ellis-Bextor-Designer-clothes-are-wasted-on-me.html

Sophie Ellis-Bextor: ‘I dress like a tarty nanny’ - Mirror Article

The singer, 30, on her individual style, why being booby is not her thing, and pushing out the fashion boat

I love getting dressed up. Being a pop star is the most brilliant job for that. A lot of girls love shopping, but they might see the most amazing outfit and think, ‘When am I going to wear that?’, so it’s my duty to exploit the fact I do have events I can wear these things to.

My most outlandish stage outfit was for G.A.Y. – sparkly pants and Minnie Mouse ears, a little sailor romper suit, just stupid stuff, but fun. For something like that you feel obliged to go for it, it’s a bit of a wasted opportunity if you dress too safely.

When I’m performing I never wear trousers or jeans, it feels a bit casual, but I’m not averse to a little hotpant or a playsuit. Playsuits are great – you can run about and you don’t have to worry about anything riding up. Otherwise I’ll give anything a go.

I try not to wear anything I have to fidget with – there’s nothing worse than wearing something and pulling down the hem and re-adjusting the top. My pet hate is when girls wear those strapless dresses and spend the whole night yanking them up.

I’ve got quite a curvy shape so I try to wear stuff that’s tailored. I don’t mind getting my pins out so I’ll wear something short usually. Nothing very booby, that’s not really my area of expertise.

I’ve had hundreds of wardrobe malfunctions, horrible things that I’ve worn, stuff I cringe about, shoes I’ve not been able to walk in. I’ve never had anything truly awful like falling out of a top or realising you can see my pants.

I’m more of a high street and vintage girl but I’ve had a couple of occasions when I’ve thought, ‘I just want to know what it feels like to spend a lot of money on something’. I once bought some beautiful Christian Louboutin boots, but they’re so expensive I feel a bit like I can’t wear them out because I don’t want to ruin them, which is stupid because they’re shoes. So I’ve learnt my lesson from that really.

For bargain buys I love Portobello Market. And I still love eBay every once in a while, you can get good bargains if you’re patient. When I go away I love vintage shops. America’s really good. In this country, because of the war, we had a lot of the old dresses chopped up and re-used, but in the US they’re lucky they’ve still got a good back catalogue of outfits that are in good condition.

In terms of influence, my style icons have been a mixture of Julie Andrews and Olivia Newton-John. When I was little I used to watch Grease, Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music a lot. If you put all those things together you do kind of get my outfits. A slightly tarty nanny in a second-hand outfit. That is pretty much what I wear.

I’ve got loads of stuff that’s been worn to death and some of it’s really unexpected. I bought a really good black shift dress from New Look when I was about 17 and I still wear it, it’s still holding up. We’re lucky in this country, we’ve got some of the best high street shops. I love H&M and Urban Outfitters.

By Dina Behrman, 13/12/2009

SOURCE: http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/celebs-on-sunday/2009/12/13/sophie-ellis-bextor-i-dress-like-a-tarty-nanny-115875-21890585/

News, finally!

ONE - Mirror article

From dance to trance.. Pop babe Sophie Ellis-Bextor has hooked up with Euro Trance DJ Armin Van Burren. Sophie tells us: "I've just finished recording a track with Armin called Not Giving Up On Love. I don't know that much about him really, but it's a good track." She then let us in on her style secrets, saying: "I think it's mixture of the films I used to watch as a child. The tailoring of Mary Poppins, the dresses made from curtains in Sound of Music and the tartiness of the Pink Ladies in Grease." Sophie is also looking forward to March when she joins her hubby Richard in Meribel, France where his band The Feeling are putting on the Little World Festival. She tells us: "It's going to be fantastic. All that music with the backdrop of the Alps and lots of toffeeschnapps. Yum!"

TWO - Official Update

Sophie’s new website coming soon!

We have some great news for all of you Sophie Ellis Bextor fans out there . . .

Next week will see the launch of Sophie’s new website, which will be your one stop for all the hottest Sophie news!

Sophie’s new site will feature all the info you will ever need on her back-catalogue, never-before-seen photos, all the latest news and amazing new community areas!

Make sure you come back next week to check it out!

I'm really exited about the revamping. About time really. I was getting sick of looking at that pink and black theme. Some of the frequent posters there was talking about a mobile phone friendly website. I hope the site designers read that.

C'mon January :)

3 new song titles, finally the Ed Harcourt songs!

Finally, the Ed Harcourt and Dimitri songs. I was wondering where they were. Dimitri a DJ, Sophie a popstar and Ed a rocker. I wonder what the song is going to sound like. I hope its an experimental mix of all three genres, sonically.. :)

Cut Through The Heart (Dumoulard Dit Tikovoi Dimitri/Ellis-Bextor Sophie Michelle/Harcourt Smith Edward Henry)

Don't Let Me Go (Dumoulard Dit Tikovoi Dimitri/Ellis-Bextor Sophie Michelle/Harcourt Smith Edward Henry)

Sleepwalking (Dumoulard Dit Tikovoi Dimitri/Ellis-Bextor Sophie Michelle/Harcourt Smith Edward Henry)

Sounds fantastic doesn't it.... So that makes two songs i'm dying to hear from this album -

Sleepwalking and Whispers On The Street.

I hate to do this everytime but..

Love Deluxe (Ellis-Bextor/Harry James/Wilcox Simon)
For Love (Douglas John Henry/Ellis-Bextor/Poole Karen Ann)
Not Giving Up On Love (Buuren Armin/Ellis-Bextor/Nervo Miriam/Nervo Olivia Margaret)
Calling It Love (Cathy Dennis/Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Richard Wiles)
Dial My Number (Hang Up) (Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Liam Howe, Hannah Robinson)
Give Into Love (Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Liam Howe, Hannah Robinson)
Magic (Richard X/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
Lose Myself (Christopher Rojas/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
My Priority (Lamont Dazier/Sophie Ellis-Bextor/John Stack Graham/Daniel Woodcock)
Off And On (Cathy Dennis/Roisin Murphy/Calvin Harris)
Only For This Moment (Alexander Perls/Cohen Wayne/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
Sophia Loren (Christopher Rojas/Cathy Dennis/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
Sorry Now (Christopher Mohr/Cohen Wayne/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
Starlight (Richard X/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
Supersexy (Jim Elliott/ Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Gabriel/Hannah Robinson)
Synchronized (Ina Wroldsen/Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Fred Ball)
Make A Scene (Metronomy/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
Under Your Touch (Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Liam Howe/Hannah Robinson)
Whispers On The Street (Jim Elliott/Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Gabriel/Hannah Robinson)
Wicked Game (David Lipsey/Jeremy Shaw/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
Immune To Love (Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Hannah Robinson/Richard X)
We Got A Chance (Ellis-Bextor/Nervo Miriam/Nervo Olivia/Rowbottom Matthew Paul)
Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer (Ellis-Bextor/Freemasons)

my thought about the album

I was just reading through a Sophie topic on PopJustice forums, when one particular post was like a wake-up call for me. Yes, i have nagged enough about the album and i should be supportive. But the reason why i.. no, first - quoting the post:

"I just hate her delays and her canceling stuff, that oh I will release a cd, oh no I won't, I will tour, I won't, I will tour with Take That, I will release a best of, oh the bonus tracks are good so I am doing a proper cd, oh no I am not, I am releasing a baby instead etc etc BORED me to death and she is now a joke to me, like Jelly and Leona.

Nowhere without you and If you go also make me mad, staying as son singles while she released CRAP like I Won't Flop You and Me & My Flop."

I know there are many more than just one or two fans who feel this way. I'm a little worried about Sophie at the moment. There's a lot of good popstars out there, and she really has to stay in the top 10 if she wants to prove that she is any good. Not that chart success matters that much to her fans. But it is a big requirement if you're a musician, don't you think? The album also needs to sell well. Trip The Light Fantastic sold lesser than her 2nd album, even though it was commercially superior. Why? - i have blamed Sophie and her management enough for the wrong decisions and cancellations.

Reality check.

Sophie's 4th album has to accomplish a lot:

1. Re-gain the loyalty of fans who are either too upset to bother about Sophie anymore, or who hate her so much for cancelling the tour twice and delaying her albums.

2. Live up to the expectations of all her fans.

3. Do complete justice to all those big producers on the album.

4. Sell more than Shoot From The Hip at the very least.

5. Re-gain her image as a confident popstar.

Do you feel the same....?

The only silver line i can see now is Jordan Jay's (Universal A&R manager) tweet about the album:

"listening to the new Sophie Ellis Bextor songs for album 4- @Sophieeb - going to be the best album yet methinks!"

DISCLAIMER: The poster on PopJustice is a big fan, his other post says it all - "It's all in humour, don't worry... I am a fan remember! I have so much SEB stuff ****looks at Watch My Lips dvd and Music Gets The Best In Me CD Maxi***"

Belfast Television Interview (Sophie & Richard)

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/tv/festive-stylefix--sophie-ellis-bextor-and-richard-jones-14587202.html

Sophie talks about her album which is "FINISHED"! Yes, it is finished. And its out in February. Which probably means a single in Jan and the album follows in Feb. I'm all excited :) Can't wait for new Sophie material.

Chart-topping singer Sophie Ellis Bextor and her husband Richard Jones, bass player with rock band The Feeling, were the special guests at the Appletiser Festive Stylefix held at the Northern Whig in Belfast. The pair played a DJ set at the glamour event in aid of local breast cancer charity Pretty in Pink. Sophie told Belfast Telegraph TV she had just finished her fourth solo album which is set for release in February - while Richard said The Feeling's third album is due out in the spring. Sophie and Richarfd are proud parents of two sons aged five years and 10 months. "Parenthood is lovely.Like every parent we are a bit obsessed with them," she said.

Source: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/sophie-ellis-bextor-at-festive-stylefix-14587670.html#ixzz0YkAQoUyw

Sophie @ Nowhere Boy Premiere

CELEBORAMA posted some high quality pictures of Sophie.

Quoting the exact words: "the lovely lady with the neverending legs, Sophie Ellis Bextor. Sophie looks amazing, enjoy".

And Janet looks amazing. Sophie gets all her features from her mum, except maybe her height and eyes. And what a proud mum Janet must be :)

More pictures at CELEBORAMA.

Sophie ringtones (as requested)

Normally, i don't do this. But since there aren't any updates whatsoever, here is something for you.

Call Tones:

Catch You, Get Over You, Keep In Touch, Love Heist (2 versions)

SMS Tones:

Love It Is Love, Murder On The Dancefloor, New York City Lights

http://www.mediafire.com/?ne4ylz2ootz

Enjoy :)

album nearly finished...

On Nov 3rd, Sophie tweeted saying: "album writing all done now. just final vocals and mixing. woo! have to pick my final album tracks then january it all goes public..." and "done another lovely song with the freemasons, biff and hannah. i am a lucky gal!" Unfortunately though, she caught a cold and she couldn't sing. But recently, Sophie tweeted this
"Celebrated finishing off v good new song by whole vacherin cheese just for me and R with red wine. Was yum but feel bit gross today."
and
"another day, another song sung! album nearly finished yay yay yay."

The good thing is she is back in the studio and the album is finally being recorded and completed. Its all out in January, according to Sophie. So fingers crossed we get a great (electro-pop dance) album. The campaign is supposed to be really bizarre but we're in for a treat.

Here is a list of known songs (updated), who knows what will end up on the album:

1. Love Deluxe (Ellis-Bextor/Harry James/Wilcox Simon)
2. For Love (Douglas John Henry/Ellis-Bextor/Poole Karen Ann)
3. Not Giving Up On Love (Buuren Armin/Ellis-Bextor/Nervo Miriam/Nervo Olivia Margaret)
4. Calling It Love (Cathy Dennis/Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Richard Wiles)
5. Dial My Number (Hang Up) (Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Liam Howe, Hannah Robinson)
6. Give Into Love (Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Liam Howe, Hannah Robinson)
7. Magic (Richard X/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
8. Lose Myself (Christopher Rojas/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
9. My Priority (Lamont Dazier/Sophie Ellis-Bextor/John Stack Graham/Daniel Woodcock)
10. Off And On (Cathy Dennis/Roisin Murphy/Calvin Harris)
11. Only For This Moment (Alexander Perls/Cohen Wayne/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
12. Sophia Loren (Christopher Rojas/Cathy Dennis/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
13. Sorry Now (Christopher Mohr/Cohen Wayne/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
14. Starlight (Richard X/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
15. Supersexy (Jim Elliott, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Gabriel, Hannah Robinson)
16. Synchronized (Ina Wroldsen/Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Fred Ball)
17. Make A Scene (Metronomy/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
18. Under Your Touch (Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Liam Howe, Hannah Robinson)
19. Whispers On The Street (Jim Elliott, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Gabriel, Hannah Robinson)
20. Wicked Game (David Lipsey/Jeremy Shaw/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
21. Immune To Love (Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Hannah Robinson/Richard X)
22. We Got A Chance (Ellis-Bextor/Nervo Miriam/Nervo Olivia/Rowbottom Matthew Paul)
23. Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer (Ellis-Bextor/Freemasons)

and the songs which are not going to be on the album (confirmed by an inside source)
Carnival
In The Name Of Lust
Moving Cities
Music Took My Man
Still Mixed Up

Love Deluxe - new song title

Love Deluxe (Ellis-Bextor Sophie, Harry James, Wilcox Simon)
http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=880496763&search_in=i&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v&results_pp=20&start=1

Thanks to Jenkins25 for the update :)

C'mon January....

GraziaDaily talks to Sophie Ellis Bextor at FTBC

SOURCE: http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/archive/2009/11/12/party-beat--grazia-talks-to-sophie-ellis-bextor-at-ftbc.htm

If there’s one thing that Pearl Lowe knows how to do, it’s throw a darn good party. So when she hosted a shindig in honour of Fashion Targets Breast Cancer at the Proud Galleries last night, GraziaDaily was first in line to party hard for a good cause. We caught up with Sophie Ellis Bextor who was performing at the event to get the scoop on how the singer is balancing her fashion obsession with motherhood. Plus, don’t forget to check out our exclusive chats with hostess Pearl Lowe and designer-slash-model-slash-DJ Ben Grimes.

How did you get involved with the event?
I first got involved with FTBC a really long time ago when they did a catwalk and I wore a Julien Macdonald dress. And I’ve always supported breast cancer charities as my grandmother had breast cancer when I was eleven, so it’s a cause close to my heart, and I think the charity is a brilliant idea.

Do you know Pearl personally?
We have met before and we have mutual friends.

So we are in Camden, are you a fan of the shops here?
Camden is the first place I lived after I moved away from home. My first flat was above a London pub and then I lived just up the road from The Monarch which is now Barfly so I know these streets very well.

Any shopping tips?
Be patient, especially on market day, which is the second biggest attraction in London after Madame Tussauds. Just be calm, don’t fight it and go with the flow.

Any style tips?
Just dress for yourself, not for fashion. Fashion is fun but it doesn’t always suit you so just get to know yourself before thinking what’s in and what’s not.

What are you wearing tonight?
A Christian Lacroix dress that I’ve had for about 6 years and a pair of heels from Office.

Apparently Victoria Beckham gets style tips from Romeo, does Sonny ever do that for you?
Absolutely! He actually has quite good taste but if it was up to him, I’d be wearing sparkling heels for the school run, but I guess Victoria Beckham does that so maybe Romeo makes her!

As the face of Rimmel, do you have some top beauty tips?
Don’t be frightened because its only make-up. Its brilliant fun to put on really bright eye shadows and lipsticks. Sometimes people can be a little bit conservative, but you can just wash it off if it doesn’t work.

Have you had any fashion mistakes over the years?
There’s been loads but sometimes when you’re getting ready to go out you think, “it’s very nice but it’s just a bit safe”. When you’re seventy, you’re going to look back and wish you’d lived it up a little bit, so it’s worth taking a couple of risks and getting it wrong sometimes. What do you think about Georgia Jagger as the latest face of Rimmel? She’s gorgeous! And Coco is as well. They’re really good choices.

What’s next for you?
I’ve just finished my fourth album which is out in January, so that’s really exciting!

How’s motherhood treating you?
Good thank you. Kit’s 9 months, chubby and happy. Sonny is five and very together and lots of fun.

What was the last fashion item you bought?
I bought some really nice Kurt Geiger shoes at the airport. I’ve been travelling loads and so you get airport shopping boredom.

A little article from The Daily Record - Sophie talks about working with Calvin Harris

SOURCE: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/music-news/2009/11/02/exclusive-sophie-ellis-bextor-reveals-behind-the-scenes-secrets-from-take-that-s-tour-86908-21791823/

SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR did a Cilla Black impersonation as Gary Barlow showed off magic tricks on Take That's Beautiful World tour.

Sophie revealed the high jinx she had with the man band as she partied after the Scottish Style Awards in Glasgow's Fruitmarket this weekend.

Following her on-stage stint with cohosts Kelly Cooper Barr and the Razz's own Bev Lyons, Sophie explained that the last time she visited Scotland was during the Take That tour two years ago.

She said:"It was brilliant and I stayed at the same hotel I'm in at the moment so I have lots of memories of Malmaison and the parties we had there."

"Take That throw a fantastic party. We had a brilliant end-of-tour one and my favourite was in the middle when everybody had to come and do a turn."

"Gary and his wife did a magic show and were very good. He did the whole sawing a lady in half thing. My band and I did a Blind Date panto with all different characters and I was Cilla Black."

"I can't really do a good impression of her but we were the last ones on out of 13 acts and it was quite odd. Everybody had turns - the dancers, the string section, and it was all quite ordered."

Sophie, who has spent the last two years songwriting for her fourth album, having a baby, moving house and having a single with the Freemasons insists that she can't wait to release it.

Having worked with Calvin Harris on the disc she reckons that it's her clubbiest yet. She said: "This is a mammoth album. I just don't make quick ones. It's taken me the best part of two years and I'm so pleased with it."

"I keep busy and always write loads and loads of material before taking the best of it. This album is clubby and working with Calvin was great fun."

"There's nothing I can repeat but he is very funny - we had quite a funny time with a track by another singer. There were some bad lyrics and he took the mickey He is lovely, bright and funny - and very talented."

Sophie's first foray into compering this weekend was nerve-wracking and she's not sure if she'll be following her Blue Peter presenter mum Janet Elis into that field just yet. She said: "My mum is a great presenter and I know there is more to it than their looks - which is why I have a lot of respect for her.

"It's not something I see myself doing full-time but it's nice to be asked to do this and saying no because you're a bit scared of it is a really bad reason to say no. I have a lot of respect for presenters but singing is more of a comfort zone for me and it uses a different part of my brain."

Sophie presented a gong at the recent Q awards and singing at the beginning of the awards on Saturday night helped to calm her nerves.

She said: "I was okay after I got here and saw the Fruitmarket and imagined people in it. And singing at the beginning is so relaxing and soothing."

Don't you just love how she refers to this album as a "mammoth album". Got me all exicted again. Can't wait to hear the new stuff

High Quality pictures from the Emrald Ball, Harrods

Celeborama has some wonderful pictures in good quality on their website. I'm borrowing some of the pictures. Sophie looks wonderful (see pics below)!

And some bits of news about the same event from different websites:
"...Sophie Ellis Bextor also opted for a down-do plus centre parting, a hard one to pull off with certain face shapes (hey, if you’ve got it…)"
http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/beauty/archive/2009/11/06/keeping-it-simple-rate-the-beauty-looks.htm
Where you can also vote for Sophie as your Best Beauty. As of 11;47PM (IST) 6/11/09, these are the ratings:
17% Claire Danes
14% Leighton Meester
31% Sophie Ellis Bextor
17% Freida Pinto
7% Emily Blunt
4% Olivia Palmero

"...Sophie Ellis Bextor performed and gave a nod to the Wizard of Oz theme with her red shoes."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1225742/Eva-Herzigova-narrowly-misses-hello-boys-moment-low-cut-green-dress.html

"The night ended in glamorous style with a live performance by the divine Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the evening’s resident Dorothy for the evening, with carriages."
http://www.fadedyouthblog.com/145431/kimora-and-djimon-follow-the-emerald-brick-road

And here are the pics from Celeborama

Superfragilisticexpialidocious (the 3rd best Sophie Ellis-Bextor shoe)

The quote Daily Mail goes:
Show-stopper: Sophie Ellis-Bextor (left, with husband Richard Jones, guitarist with The Feeling) performed at the gala in front of her mum, Janet Ellis (right)

But my god! Who can even concentrate on anything other than those shoes! She does have a lovely collection of outfits. A little black dress, perfect shoes #3 (#2 being the shoes from the Me And My Imagination video, and #1 is the shoe on my blog header)

I have seen that purse somewhere. Its not the first time she is carrying this one. She also has a cat-like purse, unless I'm mistaken.

Janet is looking sexy (i'm not being rude, but oh my god!) I can see where Sophie gets all her looks and dressing sense from.

The Wait Is Over, The Wait Is Over! (Jan 2010)

Two of the best tweets in ages:
"done another lovely song with the freemasons, biff and hannah. i am a lucky gal!" x
and
"album writing all done now. just final vocals and mixing. woo! have to pick my final album tracks then january it all goes public..."

I hope we get a glittery dance album. Psyched. Can't wait...

Thank you Sophie for the wonderful news.

2 more song titles

Sophie is on board with the "Take Me With You" crew again, and i must say i'm really happy she is working with them on another song. Its going to be a good dance track, i hope she releases it.. And the second track with "When Love Takes Over" crew! Sophie is really going to make this album one hell of a dance record. Can't wait!!! Woo-hoo! :)

1. For Love
(Douglas John Henry/Ellis-Bextor Sophie Michell/Poole Karen Ann)
2. Not Giving Up On Love
(Buuren Armin/Ellis-Bextor Sophie Michell/Nervo Miriam/Nervo Olivia Margaret)
(thanks to jenkins25 from Sophie-Online for the heads-up)

This is one expensive album. Unless Sophie gets some serious sales, she is never going to cover up for her costs.

The existing titles:
1. Calling It Love (Cathy Dennis/Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Richard Wiles)
2. Carnival (unknown) - probably not going to be on the album
3. Dial My Number (Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Liam Howe, Hannah Robinson)
4. Give Into Love (Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Liam Howe, Hannah Robinson)
5. Hang Up (unknown)
6. I Still Believe In Magic (Richard X/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
7. In The Name Of Lust (unknown) - probably not going to be on the album
8. Lose Myself (Christopher Rojas/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
9. Moving Cities (unknown) - probably not going to be on the album
10. Music Took My Man (unknown) - probably not going to be on the album
11. My Priority (Lamont Dazier/Sophie Ellis-Bextor/John Stack Graham/Daniel Woodcock)
12. Off And On (Cathy Dennis/Roisin Murphy/Calvin Harris)
13. Only For This Moment (Alexander Perls/Cohen Wayne/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
14. Sophia Loren (Christopher Rojas/Cathy Dennis/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
15. Sorry Now (Christopher Mohr/Cohen Wayne/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
16. Starlight (Richard X/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
17. Still Mixed Up (unknown) - probably not going to be on the album
18. Supersexy (Jim Elliott, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Gabriel, Hannah Robinson)
19. Synchronized (Ina Wroldsen/Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Fred Ball)
20. The Scene (Metronomy/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
21. Under Your Touch (Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Liam Howe, Hannah Robinson)
22. Whispers On The Street (Jim Elliott, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Gabriel, Hannah Robinson)
23. Wicked Game (David Lipsey/Jeremy Shaw/Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
24. Immune To Love (Sophie Ellis-Bextor/Hannah Robinson/Richard X)

One of the five outfits from the Style Awards

Sophierazzi gives a thumbs up to Sophie for this:
Make-up - excellent.
Dress - excellent.
Shoes - excellent.
Nails - wow!













Thank you Martin McNeil for the wonderful pictures!

Finally, a little info about that Scottish Style Awards

Pop princess Sophie Ellis-Bextor presented the lavish event, held at Glasgow's Old Fruitmarket, setting the tone by wearing five different outfits over the course of the evening and giving an energetic performance of her hit Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer.

SOURCE: http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland/Glasgow-Fashion-Week-is-all.5784413.jp

Pop star and model Sophie Ellis Bextor fought her nerves to dazzle on the red carpet as this year's host. Sophie, 30, opened the show with a surprise live performance of her smash hit Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer, before showcasing no less than five designer outfits throughout the night.
She said: "I'm thrilled to present. These awards are my first ever compering gig and Halloween is the perfect night for me to be scared! It's an important event in the fashion calendar and it's an honour to be asked."

SOURCE: http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2009/11/01/scottish-style-awards-crown-actress-louise-linton-as-our-most-stylish-woman-78057-21789396/

Scots fashion designer Deryck Walker has been honoured for his contribution to the industry for a second year in a row.
Walker was crowned top designer at Scottish Style Awards hosted by pop star Sophie Ellis Bextor in Glasgow. The artist, who is from the city, was the favourite of the judging panel which included musician Tricky, stylist Judy Blame and jeweller Stephen Webster.

SOURCE: http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/scottish-news/2009/11/01/deryck-walker-crowned-top-designer-87085-25064437/

Well, the good thing is, Heartbreak might end up becoming her 2nd Murder On The Dancefloor in terms of popularity. I'm so happy that song is still alive and people still enjoy it! Fingers crossed the fourth album goes multi-platinum.

More pictures of Sophie from the Russian gig

Sophie should just change her name to "Sexy Ellis-Bextor"

Sophie @ Q Awards, The Grosvenor House Hotel. October 26, 2009

Wow, either Sophie is really really tall or Amy Winehouse is really short! Good pic of both of them though, Sophie looking fabulous as ever, Amy looking healthy.

Just a rehash of what we already know, still worth the post

This is actually bits from an older interview that i watched. But for those who have missed it..

Sophie Ellis-Bextor began her career as a rocker in the band theaudience, but soon after she was voted ‘Sexiest Rocker’, she qualified for a solo career. And she didn’t disappoint.

Her disco songs ‘Groovejet’ and ‘Murder On The Dance Floor’ reached # 1 in the UK and took her to the big leagues. This year she has released a single named ‘Heartbreak’ and will release her fourth solo album. In this interview, she speaks of the single, collaborating with the dance band the Freemasons, and her album.

The song ‘Heartbreak’ was written by dance band Freemasons. Sophie reveals how the single came about. “I was working on some new material with a guy called Biff (Stannard), who's good friends with the Freemasons. They sent over the instrumental to 'Heartbreak' and we wrote the lyrics. The single remix has changed a bit from the original demo, but it was always their song to start with."

Sophie says the best thing about the Freemasons is that they understand what it takes to make a hit. She says, “The thing I love about them is that whilst they've got a lot of dance sensibilities, they've also got pop sensibilities. With them there's always an appeal from a melodic point of view as well as just the basic four-to-the-floor beat. Their songs feel like they've got a bit more texture and shape to them. I think they respect the fact that people want a song to tell a story as well as make them boogie.”

The fruitful first partnership isn’t going to be their last. The band and Sophie are already working on another song. She says, “We will be doing a bit more, definitely. There's another song we're working on at the moment. I think if something works then it's worth persevering with."

Sophie’s forthcoming album was supposed to be released in the summer, but she couldn’t complete it in time after giving birth to a baby boy in February. "The album's pretty much done – we've got about three quarters of the way through it. I was supposed to have finished it earlier in the year but then I had my baby so my schedule changed somewhat," she says.


Sophie started out as an indie artist, but moved to disco music midway. About her latest album, she says, "If anything, the album's going to be a bit more dance and a bit more electro. In the past my albums have featured quite a broad range of genres – a bit of indie, a bit of electro – but this one definitely feels like it's more dance-centric. I've done tracks with Calvin Harris, Metronomy and Liam from the Sneaker Pimps, which is maybe why!"

Sophie says she’s not been able to think of a title for the album, something she’s usually done with before she’s half way through. She says, "I seriously need to think of a title! Usually with albums I come up with something before I've finished half the songs, but this time I've neglected the name so I need to get on it. Maybe I should just use Trip The Light Fantastic again or go down the eponymous route?"

Sophie is married to The Feeling bassist Richard Jones, who often helps her with her music. She says, “Well, we've got a studio at home, so if he's free one afternoon and we need a bassist I'll give him a shout. We tend to go back and forth playing everything that we do to each other anyway. He's got very good instincts for what works so I like his advice."

Sophie says her husband and she don’t share the same taste in music, but they are getting more and more similar. She says, “I think they've gotten more similar over time. He introduced me to a lot of stuff when we first met. He would say that he's got broader tastes than me because he likes everything I listen to but I don't like everything he plays. Recently, he's managed to get me into some of the old country stuff like Vampire Weekend and Sigur Ros, while I've hounded him with disco classics."

Sophie was supposed to release a fourth single from her last album, but didn’t because she began her tour. She says, “I wanted to release 'If I Can't Dance' but I ended up going on tour instead. Then we were planning on doing a greatest hits and releasing a new track from it but I felt that was maybe a bit premature. That's where 'Heartbreak' originally came about. It's all been a bit higgledy-piggledy, but I think we made the right choice."

SOURCE: http://www.planetradiocity.com/musicreporter/interview.php?interviewid=372

Sophie Drinks To Kit's Progress

HARMONY is the key to success for singer Sophie Ellis Bextor, who combines motherhood with being a pop star and a top model.

In February Sophie, the face of cosmetics maker Rimmel, gave birth to her second son Kit, who weighed just 2lb 6oz and had to spend his first month in hospital.

Earlier this year she released a single with the Freemasons, Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer) and she has written 25 songs for an album due out next year as well as doing several photo shoots.

Speaking in New Orleans, where she was helping the drink maker Southern Comfort to promote its range of cocktails, Sophie, 30, said: “It’s been a pretty hectic year but that’s the way I like it."

“I enjoyed song-writing during pregnancy because I had so much time and there was no pressure to do anything else. When Kit arrived he was just 2lb 6oz and they were worried about him because he should have been 3lb. He was in hospital for a month but he’s great now – well over a stone and doing brilliantly.”

As Kit gained weight, she resumed her song writing and is putting finishing touches to the songs with Los Angeles-based jazz musician Greg Kurstin.

Sophie, whose song Murder On The Dance Floor reached number two in the charts in December 2001, is hoping to release three singles from the album, the first in January.

She will also be doing a UK tour after the album, her fourth, is released next spring and will probably do gigs in Europe and Russia after that.

Sophie is married to The Feeling guitarist Richard Jones and while they were in New Orleans, she left young Kit and her other boy Sonny, five, at home with her mother, former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis. She may take Sonny to Moscow in the summer.

“I do Russian gigs quite often because I have quite a following,” she said. “Heartbreak was number one there for ages."

“I’ve told Sonny all about Russia and he is very keen to see it for himself. I’m lucky because I can balance work with bringing up the children. I couldn’t be happier.”

Article by James Murray
Source: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/136058/Sophie-drinks-to-Kit-s-progress-

So, I've highlighted something really important there. Why only 3 singles!? Its like she wants this to be Trip The Light Fantastic part two. Everything is being planned that way. I really wish she brings out more singles from this album. She has recorded the songs with top notch producers, she has got to have an album filled with tracks which are single-material.

A little more about the B1 gig

Sophie's set list at the B1 Maxim Club was quite a power-packed one:

1. If I Can't Dance
2. Take Me Home
3. Me And My Imagination
4. New York City Lights
5. Today The Sun's On Us
6. Catch You
7. Starlight
8. China Heart
9. Get Over You
10. Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)
11. Murder On The Dancefloor
12. Heartbreak(Make Me A Dancer)

But it makes me sad to think that Sophie has stopped performing songs from her second album. I would love to see some songs like You Get Yours, Love It Is Love, Party In My Head, Nowhere Without You live..

Anyway, according to a fan Sophie spent 15 minutes after the show in the rain giving autographs and taking photos with her fans. There is a photo of him with her on his blog. There is also a little interview on the way.

Starlight - Live At The B1 Club, Moscow (and a little teaser)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJewkBEt_qI&feature=player_embedded

According to the person who posted that video:
"Sophie Ellis-Bextor premieres her new song 'Starlight' during her concert at B1 club in Moscow on October, 22d 2009. She said it may be one of her upcoming singles, but not the first one."

So long as its a single, i'm happy! Thank you Sophie. Your performance was brilliant, and i love the song.

Just a little bit of news

Sophie performed in Moscow recently, and she thanked her audience for being lovely.
"thanks for a great show, moscow audience. you were lovely. x"
Here are some pics from that gig:

















and, this -

Sophie is going to have another gigat Cosmo Heels festival soon.

"British pop queen Sophie Ellis-Bextor is coming to perform at Kyiv’s “Cosmopolitan Heels” festival honoring the 10th anniversary of Cosmopolitan Ukraine magazine. The retro-style beauty with strong original vocals and classy disco -pop songs began her career in 1997 singing in an indie band – theaudience. In 2001, she released her debut record “Read My Lips” featuring smash hit “Murder on the Dance Floor.” Since then, she recored two more albums, the latest one being “Trip the Light Fantastic.” Ellis-Bextor's latest hit – collaboration with Freemasons “Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer)” – is currently enjoying a major airplay worldwide."
SOURCE: http://www.kyivpost.com/guide/sevendays/music/51153