Sophie Ellis-Bextor's sixth solo album, Famlia, is out in September 2016 as per this newspaper article:
Picture courtesy of user China_Heart from PopJustice
Picture courtesy of user China_Heart from PopJustice
Showing posts with label Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Show all posts
Friday, June 17, 2016
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Sophie teamed up with Appletiser
Sophie Ellis-Bextor is working with Appletiser, the Official Soft Drink of Ascot, to celebrate its 50th birthday.
The 37-year-old Murder On The Dancefloor singer, who is married to Richard Jones of band The Feeling, has eschewed the scales ahead of a hectic summer of festival appearances.
“I have to credit the tailor with that really,” she laughed of her trim figure in a new shoot at Ascot to celebrate Appletiser’s 50th birthday, wearing vintage looks from across the past five decades by Olwen Bourke.
“My baby, he’s still only six months and I’m not really thinking about it (my weight) a great deal right now. The time will come and it’s nice to feel like you’re getting back into your own wardrobe but I’m definitely not someone who stands on the scales every day or is at the gym every day.
“There’s just always something better to do than weigh yourself.”
She confessed she’d love to launch her own clothing range one day, especially as she’s struggled so much with maternity fashion.
“When I first got pregnant, I felt like to be a pregnant woman you had to dress like someone else for a bit and I couldn’t really get that straight in my head,” she said.
Sophie has relied on her nanny Gemma and her mum, Blue Peter’s Janet Ellis, to help juggle her career with being mum to Ray, four, Kit, seven, Sonny, 12 and newborn Jesse.
That balance between work and family can sometimes get skewed, however. “There are some weeks where I feel like the balance hasn’t been quite right but luckily if you’re your own boss, you can try and remedy it,” she admitted.
Finding fame back in 1997 with band Theaudience and a successful solo career with her debut Read My Lips in 2001, Sophie said fame has changed unrecognisably with the advent of social media.
She said she finds social media “empowering” but also “kind of terrifying because at any point you just put anything up you want and it’s just there.”
She said:”I know a lot of parents who worry a lot about their kids (using social media) but if I talk to my 12-year-old, he’s got his head screwed on.
“I don’t think we need to worry as much as we think we do. We’ve seen a few people make some public mistakes and I think we quite quickly learn from that.
“By the time my kids are in their teens…I don’t think they’ll make as many mistakes as if you handed a phone to me at 15.”
Sophie releases her sixth album, Familia, later this year, which has a “more South American feel; more Mexicana, Americana”.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/celeb-life/sophie-ellis-bextor-couldnt-care-less-about-her-baby-weight-im-definitely-not-on-the-scales-every-day-402168.html
The 37-year-old Murder On The Dancefloor singer, who is married to Richard Jones of band The Feeling, has eschewed the scales ahead of a hectic summer of festival appearances.
“I have to credit the tailor with that really,” she laughed of her trim figure in a new shoot at Ascot to celebrate Appletiser’s 50th birthday, wearing vintage looks from across the past five decades by Olwen Bourke.
“My baby, he’s still only six months and I’m not really thinking about it (my weight) a great deal right now. The time will come and it’s nice to feel like you’re getting back into your own wardrobe but I’m definitely not someone who stands on the scales every day or is at the gym every day.
“There’s just always something better to do than weigh yourself.”
She confessed she’d love to launch her own clothing range one day, especially as she’s struggled so much with maternity fashion.
“When I first got pregnant, I felt like to be a pregnant woman you had to dress like someone else for a bit and I couldn’t really get that straight in my head,” she said.
Sophie has relied on her nanny Gemma and her mum, Blue Peter’s Janet Ellis, to help juggle her career with being mum to Ray, four, Kit, seven, Sonny, 12 and newborn Jesse.
That balance between work and family can sometimes get skewed, however. “There are some weeks where I feel like the balance hasn’t been quite right but luckily if you’re your own boss, you can try and remedy it,” she admitted.
Finding fame back in 1997 with band Theaudience and a successful solo career with her debut Read My Lips in 2001, Sophie said fame has changed unrecognisably with the advent of social media.
She said she finds social media “empowering” but also “kind of terrifying because at any point you just put anything up you want and it’s just there.”
She said:”I know a lot of parents who worry a lot about their kids (using social media) but if I talk to my 12-year-old, he’s got his head screwed on.
“I don’t think we need to worry as much as we think we do. We’ve seen a few people make some public mistakes and I think we quite quickly learn from that.
“By the time my kids are in their teens…I don’t think they’ll make as many mistakes as if you handed a phone to me at 15.”
Sophie releases her sixth album, Familia, later this year, which has a “more South American feel; more Mexicana, Americana”.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/celeb-life/sophie-ellis-bextor-couldnt-care-less-about-her-baby-weight-im-definitely-not-on-the-scales-every-day-402168.html
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Pictures from the photoshoot for Familia
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFzKsbLLwXr/?taken-by=sophieellisbextor
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFzECKnRIcA/?taken-by=tamaracincik
Face and hair look lovely as usual. The dungarees/overalls are hideous!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFzECKnRIcA/?taken-by=tamaracincik
Face and hair look lovely as usual. The dungarees/overalls are hideous!
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Familia is still being mixed
Sophie posted a video of Richard and Ed goofing around at Decoy Studios. You can hear the song 'Don't Shy Away' in the background.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFrMUTALwVK/?taken-by=sophieellisbextor
We don't have a release date yet, but Sophie will probably give us more details when the mixing is finished.
In the meantime, those who are attending the Priory Park Festival will probably get to listen to some new songs from Familia.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFrMUTALwVK/?taken-by=sophieellisbextor
We don't have a release date yet, but Sophie will probably give us more details when the mixing is finished.
In the meantime, those who are attending the Priory Park Festival will probably get to listen to some new songs from Familia.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Sophie will be performing songs from Familia soon
Good news for those in the UK. Sophie will be performing between the 8th and 10th of July. It is said that Sophie will be performing some of her new songs there along with her hits. If anyone of you is attending the festival, make sure to take tons of pictures and videos..and leave your review in the comments section.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
'Familia' is Sophie Ellis-Bextor's highly anticipated 6th album
First of all, I'd like to apologize for not keeping this site alive all these years. The last couple of years, I've seen so many fan-sites die out. The advent of social-media made fan-sites and blogs like this obsolete. So I stopped updating it for a while and concentrated on other things in life. Studies and work took up all my time. I thought it was quite possible that most of you were already following Sophie on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and that some of you may were registered on various music discussion forums as well; so you wouldn't need this website to be your source of information anymore. But ever since Sophie released 'Wanderlust', I've been thinking about bringing this site back, not because Sophierazzi was meant to be a source of information. I realised that this blog was a passion; that I ran this blog because of my love for Sophie and her music. So, even if we're in a world overtaken by social-media, I'd like to go old-school and keep this website alive. Without rambling any further about my new-found inspiration, here's the news:
Having given birth to baby Jesse Jones recently, Sophie Ellis-Bextor returns to music with her sixth solo album, 'Familia', which is out sometime this year (and no, that's not a picture of the cover-art). During the early stages of the album, Sophie said the album will have some Mexican influences, unlike 'Wanderlust', which was influenced by Eastern-European music.
Sophie co-wrote all the songs with Ed Harcourt. Ed produced the album, along with the same bunch of people who worked on Wanderlust. Early in February, Richard Jones posted a (potential) tracklist for the album on his instagram. Here is the complete list of songs that were made for the album. Sophie hasn't confirmed the tracklist or order. But we're hoping that all the songs in this list make it to the album:
Sophie posted the 'making-of' the album on her YouTube account recently.
You can hear bits of some of the songs on the sampler:
Sophie, Richard and Ed teased us with various snippets on their instagram accounts throughout the recording of the album. Here are some of those snippets that didn't make it onto the making-of video:
Ed posted this one:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBV2i2BLG1l/
It sounds like something out Garbage would make. Very interesting!
Sophie posted these:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBr2wV_Lwat/ - lush strings, possibly the intro? We're not sure yet
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBTEIHOrwd4/ - very disco, again
Richard posted this:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBa2z5en_K-/ - very Biffco
You should also know, that Cenzo Townshend (who has worked with Kaiser Chiefs, Florence & The Machine, Foxes, U2, Snow Patrol, Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, a-ha, Friendly Fires, Patrick Wolf and many more) has mixed this album for Sophie.
Those of you who have sorely missed dance-Sophie are going to be very pleased with the organic disco songs on the album. We're not sure how many songs are disco-ey, but it is rumored that the album has disco-sprinklings all over it. But, whether its disco or not, we're incredibly excited for Sophie's relatively quick follow-up and we're going to support her as always.
Cheers all!
Sophie co-wrote all the songs with Ed Harcourt. Ed produced the album, along with the same bunch of people who worked on Wanderlust. Early in February, Richard Jones posted a (potential) tracklist for the album on his instagram. Here is the complete list of songs that were made for the album. Sophie hasn't confirmed the tracklist or order. But we're hoping that all the songs in this list make it to the album:
- Intro
- Here Comes The Rapture
- Unrequited
- Hush Little Voices
- Cassandra
- My Puppet Heart
- Death Of Love
- Saddest Happiness
- Come WIth Us
- Crystallize
- Wild Forever
- Don't Shy Away
Sophie posted the 'making-of' the album on her YouTube account recently.
You can hear bits of some of the songs on the sampler:
- The bit at 3:38 is 'My Puppet Heart'
- The really disco bit at 4:30 with the "ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh aiyah" is 'Come With Us'
- The bit at 7:02 is 'Hush Little Voices'
Sophie, Richard and Ed teased us with various snippets on their instagram accounts throughout the recording of the album. Here are some of those snippets that didn't make it onto the making-of video:
Ed posted this one:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBV2i2BLG1l/
It sounds like something out Garbage would make. Very interesting!
Sophie posted these:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBr2wV_Lwat/ - lush strings, possibly the intro? We're not sure yet
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBTEIHOrwd4/ - very disco, again
Richard posted this:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBa2z5en_K-/ - very Biffco
You should also know, that Cenzo Townshend (who has worked with Kaiser Chiefs, Florence & The Machine, Foxes, U2, Snow Patrol, Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, a-ha, Friendly Fires, Patrick Wolf and many more) has mixed this album for Sophie.
Those of you who have sorely missed dance-Sophie are going to be very pleased with the organic disco songs on the album. We're not sure how many songs are disco-ey, but it is rumored that the album has disco-sprinklings all over it. But, whether its disco or not, we're incredibly excited for Sophie's relatively quick follow-up and we're going to support her as always.
Cheers all!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Wanderlust (Album Sampler)
Bruno Tonioli commented on Sophie's outlook for the Charlseton dance saying that she was "stylistically perfect" and that she "popped out of The Great Gatsby, all guns blazing."
Whether Sophie belongs in the age of the flappers is left for you to decide. One thing is for sure, this porcelain skinned beauty definitely belongs in the 60s (and sometimes in the 80s).
Sophie Ellis-Bextor recently uploaded a teaser video for her upcoming album, Wanderlust, and what one needs to appreciate about this is the way everything is put together. There's no doubting that the album will be yet another gorgeous piece of work, with perfection oozing out of every song... Kudos, by the way, to Ed Harcourt and the tight-knit group of musician friends who worked on this album. They've all brought out the best in Sophie.
But what is commendable is the way everything is being done this time around. So far, its not a messy campaign like the last one! And Sophie and everyone around her have been handling things so perfectly, that it almost feels like a dream to a fan. Somebody pinch me now...
The teaser video, directed by Sophie Muller, showcases the statuesque beauty with a troubled expression on her face in more than one scene. Hopefully that mood that Ms. Muller tried to capture is indicative of the content on the album. Check out the stunning trailer video below.
Yet another brilliant Sophie & Sophie video. Sophie Muller has directed several music videos for Sophie Ellis-Bextor, including Take Me Home, Murder On The Dancefloor, Move This Mountain, both versions of Music Gets The Best Of Me, Catch You, Today The Sun's On Us and Not Giving Up On Love; co-produced the I Won't Change You music video; and has now done the entire photo shoot for the new album. That is another thing to be excited about because the Deluxe Version of the physical album comes packed with pictures.
The songs that you heard on the trailer are 5 songs that we were already teased with in the "making-of" videos, that Sophie uploaded on her YouTube account (check previous posts for the "making-of" videos)
01 - Young Blood (Sophie gave away the demo of this song for free on her official website)
02 - Until The Stars Collide
03 - Wrong Side Of The Sun
04 - Runaway Daydreamer
05 - Birth Of An Empire
Sophie and her team have done all the right things so far to get the fans properly excited about the album - the free demo, the tracklist announcement and the stunning trailer. And the thing that is both astonishing and reassuring is that we have an actual release date! (I want to use multiple exclamation marks here.) We in Sophie-land are accustomed to push backs after the last two albums, so this era is like a breath of fresh air for all of us. And what is really interesting is that the album was recorded in just two weeks.
Sophie's Shop - signed Deluxe Edition
Amazon
iTunes
I have already pre-ordered my signed Deluxe Edition and my digital copy from iTunes. Have you? Well, what are you waiting for?
Also, UK fans, please support Sophie by voting for her on Strictly Come Dancing. Fans outside of UK can watch Sophie's performances on BBC's YouTube Channel.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Wanderlust: Album 5 out in 2014
In the 17 years since Sophie Ellis-Bextor signed to Mercury Records as
the 18-year-old frontwoman of indie darlings theaudience, the singer has
experienced some incredible moments. Following theaudience's Top 40
success and NME acclaim, Sophie made her first solo appearance in a
collaboration with Italian dance DJ, Spiller. That song, Groovejet (If
This Ain't Love) shot to Number One around the world and became one of
the UK's most-played songs of the decade. Sophie built on that success
with her debut solo single proper, the smouldering Murder On The
Dancefloor, which became another global smash, backed by a striking
video, the first of many collaborations with Sophie Muller. The song was
quickly followed by Sophie's two-million-selling debut album, Read My
Lips, and a string of further chart hits, including Music Gets The Best
Of Me, Get Over You, Catch You and her 2010 collaboration with Armin Van
Buuren, Not Giving Up On Love. Continuing her run of successful
collaborations with dance artists, Sophie reached Number 12 in the UK
charts with her soaring single with the Freemasons, Heartbreak Make Me A
Dancer. She then found herself back in the Top 20 with Bittersweet, the
glorious lead track from her fourth album, Make A Scene, an album which
helped cement her position as a global success story. On January 20, 2014
Sophie will release her fifth album, Wanderlust, a record co-written and
produced by acclaimed singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt and recorded in
just two weeks with a tightly-knit group of musician friends. The record
sees the 34-year-old Sophie blossoming into an accomplished
singer-songwriter, with its 11 powerfully understated songs showcasing a
newfound maturity, warmth and songcraft. Wanderlust will be preceded by
the single release of one of its standout tracks, Young Blood, a
life-affirming, piano-driven testament to true love. That song, which
comes accompanied by another of Muller's trademark videos, marks the
beginning of a glorious new chapter in her career.
TRACKLIST:
01 Birth Of An Empire (3:48)
02 Until The Stars Collide (3:39)
03 Runaway Daydreamer (4:00)
04 The Deer & The Wolf (3:54)
05 Young Blood (4:28)
06 Interlude (2:23)
07 13 Little Dolls (3:32)
08 Wrong Side Of The Sun (3:50)
09 Love Is A Camera (4:13)
10 Cry To The Beat Of A Band (3:38)
11 When The Storm Has Blown Over (3:31)
PRE-ORDER:
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/in/album/wanderlust/id724525162
Amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wanderlust-Sophie-Ellis-Bextor/dp/B00FSFZ7J6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381807432&sr=8-2&keywords=wanderlust+sophie
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Sophie and Brendon's interview on the Launch day
They look good together. Hopefully they'll go a long way on the show. Good luck Soph!
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Sophie on Strictly Come Dancing
Yes, there had been rumours floating around for quite some time, but Stricly reveald the confirmed list for Series 11 and Sophie is in it. Watch the promo advert from the BBC One website below:Sophie confirmed this on twitter a couple of days back:
BBC have uploaded the Celebrity Reveal on their website, where you can catch Sophie doing answering some interesting question:
VOTE FOR SOPHIE as the Strictly Favourite here - http://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/strictly-come-dancing/158978-poll-strictly-come-dancing-2013-celebrities-whos-your-favourite.htmlYou can check the BBC Strictly galleries for pictures from the Red Carpet event. Sophie looked gorgeous as ever - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/galleries/p01g390p
Keep checking bbc.co.uk/strictly for more videos from the show. They have uploaded the Red Carpet event on the BBC IPlayer but it isn't available for viewers outside the UK at the moment. Lets hope they put up EVERYTHING from the show on their website.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Sophie's fifth record will be out in October 2013.
And its called WANDERLUST.
And we have a whole lot of song titles with us.
01 - Birth Of An Empire
02 - Wrong Side Of The Sun
03 - Runaway Daydreamer
04 - Cry To The Beat Of The Band
05 - When The Storm Has Blown Over
06 - Home (Interlude)
07 - Young Blood
08 - Until The Stars Collide
09 - Love Is A Camera
10 - The Deer And The Wolf
11 - 13 Little Dolls
And she is currently working on the album cover.
And we have a whole lot of song titles with us.
01 - Birth Of An Empire
02 - Wrong Side Of The Sun
03 - Runaway Daydreamer
04 - Cry To The Beat Of The Band
05 - When The Storm Has Blown Over
06 - Home (Interlude)
07 - Young Blood
08 - Until The Stars Collide
09 - Love Is A Camera
10 - The Deer And The Wolf
11 - 13 Little Dolls
And she is currently working on the album cover.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Sophie working with Seppälä
Seppälä have chosen Sophie as the face of their Spring 2013 campaign. Watch the behind-the-scenes preview below, which features the super gorgeous Sophie and her song "Under Your Touch".
She is also on the cover of their catalogue. Click on the link below:
https://www.seppala.fi/rumours/
She is also on the cover of their catalogue. Click on the link below:
https://www.seppala.fi/rumours/
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Young Blood (demo)
Want to know what an angel sounds like? Listen below:
The days are ghosts that pass right through us
In my eyes, you're like an evergreen
Untouched by the hours that fly around us
My love, is that how you see me?
Remember when
Remember when
We were the diamonds in the coal
Lovers know
There's no age upon your soul
Its all okay you give me young blood
Its coursing through my veins, its real love
Here inside my heart, its crystallized
Like its framed in time, but never tainted
Yeah its alright you give me young blood
Before the world I may be old enough
There'll be a day to take the best of us
But till then we have young blood
Somehow I never it coming
I'm cold, and it has set me free
Remember when
Remember when
We used to talk of growing old
Lovers know
There's no age upon your soul
Yeah its okay you give me young blood
Its coursing through my veins, its real love
Here inside my heart, its crystallized
Like its framed in time, but never tainted
Yeah its alright you give me young blood
Before the world I may be old enough
There'll be a day to take the best of us
But till then we have young blood
On and on you give me young blood
Its coursing through my veins, its real love
Here inside my heart, its crystallized
Like its framed in time, but never tainted
Yeah its alright you give me young blood
Before the world I may be old enough
There'll be a day to take the best of us
But till then we have young blood
Sophie Ellis-Bextor is going for a new direction on her yet-to-be-titled fifth solo record and man has she got the right sound or what. The stripped back production and the soulful pop sound brings out such beautiful emotion in her voice. Well done Sophie!
The days are ghosts that pass right through us
In my eyes, you're like an evergreen
Untouched by the hours that fly around us
My love, is that how you see me?
Remember when
Remember when
We were the diamonds in the coal
Lovers know
There's no age upon your soul
Its all okay you give me young blood
Its coursing through my veins, its real love
Here inside my heart, its crystallized
Like its framed in time, but never tainted
Yeah its alright you give me young blood
Before the world I may be old enough
There'll be a day to take the best of us
But till then we have young blood
Somehow I never it coming
I'm cold, and it has set me free
Remember when
Remember when
We used to talk of growing old
Lovers know
There's no age upon your soul
Yeah its okay you give me young blood
Its coursing through my veins, its real love
Here inside my heart, its crystallized
Like its framed in time, but never tainted
Yeah its alright you give me young blood
Before the world I may be old enough
There'll be a day to take the best of us
But till then we have young blood
On and on you give me young blood
Its coursing through my veins, its real love
Here inside my heart, its crystallized
Like its framed in time, but never tainted
Yeah its alright you give me young blood
Before the world I may be old enough
There'll be a day to take the best of us
But till then we have young blood
Friday, September 14, 2012
Not really Sophie news but...
Dean Mollet recently posted early demos of two songs - Two Way and Out With The Old School. The songs were re-done when they were being recorded for the album. Here are Dean's demos. Do give them a listen - they're actually quite good!
Words, vocals and instruments by Dean Mollet.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Official catch-up with Sophie: Aug-Sep instalment
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://www.sophieellisbextor.net/
Hi Sophie, how are you?
Really good thank you. Today is my first day at home for a little while, which is lovely. We just came back from our holiday.
Where did you go?
We went to Ibiza. We have some friends that have a house there. That was our third summer staying with them. It’s actually where I filmed the video for Not Giving Up On Love. It’s lovely going there. They’ve got kids and they have other friends staying that have children, so there’s always someone there for the kids to play with. They love it.
How long were you out there for?
For about 10 days, although Richard had to fly back during it because he was playing with Ed Sheeran at the Olympic Closing Ceremony thing.
Ah of course! Did you watch that in Ibiza?
I did. It was really incredible. I was quite nervous on the day actually, because you feel quite helpless watching a loved one doing something quite high pressure like that. But as soon as the whole thing started I knew he’d be fine.
He looked like he enjoyed it.
He did. And he looked very handsome.
Did the kids watch it?
Yes, Sonny stayed up to watch. He’s seen a lot of our shows and I think he’s probably a bit bored by it really. It takes quite a lot of attention span for a child to watch a gig. But I think with the Closing Ceremony he did kind of get it. He’d been quite inspired by the whole Olympic thing and the mascots and Team GB. I think it’s been really good for kids.
Were you in London for some of it?
Yes, for the first half. It’s actually the first time I’ve gone on holiday and been quite sad to be leaving. Because London was in such good spirits and so quiet and there was just a really good atmosphere in the city for the whole time. Like a lot of Londoners in the build up, I was thinking, “Oh God, it’s going to be so full-on, am I doing the right thing in staying here for it?” But then on the morning before the Opening Ceremony I suddenly got this real tingly buzzy feeling, like I wanted it all to work out and all the good intentions to really pay-off. Then it was just so lovely to see it happen. And obviously winning so many medals, I think everybody got really swept up.
Did you get to go to anything?
I didn’t. I had tickets to go to the men’s gymnastics with Richard, but I couldn’t make it, so he went with my sister. And then we toyed with the idea of me going to the Closing Ceremony, but it was quite unsettling in the holiday to have Richard leave, let alone to have me going too. So I stayed with the kids. But I’m very much hoping to go to something at the Paralympics.
And what else have you been busy with - have you been doing much work?
Yeah, I’ve started easing myself back into it. I’ve been doing a few trips away for shows, and now I’m starting to book in some studio time. It’s been brilliant, baby Ray is now four months old, and I’ve been feeding him so he’s been glued to my side, but now I’m starting to feel like I want to get back and make a new album. So, yeah, we’ve had a few meetings about it and I’ve got a few ideas. I’m feeling pretty focused. It’s good when you get to that point.
Do you have a rough timeline of when you hope to get the next album out?
I don’t, really. But if everything goes well and smoothly, there’s a possibility of it being in the first half of next year. So not too far away at all.
Have you been taking Ray away for the shows?
I have, actually. He’s been away to Moscow and to Odessa in the Ukraine. And I did one in Scotland and one in Poland. And then I’m off to Dubai with him this weekend.
Wow, so quite busy then?
Yeah, but it’s been quite civilised. It’s been mainly weekends, so because the kids have been on holiday I’ve been able to spend proper time in the week playing with them.
Sounds like Ray’s got a pretty stamped passport for a four month old.
He has! I didn’t travel so much with the other two, but with Ray I thought I might as well. They’re so easy to travel with when they’re under six months.
Do you think he has any awareness that he’s so well travelled?
I think it’s highly unlikely! But in Ibiza he did seem to enjoy being the baby in the house having lots of smiley faces around him.
That’s great that you can take him with you to all these places.
Yeah. I think the first thing I did was when he was maybe seven or eight weeks old, and after that I went to Camp Bestival and did some stuff there. It’s been really nice, actually. All pretty straightforward. And the fully-live stuff with the whole band - like in Scotland a festival in Poland - has been really good. I’ve really enjoyed getting back out there on stage.
So it seems like Eastern Europe is still loving your work?
Yeah, I still find it quite funny how much a part of my life it is, because you don’t really pick and choose these things. I’ve always just been someone that will go wherever wants me.
Can you attribute that success in those countries to anything?
I’m not sure really. As I was growing up, people often asked me if I had any Polish or Russian heritage, so maybe I’ve been mistaken as one of their own! Hahaha! And the club scene is quite big there. They love dance music. So it’s maybe just the style of music and timing, I suppose. And Armin van Buuren is incredibly popular in those parts of the world, so working with him probably helped too.
So would walking down the street in Warsaw be tricky for you?
I don’t think so. I’ve never really lived my life like that anyway. I can walk around anywhere, really. And I count myself very lucky that I can.
So, have you finished anything that you think might make the next album?
Well, I’ve been doing some stuff with Ed Harcourt. We’ve done a few tracks together and I want to finish that off. I don’t know if we’ll do a sort of separate EP or short album of he and I together. With the other album, I’ve obviously got a few collaborations that I’ve done in the past six months that I can start to put towards that. But I actually quite like the idea of doing the album with one person. I've always wanted to do that, but it's never really worked out.
With one producer and co-writer?
Yeah. I think then you'd get into a bit of flow. I think that's what I want to do now.
So the stuff with Ed Harcourt is presumably not as beat-driven?
No, it's not beat-driven at all. It's very live sounding. We always start off with just piano and vocal and then add in loads. Ed's a bit of a one man band. He'll start playing the drums and bass and guitar. He's incredibly talented.
Is it quite folky then?
Some of it is a bit, actually. And we've been listening to stuff like Serge Gainsbourg, so it's got a bit of a French-y thing. And I think Ed's also quite inspired by my tales of Eastern Europe, so some of it's got a bit of that kind of vibe as well. So it's a bit of a different thing. It's quite good for your head to do something like that.
And that might see the light of day before the album proper?
I guess that's possible, yeah. Just because I see Ed quite a lot anyway, so knuckling down and finishing it might be a bit easier.
It must be nice to be making music again.
Yeah, well I haven't done anything since I had Ray, but I think I'm ready to get back in the studio now. In the last fortnight or so, I've really felt like I'm ready and that I've got loads of ideas. That's the way I've always worked - I have to wait until I'm really feeling like I've got lots to offer.
You went to V Festival the other weekend. How was that?
We had a good day out, because it was sunny! And how unusual has that been this summer? It was almost too hot, in fact. It was great seeing the Feeling boys play to a really big crowd. I hardly saw anything else though, which was a bit disappointing. I'd literally got back from Stansted with all the kids the evening before, so we just went up there, saw the Feeling, had lunch, moseyed about a bit and then came home.
Is travelling about with a third child noticeably harder?
At the moment, no, he's fairly easy. He's quite a quiet and content baby. But I think when he gets a bit bigger we're going to know what we're up against, because I seem to remember the other two starting out like that as well! Hahaha! And we've already encountered the problems of transport quite a few times. The logistics of having three are much more of an issue. Particularly if we need an extra pair of hands to help because we're working, because then you have three adults and three kids and you can't all fit into one car.
Ah, tricky.
I know. The things you don't think about! But then again Sonny being eight is really working because he's quite self sufficient these days. So at V when I was sitting helping Kit have his lunch and feeding Ray, I could get Sonny to go over to a stall and get me a coffee! That's really handy.
Have you been watching any good telly recently?
We've been watching the Newsroom. That's quite good. And the new Alan Partridge series, which is great. And Adam Buxton's Bug which we love.
What have you been listening to?
Well on holiday, a DJ called Sander Kleinenberg was there. He's the one I would credit with getting me into house music. Twelve years ago when Groovejet came out I went to Ibiza and sang in a club called Privilege. I was on at four o'clock in the morning and was totally sober. He DJ'd before I sang and he was really good, and kept me dancing. That was when I realised there was more to DJing than playing one track and then playing another track. So, yeah, he was playing me some of his new stuff. And we've been hearing some of the Freemasons' new stuff too. And I love that new Pnau and Elton John album. That's really lovely.
And what's happening in the fashion world?
Oh golly, I don't know! I just buy the same stuff all the time. I went to see my mum in a play at the Edinburgh Festival and while I was there I bought some vintage stuff. But I've just had a baby, so don't ask me about fashion!
What's coming up in your diary?
I've got a few studio days booked in. And there's a show in Kiev too.
Have you become a fan of East European cuisine after all these trips out there?
Yeah, some of it's excellent. All the little dumplings and good stews. And luckily I love borscht.
Can you now tell a good borscht from a bad borscht?
Oh definitely. I guess some it's down to preference, but I like the ones that have got proper chunky bits of vegetable and meat.
Have you tried cooking your own?
I've had beetroot soup but not a proper borscht, no. But I think it's delicious. I think I might have to dig out a recipe.
Really good thank you. Today is my first day at home for a little while, which is lovely. We just came back from our holiday.
Where did you go?
We went to Ibiza. We have some friends that have a house there. That was our third summer staying with them. It’s actually where I filmed the video for Not Giving Up On Love. It’s lovely going there. They’ve got kids and they have other friends staying that have children, so there’s always someone there for the kids to play with. They love it.
How long were you out there for?
For about 10 days, although Richard had to fly back during it because he was playing with Ed Sheeran at the Olympic Closing Ceremony thing.
Ah of course! Did you watch that in Ibiza?
I did. It was really incredible. I was quite nervous on the day actually, because you feel quite helpless watching a loved one doing something quite high pressure like that. But as soon as the whole thing started I knew he’d be fine.
He looked like he enjoyed it.
He did. And he looked very handsome.
Did the kids watch it?
Yes, Sonny stayed up to watch. He’s seen a lot of our shows and I think he’s probably a bit bored by it really. It takes quite a lot of attention span for a child to watch a gig. But I think with the Closing Ceremony he did kind of get it. He’d been quite inspired by the whole Olympic thing and the mascots and Team GB. I think it’s been really good for kids.
Were you in London for some of it?
Yes, for the first half. It’s actually the first time I’ve gone on holiday and been quite sad to be leaving. Because London was in such good spirits and so quiet and there was just a really good atmosphere in the city for the whole time. Like a lot of Londoners in the build up, I was thinking, “Oh God, it’s going to be so full-on, am I doing the right thing in staying here for it?” But then on the morning before the Opening Ceremony I suddenly got this real tingly buzzy feeling, like I wanted it all to work out and all the good intentions to really pay-off. Then it was just so lovely to see it happen. And obviously winning so many medals, I think everybody got really swept up.
Did you get to go to anything?
I didn’t. I had tickets to go to the men’s gymnastics with Richard, but I couldn’t make it, so he went with my sister. And then we toyed with the idea of me going to the Closing Ceremony, but it was quite unsettling in the holiday to have Richard leave, let alone to have me going too. So I stayed with the kids. But I’m very much hoping to go to something at the Paralympics.
And what else have you been busy with - have you been doing much work?
Yeah, I’ve started easing myself back into it. I’ve been doing a few trips away for shows, and now I’m starting to book in some studio time. It’s been brilliant, baby Ray is now four months old, and I’ve been feeding him so he’s been glued to my side, but now I’m starting to feel like I want to get back and make a new album. So, yeah, we’ve had a few meetings about it and I’ve got a few ideas. I’m feeling pretty focused. It’s good when you get to that point.
Do you have a rough timeline of when you hope to get the next album out?
I don’t, really. But if everything goes well and smoothly, there’s a possibility of it being in the first half of next year. So not too far away at all.
Have you been taking Ray away for the shows?
I have, actually. He’s been away to Moscow and to Odessa in the Ukraine. And I did one in Scotland and one in Poland. And then I’m off to Dubai with him this weekend.
Wow, so quite busy then?
Yeah, but it’s been quite civilised. It’s been mainly weekends, so because the kids have been on holiday I’ve been able to spend proper time in the week playing with them.
Sounds like Ray’s got a pretty stamped passport for a four month old.
He has! I didn’t travel so much with the other two, but with Ray I thought I might as well. They’re so easy to travel with when they’re under six months.
Do you think he has any awareness that he’s so well travelled?
I think it’s highly unlikely! But in Ibiza he did seem to enjoy being the baby in the house having lots of smiley faces around him.
That’s great that you can take him with you to all these places.
Yeah. I think the first thing I did was when he was maybe seven or eight weeks old, and after that I went to Camp Bestival and did some stuff there. It’s been really nice, actually. All pretty straightforward. And the fully-live stuff with the whole band - like in Scotland a festival in Poland - has been really good. I’ve really enjoyed getting back out there on stage.
So it seems like Eastern Europe is still loving your work?
Yeah, I still find it quite funny how much a part of my life it is, because you don’t really pick and choose these things. I’ve always just been someone that will go wherever wants me.
Can you attribute that success in those countries to anything?
I’m not sure really. As I was growing up, people often asked me if I had any Polish or Russian heritage, so maybe I’ve been mistaken as one of their own! Hahaha! And the club scene is quite big there. They love dance music. So it’s maybe just the style of music and timing, I suppose. And Armin van Buuren is incredibly popular in those parts of the world, so working with him probably helped too.
So would walking down the street in Warsaw be tricky for you?
I don’t think so. I’ve never really lived my life like that anyway. I can walk around anywhere, really. And I count myself very lucky that I can.
So, have you finished anything that you think might make the next album?
Well, I’ve been doing some stuff with Ed Harcourt. We’ve done a few tracks together and I want to finish that off. I don’t know if we’ll do a sort of separate EP or short album of he and I together. With the other album, I’ve obviously got a few collaborations that I’ve done in the past six months that I can start to put towards that. But I actually quite like the idea of doing the album with one person. I've always wanted to do that, but it's never really worked out.
With one producer and co-writer?
Yeah. I think then you'd get into a bit of flow. I think that's what I want to do now.
So the stuff with Ed Harcourt is presumably not as beat-driven?
No, it's not beat-driven at all. It's very live sounding. We always start off with just piano and vocal and then add in loads. Ed's a bit of a one man band. He'll start playing the drums and bass and guitar. He's incredibly talented.
Is it quite folky then?
Some of it is a bit, actually. And we've been listening to stuff like Serge Gainsbourg, so it's got a bit of a French-y thing. And I think Ed's also quite inspired by my tales of Eastern Europe, so some of it's got a bit of that kind of vibe as well. So it's a bit of a different thing. It's quite good for your head to do something like that.
And that might see the light of day before the album proper?
I guess that's possible, yeah. Just because I see Ed quite a lot anyway, so knuckling down and finishing it might be a bit easier.
It must be nice to be making music again.
Yeah, well I haven't done anything since I had Ray, but I think I'm ready to get back in the studio now. In the last fortnight or so, I've really felt like I'm ready and that I've got loads of ideas. That's the way I've always worked - I have to wait until I'm really feeling like I've got lots to offer.
You went to V Festival the other weekend. How was that?
We had a good day out, because it was sunny! And how unusual has that been this summer? It was almost too hot, in fact. It was great seeing the Feeling boys play to a really big crowd. I hardly saw anything else though, which was a bit disappointing. I'd literally got back from Stansted with all the kids the evening before, so we just went up there, saw the Feeling, had lunch, moseyed about a bit and then came home.
Is travelling about with a third child noticeably harder?
At the moment, no, he's fairly easy. He's quite a quiet and content baby. But I think when he gets a bit bigger we're going to know what we're up against, because I seem to remember the other two starting out like that as well! Hahaha! And we've already encountered the problems of transport quite a few times. The logistics of having three are much more of an issue. Particularly if we need an extra pair of hands to help because we're working, because then you have three adults and three kids and you can't all fit into one car.
Ah, tricky.
I know. The things you don't think about! But then again Sonny being eight is really working because he's quite self sufficient these days. So at V when I was sitting helping Kit have his lunch and feeding Ray, I could get Sonny to go over to a stall and get me a coffee! That's really handy.
Have you been watching any good telly recently?
We've been watching the Newsroom. That's quite good. And the new Alan Partridge series, which is great. And Adam Buxton's Bug which we love.
What have you been listening to?
Well on holiday, a DJ called Sander Kleinenberg was there. He's the one I would credit with getting me into house music. Twelve years ago when Groovejet came out I went to Ibiza and sang in a club called Privilege. I was on at four o'clock in the morning and was totally sober. He DJ'd before I sang and he was really good, and kept me dancing. That was when I realised there was more to DJing than playing one track and then playing another track. So, yeah, he was playing me some of his new stuff. And we've been hearing some of the Freemasons' new stuff too. And I love that new Pnau and Elton John album. That's really lovely.
And what's happening in the fashion world?
Oh golly, I don't know! I just buy the same stuff all the time. I went to see my mum in a play at the Edinburgh Festival and while I was there I bought some vintage stuff. But I've just had a baby, so don't ask me about fashion!
What's coming up in your diary?
I've got a few studio days booked in. And there's a show in Kiev too.
Have you become a fan of East European cuisine after all these trips out there?
Yeah, some of it's excellent. All the little dumplings and good stews. And luckily I love borscht.
Can you now tell a good borscht from a bad borscht?
Oh definitely. I guess some it's down to preference, but I like the ones that have got proper chunky bits of vegetable and meat.
Have you tried cooking your own?
I've had beetroot soup but not a proper borscht, no. But I think it's delicious. I think I might have to dig out a recipe.
Interview: Family Go Live with Sophie
She likes moshing and washing, could read Nigel Slater’s recipes as bedtime stories and is partial to a fish supper. Family Go Live magazine meets Sophie Ellis Bextor…
FGL: Sophie, you’re supporting the Wash and Mosh campaign. Do you get to do much moshing and washing done with your own kids?
SEB: “Of course! We love going out and playing in the back garden, kids love any excuse just to run around and generally make a lot of noise. We sing, we make up little rhymes, have water pistol fights, make music together, that sort of thing.”
FGL: What is the best bit of being a mum for you?
SEB: “I love just love the general chaos of being a mum, and listening to all the weird and wonderful things children conjure up in their little imaginations, and all the daft tangents you end up on. It just seems to get better as they get older.”
FGL: How do you juggle being a mum with the demands of a pop career?
SEB: “Luckily because I don’t work in an office, I can bring the kids with me when I work. I took them with me to Bestival this year, which is where I launched the Mosh and Wash campaign, so that was their first festival, but they’re well used to coming with me to gigs and concerts. Obviously I don’t take the kids with me all the time, but I think going away and doing my own thing for a bit means that I come back refreshed and can be a better mum.”
FGL: What sort of food do you make for your children?
SEB: “I’m lucky; all of my kids are all quite good with food. Their favourites are Italian food, vegetables, salad – all healthy stuff. Even my three year old is pretty adventurous. He likes bruschetta rubbed with raw garlic!”
FGL: Have you got a favourite celebrity chef?
SEB: “I will always have a soft spot for Jamie Oliver. The way he has helped people to realise that cooking isn’t rocket science and anyone can do it is brilliant. My absolute favourite is Nigel Slater. I just think the way he writes is brilliant. His recipes are like bedtime stories for me.”
FGL: So, Sophie, last question…. if there really was murder on the dancefloor, what item would you grab from the buffet before your impending demise?
SEB: “It would have to be fish, chips and gherkins with ketchup AND mayo.”
FGL: Sophie, you’re supporting the Wash and Mosh campaign. Do you get to do much moshing and washing done with your own kids?
SEB: “Of course! We love going out and playing in the back garden, kids love any excuse just to run around and generally make a lot of noise. We sing, we make up little rhymes, have water pistol fights, make music together, that sort of thing.”
FGL: What is the best bit of being a mum for you?
SEB: “I love just love the general chaos of being a mum, and listening to all the weird and wonderful things children conjure up in their little imaginations, and all the daft tangents you end up on. It just seems to get better as they get older.”
FGL: How do you juggle being a mum with the demands of a pop career?
SEB: “Luckily because I don’t work in an office, I can bring the kids with me when I work. I took them with me to Bestival this year, which is where I launched the Mosh and Wash campaign, so that was their first festival, but they’re well used to coming with me to gigs and concerts. Obviously I don’t take the kids with me all the time, but I think going away and doing my own thing for a bit means that I come back refreshed and can be a better mum.”
FGL: What sort of food do you make for your children?
SEB: “I’m lucky; all of my kids are all quite good with food. Their favourites are Italian food, vegetables, salad – all healthy stuff. Even my three year old is pretty adventurous. He likes bruschetta rubbed with raw garlic!”
FGL: Have you got a favourite celebrity chef?
SEB: “I will always have a soft spot for Jamie Oliver. The way he has helped people to realise that cooking isn’t rocket science and anyone can do it is brilliant. My absolute favourite is Nigel Slater. I just think the way he writes is brilliant. His recipes are like bedtime stories for me.”
FGL: So, Sophie, last question…. if there really was murder on the dancefloor, what item would you grab from the buffet before your impending demise?
SEB: “It would have to be fish, chips and gherkins with ketchup AND mayo.”
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