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.

'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:

1. Intro
2. Here Comes The Rapture
3. Unrequited
4. Hush Little Voices
5. Cassandra
6. My Puppet Heart
7. Death Of Love
8. Saddest Happiness
9. Come WIth Us
10. Crystallize
11. Wild Forever
12. 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!

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.

The album is available for pre-order. Click on the links below to take you to the respective webstores:
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.

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

Sophie recording her fifth studio album

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.

Official Catch Up + Baby News + Jakarta set + Fuck With You Official Video

Hi all. I've been away for quite sometime; been very busy with my studies and my career. Also, nothing much was happening in Sophie-world all these days, so things were quiet around here. But now we're back online. Sophie has given birth to her third child, she is working on her fifth solo record - lets hope this year goes well for her.

So before we get to the official catch-up, here are some of the significant things I have missed out on all these days.

1. The FUCK WITH YOU video - It is branded NSFW.

2. Videos from Java Soul Nation (Jakarta) - SophieHQ have been uploading one video a week, and they promise to upload the entire set over a period of time. Its a good way to keep fans occupied, really. Although, I hope she considers releasing an EP of songs that didn't make it onto Make A Scene, just so we can kill time waiting for the next album.
Here are the videos:

Dial My Number

Bittersweet

Take Me Home

Me And My Imagination

Today The Sun's On Us

What Have We Started

Catch You

Starlight

3. Have you heard the latest leak? It's called "Work It Out". The entire song isn't out yet, but a snippet of the song was recently uploaded to Soundcloud. It sounds like the old Sophie, from the Read My Lips days..

4. Sophie gave birth to her third baby boy, called Ray Holiday Jones on April 25, 2012. A couple of tweets that followed the birth of the child -

5. A couple of other interesting tweets caught my attention. There was one with Billy Reeves (yes, The Billy Reeves of theaudience. Its nice to see they're still in touch). And another with Jake Shears...possible collaboration maybe? I hope so. Jake knows his way around good hooks. And an interesting response by the dirty rapper to what Sophie said on her interview.

6. And finally, here is the official catch-up from her official website. She revealed two song-titles - Love Is A Camera and The Wrong Side Of The Sun. The latter sounds phenomenal - hopefully it will be another Today The Sun's On Us / What Have We Started / Cut Straight To The Heart.

Hi Sophie, how are you?
Not too bad thank you.

Blooming and full of child!
Haha! Yeah I am. I'm at 38 weeks now.

So it's third time lucky with going the full term.
I know. It's been phenomenal. The people at the hospital have been absolutely brilliant. I do really appreciate it.

Have they had to pay you a lot of attention because you've had the two premature babies?
Yeah, exactly. They've had to keep an eye on me in case I started to get ill again, but I didn't. It's all good.

So you've never brought a newborn baby home before?
No, this will be the first time. Kit and Sonny both came home after about four or five weeks.

How are you feeling at the moment?
Excited, really. I have moments where I feel like I don't really know what to expect, but I just want to get on with it now, really. We're as ready for this baby as we're ever going to be!

Do you have an inkling of the sex.
We don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be another boy. We had quite a big visual clue at one of the scans!

Do you have names sorted?
Of course, yeah. I always do that. I'm a bit tragic. By the time you start telling people I already know what the names are. I like to be organised.

Has your girl's name been the same all three times?
No, I've changed it actually. I think you get to different points in your life and things have different resonance. Actually, people say to me, "I bet you want a girl" but I don't really feel like families work like that. When your child is born you just think, "Well, I was always going to have that baby". I didn't really realise that there was a bit of a thing about that. I've got three sisters, two brothers, we're all very higgledy piggledy. It didn't really occur to me that I would have any preference. But the amount of people that, if I say I think it's a boy, say "Aww" as if they feel sorry for me! And I'm like, "Well, I quite like the way they turn out!" And you do go into it knowing it's 50-50!

You really do get that?
Oh totally. I had it a little bit with the second one, but I've had it tonnes this time around.

The idea that you would be disappointed with a boy because it's not a girl.
Yeah, exactly. Like, "This is a disaster! Why did nobody warn me this might happen?!"

So, once you've had the baby presumably you'll be taking a bit of time off work?
Yeah, well, I don't really know how I'll feel. I've got a couple of things in June and we'll see how it goes, really. There are a few things in the diary.

And it's nice to have that other side to your life still going.
Definitely. It's been quite a peaceful start to the year for me - which has been lovely - and I quite like seeing that I've got stuff going on. But we'll see. I'm going to try and sort the baby out with a passport quite quickly so that I can take it with me as well.

The other big news in Sophie world is that the Bob Sinclar video is out.
It is! How's that for synchronicity!

It's certainly quite a viewing experience.
Hahaha! Yes. There's a lot of really peachy bottoms. But hey he's French, what did you expect?

What do you think of it?
You know what, I really like it. I think it's really kitsch and cool. Bob asked me if I'd be able to do the video and I was like, "Um kind of, but only from certain angles!" So he decided to do it that way. And, actually, I think it's great. I'm happy.

And are you pleased with the song?
Yeah. I don't even think it's that rude any more - I just find it quite funny. But some people are still adjusting to it, I think!

It's incredibly catchy. You have to be careful or you find yourself singing that chorus in public places!
Well, there is an "I wanna rock with you" version. You'll be safer with that. Actually, I had to play the sweary version to my 7-year-old because I wanted him to hear it from me and noone else. I told him that in France it doesn't meant anything rude, it's only rude here. So he thought that was OK. He's obviously quite anti-swearing and he's never heard me swear either. I'm not really a very sweary person.

The song certainly makes up for that.
Haha! Exactly.

Remind us how you came to do the song?
I was sent an email from Bob and I was obviously aware of what he does, but then I saw in the subject heading of the email attachment, "Fuck With You" and I thought that was ridiculous. But then I heard it and thought, "Well this is really catchy and quite fun". And I always thought it was quite tongue in cheek. It's not just a sexy thing, it's more of a woman getting her revenge on someone. Like, I wanna mess with you. The rapper, Gilbere, is the really rude one. I wonder if he's told his parents yet!

And the timing of the song, with you about to go and have a baby is pretty good.
I just think it's hilarious. It tickles me.

So, what else have you been up to?
I've been doing a little bit of songwriting. I've been working a little bit more with Ed Harcourt. And I did a song with Cathy Dennis the other day. So, yeah, I've been keeping busy but just on a low-key, at home sort of way. And Richard and I have been doing a bit of writing as well. It's been fun.

What kind of stage are you at with an album?
I'd say I still need to knuckle down and do a few more months, really. But it's definitely taking shape. I've done some great stuff with Ed and we've found a bit of a musical direction. But I'm going to take a pause while I have the baby.

Is there a song title you can tease us with?
We did a lovely one called Love Is A Camera and we did another one called The Wrong Side Of The Sun.

Obviously we've been posting the Jakarta videos and they've gone down really well.
Yeah, that's been really good. They filmed it for TV, I think. It's quite good quality, I thought.

The crowd looks amazing.
Yeah, it was fun. We really had no idea what to expect going to a country I hadn't been to for a long time, so it was a nice surprise.

Do you have any notion of when you might start to put some new music out?
Not yet. It's a bit early to say on that front. We shall see.

And have you been filling the house with new paraphernalia for the baby?
Not really. The only thing we got was a new buggy, because the old one was looking really tired. We've gone for another Bugaboo.

What colour?
Navy. I always go for that. I know they come in really loud colours but I like it a bit more restrained. Black always seems a bit too severe, so navy is quite good. And then I got a new Moses basket because the handles on the old one were held together with string! But that's all we've done.

It's going to be so strange to have a tiny baby in the house for the first time.
I know! It's quite odd for Richard and I because we've actually been quite busy in the last few weeks, and then suddenly we're going to have this little baby in the basket and he'll actually be here. I can't imagine it at all.

Are the kids excited?
I think so. Kit wants to call the baby Rose, whether it's a boy or a girl. Before that he wanted to call it Power Ranger. He's a bit obsessed with Power Rangers. If any of my fans have got any Power Rangers that they're getting rid of, they can always donate them to Kit's Power Rangers collection. We have to know the name of all of them - and they have different names in each series. There's probably about 12 different versions of them and he likes to know each of their names. But, yes, Sonny is really looking forward to the baby, because he loves babies.

That's great.
Yeah. And I think Kit's just got his head around it in the last month or two. He's three now so he's starting to find his feet a little bit more. I think he's really warming to the idea of being a big brother. Sonny's going to be 8 on Monday, so I'm hoping he'll actually be able to give me a bit of help. I was 8 when my brother was born and I adored him and used to give him his bottle and look after him. And now he's my drummer!

And it's so nice that you've not had the stresses of the last two births.
Oh totally. I sort of want to tell people that. I know that a lot of women, if they've had two bouts of pre-eclampsia severe enough to have premature babies, they'll probably be really apprehensive at the idea of a third. I know I was. So it's really nice to know that it doesn't always happen. It's just been so lovely to be able to enjoy it this time.

Track by track: Straight To The Heart - Sophie's 4th record

(thanks to Lee B for scanning the mag)

Track by Track: Straight To The Heart

From Gay Times Maganize

Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer - This one was with the Freemasons. I think it's quite a theatrical love song really. I was playing a bit of a diva but it's quite fun. It's one of those things where you've got to take on a slight alter-ego.

Bittersweet - It's a genuine raw emotion when something's intoxicated you and you can't really do anything about it. When we've been doing it acoustically it's actually quite romantic. When it's got all the bells and whistles it sounds a bit more saucy.

Off And On - A track with Calvin Harris, it was originally written with Roisin Murphy for her record but for one reason or another she felt it didn't fit. Ordinarily I’m a bit squeamish about taking on songs that I didn't write. But I think you've always got to think that you can bring something to it.

Revolution - Working with Cathy Dennis was brilliant, I'm a big fan of hers. It's probably one of my tougher songs. It will be a single, it has a different sound to it. I don't know if I rap exactly in the verses but it's quite sort of aggressive and monotone there. It's with this guy called Greg Kurstin who's a really good producer in LA and Cathy does things that you don't think of doing, like in this song I name check 'Murder On The Dancefloor'

Starlight - I did this with Richard X and Hannah Robinson and it's one of my favourites. I love it in pop music when it's got a soft of wistful sadness like Giorgio Moroder's always really good at that. This song has definitely got that feel.

Magic - Again with Hannah and Richard, and another love song. Sometimes when I'm writing songs I get imagines in my head and with this one I'm always riding a horse, it sounds a bit like I'm galloping somewhere. In the video I've got to do it on horseback.

Synchronised - One of a couple of slower numbers which is about trying to get back in tune with a lover you but you probably won't ever do it, so that's got sadness too. I'm always drawn to sad things. It’s actually really hard to write a happy song I find. I have tried it on many occasions and you do achieve it sometimes but it's actually that sadness and heartache and unrequited love have got built-in interest I suppose, a bit more depth.

Cut Straight To The Heart - Another slow one, I did this with the lovely Ed Harcourt, a really talented singer/songwriter. This is a really melodic song. He's one of the best lyricists I've ever worked with. I know a lot of people who are good with melody, I think that's one of my strong points. But lyrics, it's just really tough to get a lyric that does exactly what you want it to but he's really good at that.

Dial My Number - A song about a text stalker that I have. I've never replied to them but they send me these texts, sending me jokes, sending me my lyrics. Not particularly sinister, but kind of annoying. So it started off as an idea of a song about someone that you're saying "you might have my number but it doesn't mean that anything's gonna happen, so don't get your hopes up."

Homewrecker - Another song with a weird subject matter - you can probably guess what Homewrecker's about! (laughs) It's about girls who flirt with your boyfriend right under your nose which is very annoying. And sometimes they're really just oblivious, they're just so happy to have the attention that they don't really realise that they've crossed the line and they'll go "Yeah but she's just a good friend" and you're like "Yeah but I saw the way she laughed at your jokes and I saw the way she put her hand on your arm when she was telling a story and it's not on". Not on!

Under Your Touch - A song which is quite a saucy love song really. It's just about fancying someone, which is always a good subject matter.

Scene - I did this one with Joe from Metronomy. Actually, Scene was a very instrumental track and it really set the tone. It was written quite early on. It was quite quirky and different and it's just made me think that maybe I've got to try some new stuff here, try something just a bit to push me a bit I suppose so it was a really important track to write.

(I know Not Giving Up On Love isn't mentioned here, but Sophie says it's on the album. No reason to worry. Sophie said this about the song in a radio interview - "Boom – Boom – Boom – Boom - Boom - like fairground music. I mean that in a good way. I worked with a trance DJ called Armin van Buuren. I am pleased with that one. It sounds like authentic trance. I would never have thought in a million years I would do a trance record. But like everything I do it’s all about melody and song, so it just happens to be a trance record.")

Straight To The Heart - the tracklist

Okay, i know i've made tons of predictions, but i'm sure this time i've got it right. Richard X mentioned on Black Melody that 2 out of 3 songs of his would end up on the album. But Sophie's MySpace says "The" Richard X track. So i'm unsure about Magic. The rest of the tracks are confirmed.

Oh and whoever told me (and stupid of me to publicise without proof) that Synchronised is co-written with Sophie was wrong. PROOF!

1. Sophia Loren (Cathy Denis, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Christopher Rojas)
2. Revolution (Cathy Denis, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Greg Kurstin)
3. Not Giving Up On Love (Armin Buuren, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Nervo Sisters)
4. Bittersweet (Hannah Robinson, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Freemasons, Biffco)
5. Starlight (Hannah Robinson, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Richard X)
6. Off And On (Cathy Denis, Roisin Murphy, Calvin Harris)
7. Dial My Number (Hannah Robinson, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Liam Howe)
8. Cut Thru' The Heart (Ed Harcourt, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Dimitri)
9. Make A Scene (Metronomy, Sophie Ellis-Bextor)
10. Synchronised (Ina Wrolsden, Fred Ball)
11. I Still Believe In Magic (Hannah Robinson, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Richard X)
12. Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer (Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Biffco, Freemasons)


(this is not the official cover, don't worry. i'm just playing around with a picture i found online)

more tweets follow

SophieEB - in studio with dimitri tikovi and ed harcourt and live strings. sounds so delightful. great start to 2010.

JordanJayBlue - @SophieEB - just emailed you new mix! x
SophieEB - @JordanJayBlue - thanks will have to listen to it later after studio session. it's sounding great here. x

Okay i honestly have no idea about whats going on, but all those tweets got me insanely excited. i'm on board, whatever you're doing Sophie. I'm so on board!

Oh and Fascination have listed "Bittersweet" on their playlist, which means that is the official title.

Now excuse me while i go scream around and rejoice this bit of news

*yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! wooooo-hooooooooooooo*

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)