Sophierazzi: Not Giving Up

Showing posts with label Not Giving Up. Show all posts

Monday, October 3, 2011

Jakatra, Australia, new album, Rebellion and more...

Okay, I've been very busy with work. I've been working more than 18 hours on some days. So I apologise for the lack of updates. Moving on to the important stuff.

First of all, have you all bought Rebellion (Lies)? If you haven't, buy it now. It is 4:42 minutes of pure brilliance. Its definitely up there with her best covers to date. Sophie sounds absolutely gorgeous on the track, and the "Lies, lies" bit is fabulous. Right now, the track is sitting as track #15 on Make a scene for me. I will move it into my list of Sophie b-sides and side releases after a few months. It's a very good song. So buy it. Don't download free mp3s, buy the song off iTunes. It's for a good cause. Here's a link to the album on UK iTunes.
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/songs-to-save-life-in-aid/id454729655
Please buy the song.

Second. Sophie was in Jakarta, Indonesia recently. She hadn't been there since 9 years, but the crowd gathered at the Java Soul Nation festival seemed to know and like her new songs. The best part of the show was when the entire crowd sang along to Murder On The Dancefloor...not just the chorus, but the ENTIRE song. Sophie must have been over the world to hear the crowd's response to that song. She even mentioned this in her recent official catch-up, but more on that later.

You can also download the audio from the entire show right here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?vrsmqy8jqaw67ys
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UMQWDSWE
Thanks to Paul for the recording. You've done a fabulous job as usual.

Third. Sophie is in Australia promoting her new album. She had two club-shows - one in Sydney and one in Melbourne. She also had some TV appearances where she performed her new single Starlight and Murder On The Dancefloor.

Murder On The Dancefloor - http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/-/watch/26771578/sophie-ellis-bextor-performs-live/

Starlight - http://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-morning-show/video/-/watch/26773107/sophie-ellis-bextor-makes-a-scene/

ORIGINAL ARTICLE - http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/sophie-ellis-bextor-scene-and-heard/story-e6frfn09-1226154480951

IT must be murder juggling motherhood with a career filling dance floors but Sophie Ellis-Bextor makes it seem effortless. Here she tells JACQUI SWIFT about her new record that features Calvin Harris, Roisin Murphy and Metronomy.

Your new album Make a Scene is your career high. Do you agree?
When I finished it, I was so pleased. I'm always wary of reviews as you only ever remember the nasty ones but, without blowing my own trumpet, I can say it's my best album yet because of the people I worked with Calvin Harris, Roisin Murphy, Metronomy, Richard X, Cathy Dennis, Greg Kurstin, I was very spoiled.

Tell us about the big-name producers and co-writers on the record.
I had a wish list and they're all on there. They're all perennial talents who have either been around for ages, or are going from strength to strength. It was great. There will always be a core of six to eight tracks which define what the record is about and then I pick and choose from the rest, which add to the colour of the album.

So what's the process when you have so many different people to work with?
Hopefully, whatever I bring to the table when I'm writing helps give it cohesion. I'm someone who has always been quite clear about what I like. In the studio, I'm not a control freak but I know what I want. It's an arms-in-the-air dance album.

Does it take you back to your Groovejet days?
Yes, a little bit. I think it's all about the rise of the DJ again. When Groovejet came out, people knew a few of the names but then they went back to being a bit more niche and underground. Now you have people like David Guetta and Martin Solveig who are on the radio as well as in the clubs and I think that's a really good thing.

Dial My Number is about a stalker. What's the story behind it?
Someone had my number and they started text-stalking me. I've never replied to them. It was tempting to write back, but I resisted. It's funny how intimate it feels to get a text. I got one on the way to the studio, so we ended up writing that song.

So what's next for you?
I want to make something different, take myself out of my comfort zone, but then I want to do four-to-the-floor as well and I want to work with Deadmau5.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor plays Home the Venue, Darling Harbour, on October 2. Make a Scene (Shock) is out now.

Fifth. Sophie Ellis-Bextor never misses the beat

ORIGINAL ARTICLE - http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/confidential/sophie-ellis-bextor-never-misses-the-beat/story-e6fredq3-1226156472856

A MOTHER of two and celebrating album No. 4, Sophie Ellis-Bextor whirled into town last week to reintroduce herself to her dance constituency.
It has been a decade since Ellis-Bextor fired up the charts with the inescapable hit Groovejet (If This Ain't Love), backing that up with Murder On The Dancefloor and last year's single Bittersweet.
Her new record Make A Scene features a who's who of hitmakers including Calvin Harris, Freemasons, Richard X, Armin Van Buuren and Metronomy.
"I have always been rubbish at predicting what will make the charts so I play to my strengths and do what I like," she said before her performance at Home last night.
"If you're making music to dance to, if the song doesn't finish with me standing up out of my seat and dancing around the studio, it's not going to work."
Ellis-Bextor hinted her next album, already underway, will be a departure from clubland to something more "reflective".
Rumour has it she is being courted to return to Sydney next March for Mardi Gras.

Sixth. Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Still killing it on and off the dancefloor

ORIGINAL ARTICLE - http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2011/09/sophie-ellis-bextor-still-killing-it-on-and-off-the-dancefloor.html

Sophie Ellis-Bextor hasn't been to Australia in about nine or ten years, so she has been long overdue for a visit to our shores!

The last time Sophie was here her song "Murder on the Dancefloor" was riding high in the charts and the dance song "Groovejet" that she recorded with the Italian DJ Spiller was pumping out of clubs.

Now she is back with a new album called "Make A Scene" that features collaborations with some of the biggest DJ's in the world at the moment including Calvin Harris and Armin Van Buuren.

So today on the program we wanted to find out what Sophie had been up to in the last nine or so years.

Bernie Hobbs found out all about Sophie's family, running club nights, performing in Jakarta, growing up in the UK, and some the charity work that she has done.

It was a lovely chat and if you are are a fan of Sophie, you'll enjoy hearing the chat again below.

DOWNLOAD LINK: http://blogs.abc.net.au/files/sophie-ellis-bextor-interview.mp3

Seventh. Official Catch-up with Sophie.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE - http://www.sophieellisbextor.net/news?id=375&msg=1#comments

Hi Sophie. How are you?
Not too bad, thanks.

You're speaking from the future.
Haha! I am, it's evening here in Sydney, so it must be morning there?

That is correct. What's going to happen today?
It will be quite cold. And it will rain a little bit.

Not in London, it won't. It's gorgeous here.
Yeah, I heard. But it was actually quite good weather for wandering around Sydney, which is what I've been doing today. It's like spring weather. Nice to walk around in. I've had a lovely day pottering about on my own.

Are you literally out there on your own?
My sound guy, Duncan has here, but I haven't actually seen that much of him. He's been doing his own thing. We got here yesterday morning from Jakarta. And Kat is arriving from the UK any minute now. Then the promo really starts in earnest tomorrow.

Kat, of course, is becoming familiar to the readers of your website as the person who does the photoblogs.
I know! I'm so glad she does that, because I'm so rubbish at taking pictures. I've never really been a good documenter. But she's really good at it.

For those readers who don't know Kat, what does she do?
She works with Derek, who's my manager. She's brilliant. She's his assistant, but she's often the one that comes with me on my trips. She's a very good travel companion. Even though she's only 24, some people say we're like two old women who go off and holiday together. We always make sure we do things during the downtime, like go for a walk or a swim or something.

So, how was Jakarta?
It was actually really impressive. I hadn't been there for ten years. In fact, the last time I went to Jakarta was the same trip I last went to Sydney, around the time Read My Lips came out, when we were away for a month, going all round Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. So it tied in quite nicely to have these two club shows in Australia and a big festival show in Jakarta before that.

How did it go?
Well, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I had like 5,000 people in this arena, and they were a really brilliant crowd. It was a very satisfying gig. They really seemed to know and like a lot of my stuff.

That's nice.
It really is. I'm always a bit trepidatious about who'll remember and who'll come, but it's amazing how many do. Jakarta was great and both of the Australian shows have sold out. And on my day out today, I kept bumping into people that recognised me, which was really nice. Sydney is such a friendly city. I bought a dress and the guy was like, "I hope you're looking forward to Sunday, it's going to be really good". It was really sweet.

Do people tend to say the same kind of things when they spot you in the street?
The number one thing is "Do you know you really look like that singer?" I get that more than anything else. I think it's because when I'm on stage I've got the full glam thing done, and I don't do that when I'm walking around. I'm quite low-key. So I think people think I can't be the same person.

Do you ever deny it's you?
Occasionally. But only very rarely. Only if I'm feeling a bit rubbish. But usually it's really nice. Like a guy I met on the street last night was so sweet and excited that I put him on the guest list for Sunday.

So you've only been to Sydney once before?
That's right. And last time I came I spent more time in Melbourne. So today I went out for about four or five hours just wandering around. And my step-cousin Kate is working and living here at the moment, so I met up with her yesterday afternoon. It's a lovely place to hang out. And it's a really easy city to walk around in, which is my favourite kind of city.

Did you go and see all the big sights?
I guess I did, really. I went to the Sydney Opera House. And I went on the train. They have double decker trains, so I obviously went upstairs! And we walked around this area called the Rocks, which is really pretty. And today I went around Surrey Hills and down Crown Street because there's loads of vintage shops around there. Then I walked more into the commercial area for a couple of basic things I needed - so I went to where Westfield is. Although our Westfield in Shepherd's Bush is certainly a lot nicer!

Are the two gigs just club shows then?
Yeah, exactly. The band aren't here, but I'll be doing a good half hour of greatest hits. They're part of two big party nights - I'm on pretty late at both - and it's a holiday weekend here, so there should be a good atmosphere. I'm just going to try and keep people dancing.

Are they a bit like Australian versions of G-A-Y?
I think so, yes. Particularly the one in Sydney, because it's apparently the biggest club in Sydney. They should be fun.

Has the new album been released in Australia?
Yes, it's out this week, and Starlight is at radio now.

It is quite amazing to go to the other side of the world after a decade and find people still listen to your music.
Absolutely. That sort of thing never fails to impress me. Like when I was in Jakarta, even checking into my flight there the woman behind the desk was telling me I was a trending topic on Twitter there. It's crazy. I never get jaded about that sort of thing. I think it's incredible. Actually, I couldn't sleep last night because of jet lag and I was working out how many cities I travelled to in the last two months, and I've performed in 18. Everywhere from Beirut to Istanbul to Moscow to Barcelona. It's amazing.

And it does sort of show how well Polydor did in the early days to get your music out there.
Oh completely. Groovejet was successful, but it was Murder on the Dancefloor that I think made people put a face to the voice, so to speak. That song really changed things, I think. And I'm still realising that now. At the time it was all part of a snowball.

Are you stopping off anywhere on the way back from Australia?
No, only for the plane to refuel. I leave on Monday then land back on Tuesday. Then I've got a couple of shows in Moscow at the end of next week. And then hopefully after that I'm not travelling anywhere for a while! And The Feeling are playing Shepherd's Bush Empire, so I'm going to do my duet with them there. I'm looking forward to that.

Talking of flying to Russia, some of your male fans were no doubt impressed by the Aeroflot outfit you modelled on Twitter recently!
Hahaha! I think it's so cool they gave me a uniform.

How did that happen?
I went on one of their flights and they had these really cool uniforms. Really 60s in this red/orange colour with big white lapels. I think they're very stylish. So I said on Twitter that I loved them and they spotted it and asked if I'd like one. Then they met me in the hotel foyer. And not only did they give me the dress - but the heels, the hat, the gloves and a scarf! So I can use it for a multitude of things. I could perform in it at something like G-A-Y, or wear it for fancy dress. Or just wear it for a night out. And if I wear it when I'm going through an airport, I might be able to go in the fast-track lane! It's funny the things you get excited about, but I'm really chuffed about it.

And where are you at with work on your next album?
I've been doing a bit of work in the studio at home with Richard, but the plan is really to try and gig as much as I can between now and Christmas, and then maybe January, February, March and April are blocked out with songwriting. I don't want to dawdle on this one. I want to knuckle down and get the album done in the spring. Because in the past I've been so bad at letting an album go, but I really like the idea of just really getting on with it. I think that might make me make a slightly different style of record, which I feel like I need to do. I'm really excited about getting into it.

What do you have planned for this evening?
I think Kat and I are going out for supper. But I've got a horribly early start tomorrow. I've got people coming to my room at 5am to start getting me ready for breakfast TV. But if last night's sleep is anything to go by I'll probably be awake then anyway! It was so crappy. I went to bed at like half 11 then woke up 3 and just couldn't get back to sleep.

Oh dear.
I know. I have had a really lovely trip, but I am looking forward to coming home. This has been the longest I've been away from the kids, so that's not been the easiest. That's why I've not been to Australia for a while. Skype has been a life saver. We've been putting it on in the morning before school. But I can't wait to get home and see them for real.

Eighth. A must listen. Stefano Mattara Extended Remix of Starlight. Its definitely better than the other two that we have heard so far.
http://soundcloud.com/mattara/sophie-ellis-bextor-starlight

SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR - STARLIGHT [STEFANO MATTARA RMX EXT] by MATTARA

Ninth. Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Live in Sydney, review by Mike from Pop Trash Addicts

ORIGINAL ARTICLE - http://poptrashaddicts.blogspot.com/2011/10/sophie-ellis-bextor-live-in-sydney.html

Read Mike's review on Pop Trash Addicts (link above). It sums up why we're all such ardent fans of Sophie. I'm going to post the pictures from the gig here.

Thanks for the pictures Mike.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Make a scene: Review

MAKE A SCENE (2011, EBGB RECORDS)

Three albums, four years of recording and delays, and five singles later, Sophie Ellis-Bextor has returned with one of the most anticipated albums of the year - "Make a scene"; collaborating with the cream of pop-dance producers including voted #1 DJ of the world Armin Van Buuren, chart toppers Calvin Harris and Freemasons, that incredibly talented Joe Mount of Metronomy and God himself - Richard X. Of course, there are a few regulars here - Greg Kurstin, Liam Howe of Sneaker Pimps and Dimitri Tikovoi; and a surprise collaboration with Fred Ball... So does this make the album a generic and manufactured one - NO!

The album opens with a bang (literally - "bang, bang, it’s a hold up"). Revolution, the album opener, has Sophie attempting a monotone delivery for the second time in her career (check the middle-8 from "Making Music", Shoot from the Hip). The chorus is simple, repetitive and arresting; the "army" hook is catchy. Cathy Dennis, who worked with Sophie on her last top 10 hit Catch You (which was also a Denis/Kurstin collaboration), co-wrote the song - and in fact, came up with the self-referencing line in the song (the line in the bridge - "face to face its murder on the dancefloor"). Revolution is highly energetic and frenetic, but is very short. It feels like the song is in a hurry to be done and introduce what seems to be Sophie's best album yet. (9/10)

All those cymbal crashes in Revolution lead to this big crash in the very beginning of track two. Bittersweet is a song produced by Freemasons and Biffco. The song was Sophie's second single off the album, but failed to set the charts on fire. Nonetheless, it received an overwhelmingly good response from her fan-base and went on to become the Song of the Day on PopJustice. It even kept Sophie on top of the PJ Almighty for what seemed like an eternity. Bittersweet is enthralling - with flawless production sampling bits from "Fade to Grey" by Visage and "Blue Monday" by New Order; the song even draws influences from "You Spin Me Around (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive. Sophie effortlessly mews over the production. The meandering melody in the chorus, the cut-up vocals in the middle-8, the whispering bits and that incredible close to the chorus (the heavenly "oh-oh-oh-so here I am" bit) - all these make Bittersweet the ultimate pop/dance song that most solo female acts would kill for. To sum up, the song is a modern classic. (10/10)

Off And On, the planned-to be-sixth single off the album, is the first of the two songs with no lyrical contribution by La Bex. Originally written and demo-ed for Roisin Murphy's 2007 album, 'Overpowered', the song was handed over to Sophie to promote the then-planned Greatest Hits compilation. Fortunately, recording sessions proved fruitful and now we have the 4th album instead. Off And On is a commercial electro-pop number, which has been edited since its original premiere on Sophie's MySpace several years ago. Could this be the first top ten single from the album - I sincerely hope so, but only commercial radio can give this song the exposure it deserves. (9/10)

Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer) was also made to promote the GH compilation. The original demo is significantly different from the final mix that was released as a mutual single by Freemasons and Sophie back in 2009. The song charted just outside the top 10, but stands as the highest charted single from the album (in the UK) and has become one of her most popular songs since Murder on the Dancefloor. Described as electro-dance monster, the song will have you moving along to the loud synths and the big beats. This song, along with Bittersweet, proves that the Bex Monster and Freemasons are a match made in pop heaven. The Freemasons have always had brilliant and glittery production on their songs; their two songs on this album are no different. Their production brings out the emotion and drama in Sophie's voice - something that is absent in your regular commercial dance songs (yes Guetta, I'm talking about you) (9.5/10)

Not Giving Up On Love, the fourth single off the album, is a trance song, with a simple piano loop, great synths, some live drums thrown in here and there and, of course, Sophie's ever-so lush vocals. Miss E.B. is no stranger to melancholic melodies - what some fans consider her forte. The song is a collaboration with Armin Van Buuren, who is the voted #1 DJ of the world. The song was a big success in several countries across Europe but had no impact on the UK Charts. Vocal trance is a new field for Sophie, and I look forward to more trance DJ-collaborations in the future. The full length club edit is so much better than the hurriedly edited radio version, but you simply cannot have a 6+ minute trance track in the middle a pop album - still, it is worth listening to. (10/10)

The next song, Can't Fight This Feeling, is a collaboration with upcoming French DJ Junior Caldera. This is his biggest success across Europe, and in fact the song got a lot of attention from Sophie's fanbase in Russia and some other countries across Europe. On my first listen, both track 5 and 6 stuck out like a sore thumb. The song isn't bad at all. It is very commercial sounding, very 2009-10. Its weird because her songs almost never sound 'current'. Its very hit or miss really. I liked the song a lot when it was released as a single before Bittersweet, but the shine has worn off now. Sophie has recently written another track with Junior Caldera. Lets hope that song sees the light of the day in some form. (7/10)

If I have to sum up the next song in one word, I would only say "heavenly". Starlight, produced by Richard X *screams* is straight out of the 80's. Starlight is released as the 5th (overall) single from the album, the 4th in the UK. You can watch the video, directed by her father, Robin Bextor, right here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDlkxDu06OU
The song has a melancholic feeling, and is slightly ethereal and lush. This is definitely one of the best songs on the album. I'd love for Sophie to work with Richard X *screams* again. Starlight is positioned in the perfect place - and feels refreshing to listen to after 6 dance songs that play back-to-back! You don't know what heaven feels like until you have heard this song. Everything from the slick production and the poetic lyrics to the lush vocals are perfect. One thing that will really grab your attention is the almost-Madonna-esque middle-8; "We are one". (10/10)

Sophie performed Under Your Touch last year on the Album Charts Show and I was really looking forward to listening to the studio version of the song. It is produced by long time collaborator Liam Howe of the Sneaker pimps. The song begins with eeire strings, which brings to mind Madonna's "Sorry". The song has a very busy production, with loads of sounds building up as the song progresses. Sophie sounds fantastic. The mechanised vocals in the song were a nice surprise. It might sound slightly filler-ish on the first listen, but after a couple of listens, the song grows on you, and you tend to put this into a long list of songs that should be singles. (8.5/10)

The title track, Make A Scene, is unlike anything that she has ever done before. The song begins with some clunky notes and a strange beat, and soon builds into this really bouncy jam. The chorus is phenomenal and has Sophie screaming "come on now" as she makes a scene. The almost spoken verses, the saxophone, the really weird drum sequence that sounds a little off-track in the first few seconds, Sophie screaming in some places - in theory this will seem like one of the worst ideas ever. But it all comes together so well - everything feels so disjoint, but at the same time, its all very 'together'. One must give sufficient credit to Joseph Mount, of Metronomy, who helped co-write and co-produce this song. You can definitely hear some 'Nights Out' influences in this song. You might even say that this song sounds like something off Roisin Murphy's 'Ruby Blue' album, crossed with production by Basement Jaxx (now that is a collaboration that should happen!). I'd love to see more Sophie-Metronomy songs in the future.(10/10)

Magic is the second of the two Richard X *screams* songs on the album. The song is, as the title suggests, magical. It begins with simple "ooh ooh"s and builds up into this 80's influenced, scratch that, 80's epic. A simple-but-massive chorus takes centre stage; the production really brings out the best in Sophie's voice. I'm a sucker for anything Richard X *screams*, but this has to be one of his best productions. Lyrically, the song is very poetic, much like Starlight. The middle-8 contains whispers again. Sophie brought whispers back in fashion - I'm not even sure if whispers went out of fashion, but I'd love to give Sophie credit for putting whispers on two (thats right, TWO) songs on the album. Well done Sophie. Well done Hannah. Richard X *screams*, I salute you! (10/10)

The next song is a historic moment in pop music (or so I think, don't burst my bubble). Sophie is probably the only popstar in the world to have used the word "politicise" in a song. And as a fan from PopJustice once said, she is also, probably, the only popstar in the world to have written an electro-pop number about a text stalker. Now THIS is your quirky pop song. The almost story-like lyrics describe Sophie's attitude toward her text stalker. One line in particular - "when you're lost at sea, I'm on land" - is like a slap-in-the-face-get-a-life type of situation. I love the general bitchy-ness about the song. Dial My Number is produced by Liam Howe and co-written with Hannah Robinson. The song, like the other Howe production, is very busy sounding, and quite loud. This was probably the most anticipated song on the album - and it could end up becoming a fan-favourite. (9/10)

Homewrecker is such an amazing-title for a pop song. You'd expect swearing and cursing on this song - but surprisingly, there's no swearing or cursing... or is there? The lyrics of the song are intentionally blunt, but also very witty. The “ho..ho..homewrecker” bit caught everyone by surprise. Its right there, she’s actually swearing, but its so wonderfully hidden beneath the apparent hook. Only Sophie Ellis-Bextor could swear and still sound so posh, take notes Ke$ha. The song is produced by Greg Kurstin, and has some similar production gimmics. The organ in the beginning of the song make this song seem almost-demented in some ways. Well done, Sophie, well done! (8.5/10)

Now is that point in the album when you're pretty much done with dancing and jumping around, and you just want to sit down and listen to some good pop music. And Sophie knows that. Synchronised, is the first of the two ballads on the album; the second song with no lyrical contribution by Sophie, and is truly immense. The song sounds very commercial - kinda like "If You Go"'s moody little sister. The song focuses on Sophie's vocal power, and that is, essentially, what makes this song a masterpiece. Sophie's vocals have never sounded this good and emotive. Here is solid proof against all those people who claim that Sophie cannot breathe life and emotion into a song - IN YOUR FACE, HATERS! (10/10)

Cut Straight To The Heart is the perfect close to a perfect album. The song features lyrical contribution by the infamous Ed Harcourt. Sophie sounds very vulnerable, and the general feeling and production of the song can be compared to one of her older songs from her second album - "I Am Not Good At Not Getting What I Want". The track has beautiful instrumentation, and also samples the drum sequence from Placebo's cover of "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)", which is also, not so surprisingly, produced by Dimitri. The song might be slightly over-shadowed by the amazing-ness of its predecessor, but is no less brilliant. Sophie finishes the album in style. (10/10)

If you haven't heard this album yet, you haven't really heard what good pop music sounds like. Sophie has once again proved that she truly deserves the title "Pop Goddess". Well done.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS:
Bittersweet
Not Giving Up On Love
Starlight
Make A Scene
Magic
Synchronised
Cut Straight To The Heart

OVERALL RATING: 9.3/10. Plus, additional 0.7 for the brilliant artwork and photographs in the album, all the effort that has gone behind getting it finally out there. A solid 10/10 effort overall!

...yes, this is exactly how I feel about the release. Its finally here, and it is flawless. Make sure you legally purchase a copy (or two) of Make a scene.

Link to online sites where you can buy the album:
iTunes UK
Amazon
7Digital

Buy the CD from here:
Amazon
HMV
Play
Tesco

Friday, March 18, 2011

Very.co.uk interviews Sophie

Sophie Ellis Bextor is back for another assault on the charts with more experience and a cooler sense of style. The pretty daughter of Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis had chart success the first time round when her Spiller single If This Aint Love beat Victoria Beckham to the top of the UK singles chart. And recently the mother of two’s single Not Giving Up On Love with trance DJ Armin Van Buuren had top 10s in Poland and the Netherlands. But she exclusively revealed to Very her dream was to have another number one in the UK.

She said she hoped she could achieve that by collaborating with another DJ and she is getting lots of her own DJ experience by hosting club nights around the world with her husband Richard Jones from indie band The Feeling. The cute couple DJ under the name ‘Mr and Mrs Jones’. Bless! This time round, Sophie’s shelved her pop style dresses for a more chic, experimental look and it really suits her. We loved the bright clothes she wore to DJ at a London party so much that we had to ask her where she shops. Watch the exclusive video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUxbBRIwxqs

It’s refreshing to hear that you don’t have to spend a lot of money on designer outfits to look as stunning as Sophie.

DJ-ing isn’t the only thing Sophie’s working on right now. In June she’s the support act for Erasure’s UK tour. Let’s hope the hard work pays off and she gets her number one very soon.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://blog.very.co.uk/2011/03/interview-sophie-ellis-bextor-talks-shopping/

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Sophie on Alan Titchmarsh

Sophie performed her new single with Armin Van Buuren, Not Giving Up On Love on Alan Titchmarsh.

You can view the performance right here, thanks to Renzo and Paul.

Sophie had a cold, so there was a minor glitch in the performance, but she still sounded very good. The back-up dancers are finally in sync and the performance on the whole was very pleasing. Well done Sophie + dancers.

Sophie wore a crystal daffodil brooch to support Marie Curie's Great Daffodil Appeal this March. You can wear one too. Visit http://www.kleshna.com/ for more details.

Sophie mentioned that her album, Make A Scene, will be out in May. Lets keep our fingers crossed and hope for a release date soon.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Not Giving Up On Love - Best Trance Track

Sophie and Armin won the Best Trance Track at the IDMA's with "Not Giving Up On Love".

Congratulations to Sophie and Armin. Here's hoping the track does well on UK Charts for Sophie.

Here's an excerpt from Armin's official site:
His collaboration with Sophie Ellis-Bextor, ‘Not Giving Up On Love’, has moved ten-thousands since its release as the second single of Armin’s ‘Mirage’ album. It moved the dance society so much, that it has now been awarded for ‘Best Trance Track’.
FULL ARTICLE - http://www.arminvanbuuren.com/news/2011/03/armin-van-buuren-wins-5-idmas/

Click on the image to view the album artwork in ultra high resolution - 1200x1166

I have purchased both EPs on iTunes. The Zodiax Mix is very good. Its very Pet Shop Boys meets trance music. However, the best remix of this song has to be the Nicola Fasano And Steve Forest Remix.

You can buy the Italian Job remixes here:
http://www.junodownload.com/products/not-giving-up-on-love-the-italian-job/1686845-02/?utm_source=addthis&utm_campaign=addthis_share&utm_content=1686845-02&utm_medium=web

The rest of the remixes are available on two EPs on iTunes. The Dash Berlin 4AM Dub (a 5+ minute instrumental, wrongly titled as the Dash Berlin 4AM Remix) is also very good. It is very different compared to the Dash Berlin 4AM Remix. The Mischa Daniels mix is also very good.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Digital Spy reviews Not Giving Up On Love

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/singlesreviews/a307749/sophie-ellis-bextor-not-giving-up-on-love.html

It's no secret that Sophie Ellis-Bextor is a lady of leisure, and given that it's almost a year since her previous effort 'Bittersweet' stalled at number 25, one can only assume that the brunches, luncheons and afternoon teas have taken precedence over her music. Thankfully, she's found time in her oh-so-hectic schedule to record a follow-up - and if us Brits take to it as well as our continental neighbours did, then Soph's got nothing to worry about.

Joined by Dutch trance producer Armin van Buuren, E-B pleads: "Hold me now/ Nothing else matters," over a combo of euphoric synths and pulsating beats, resulting in a club thumper more fabulous and heavy than a Big Fat Gypsy wedding dress. "I'm not giving up, I'm not giving up on us," she asserts, making clear that she ain't going anywhere just yet. With that kind of attitude, Soph can consider her tardiness easily forgiven.

RATING:

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Orange reviews Not Giving Up On Love

ORIGINAL ARTICLE - http://web.orange.co.uk/p/musicstore/story_sophie_ellis_bextor_not_giving_up_review

Now there's a sight for sore eyes. One of pop's premiere beauties, Sophie Ellis-Bextor is back - and with her finest pop effort since her debut hit, 'Groovejet', way back in 2000.

Still, in the elven years inbetween her Spiller collaboration and new team up with European trance maestro Armin Van Buuren she's hardly been resting on her haute couture laurels, she's chalked up nine solo hits, making her mark slowly but surely on the pop world.

Casting aside the high-camp pop of her last release 'Bittersweet' and 2009 Freemasons collaboration 'Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)', 'Not Giving Up On Love' is a sharp, energy packed club anthem. The simple piano opening proving something of a red herring as the song hits epic heights as it hits peak after peak of soaring synths over it's respectable and concise 3 minute run.

However, despite Van Buuren's glorious production skills, it is Sophie who steals the show with her distinctive, warm vocals. Superstardom has always eluded pop's poshest starlet, but her voice has more distinction than countless belting divas, and hearing it put to practice on a song which matches the quality of her voice is long overdue. We don't want to hear another 'I Won't Change You' ever, ever again please.

Already a No.1 hit in Poland (where trance has arguably a bigger following), 'Not Giving Up On Love' has all the hallmarks of a club classic. We've admittedly struggled to write this review because we've been so busy waving our hands in the air listening to the track - and it's difficult to type at the same time as having a little dance. Welcome back Sophie, we just hope we won't have to wait another 11 years for your next amazing pop single.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Unreality Shout reviews "Not Giving Up On Love"

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://unrealityshout.com/blogs/single-review-armin-van-buuren-vs-sophie-ellis-bextor-not-giving-love

It certainly is a sad state of affairs when the saying "out with the old, in with new" rings true for someone like Sophie, who, at the height of her fame (2000-2003) narrowly missed out on four BRIT Awards despite being one of the most successful pop peddlers in the UK since Kylie Minogue. However, the Americanisation of our own charts has dictated that we move on from people like Sophie and listen to younger artists with more current music - Ke$ha, GaGa, Rihanna, Katy et al. People seem to have forgotten that, back in the day, Sophie gave us some monster smash hits that still find their way - in original or remix form - into clubs across the whole of Europe, save the UK and Ireland. Over there, she really is like their Cheryl Cole, only with more musical talent... and the ability to sing.

It's also quite a concern that many people seem to place her in some kind of "non-relevant" category, along with a lot of other British female artists like Amy MacDonald, Paloma Faith and so forth who are, in many more ways than just one, much more talented than the likes of Pixie Lott, Cheryl Cole and Ellie Goulding.

Ask around, and people couldn't tell you any of the songs Sophie's released in the last year - 'Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)', 'Bittersweet', 'Can't Fight This Feeling' - since she's had her child, she doesn't seem to be included in the media fodder category that milks "popstars" for the very innards of their personal life, hence her musical downfall to irrelevance.

And so we move on to the fourth single from an album that still hasn't been released despite being slated for August of last year. 'Not Giving Up On Love' sees Sophie team up with European trance DJ, Armin van Buuren. It would be unfair to claim this is Sophie's best work - 'Catch You' and 'Bittersweet' spring to mind when that statement arises. But make no mistake - her super-seductive voice still shines with the stunning clarity of white ice and rings with the beauty of a siren call over Armin's glacial synths and towering melodies. There are many catchy moments, and the song is simply destined for the club scene. However, it may not find it's way to the chart despite being quite a strategic release: it's clearly trying to latch onto the tail end of the mini [insert experimental sub-genre(s) here] rage that's grown in popularity and saw many a D&B/dubstep/nu-wave track find it's way into the Top 40.

It may just do it, if it had airplay. And I see no reason why it shouldn't have airplay - Radio 1 probably being exclusive with the playlists again. Those chart fanatics among us will know that 'Not Giving Up On Love' has already peaked at #1 in Poland and charted within the Top 10 of many other countries, so it's not like it's an impossible feat if were it to get airplay.

Here's the video: It has a boat. (video insert) Watta lovely boat.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor is still a mighty force on the continent, and should rightly be recognised where she originally started - the UK. A bit more effort with the promotion, a little more airplay, and 'Not Giving Up On Love' will soar. Unfortunately I feel it may be another underperforming single, leaving Sophie no other alternative than to cancel or rush release her long-awaited comeback album.

Rating: 4.0 STARS

Download: March 6, 2011 (OUT NOW)

Featured Album: 'Make A Scene'

Monday, February 28, 2011

Sophie interviewed by SoSoGay

"I’m writing a new song with Junior Caldera"

Is Sophie looking for another mainstream floor-stomper? I hope so. Can't Fight This Feeling wasn't like her usual stuff, but it was great while it lasted. And it went down well on her tour. Collaborating with Junior Caldera again is definitely a good idea, and i hope something good comes out of it. Caldera is a talented DJ, and if he wishes to follow up his album with another Sophie single, then, here's wishing him all the success!

Here is a write up from SoSoGay.org. The interviewer (a fellow PJ-er) sent in a couple of questions to her publicist and some of the questions sent in were answered. Here is his write up and interview.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://sosogay.org/2011/music-the-best-of-february-2011-and-an-interview-with-sophie-ellis-bextor/

Sophie, what have you been up to today?
I’m writing a new song with Junior Caldera (with whom I did a song called ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’) and so I’ve been getting my lyrics sorted today.

Why do you think you and Sophie Muller (video director for ‘Not Giving Up on Love’ among many others) always end up producing the most brilliant videos together? Which is your favourite that you’ve done with her?
I love Sophie and I think we always have fun together while she shoots such gorgeous footage. She really knows how to get the best out of women on camera, and over the years has become my friend. I think that comes across in the videos – the fact I feel comfortable and we laugh a lot while we work. To be honest it barely feels like working! My favourite with her is tricky to pick… Maybe ‘Music Gets the Best of Me’ because I think that one captures the side of me most like the ‘real’ me – how I am with my friends.

What do you have up your sleeve for album number five?
A new direction. No dance music: time for a change, methinks!

MORE QUESTIONS ANSWERED AT SOSOGAY.ORG. Click on the link above to read through.

Sophie on That Sunday Night Show

Sophie appeared on That Sunday Night Show, ITV1, 27 February 2011
This is a show presented by Adrian Chiles, in which Adrian and his guests chat about news stories of the week.
Adrian's other guests were Clive Anderson and Brian Blessed.

Here you can download the full programme in two parts.

Part One, 194MB
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AG9MO2F9

Part Two, 99MB
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7UCP2P77

Also you can download a short video containing just the scenes in which Sophie features or speaks.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RO5XRHVA

These are the scenes in this short video:

1) Introduction.
2) New single out in a week or so.
3) Feelings about the Olympics?
4) Emotional response to events in Libya.
5) Comments about Variety Entertainment.
6) A student was expelled from school because he dangled his testicles in a teacher's tea mug. Sophie asks, "is that called tea bagging?"
7) True Cornish Pasties can only be made in Cornwall by Cornish people.

thanks to Paul for the recording and the links

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Sophie on Juice FM

Sophie on Juice FM by SOPHIERAZZI

- They talk about her being around for more than 10 years.
- She says she loves making music even more.
- She is appreciative about the work of her producers because the things she made on her own were really "rubbish".
- They talk about Richard + The Feeling and Sophie + Richard.
- Leave Me Out Of It - 80's cool ballad, she didn't write it, but she "really really" likes it.
- She think it can be quite unnerving about kids singing adult songs.
- Her new album is out in (let's say) May. The interviewer asks Sophie why it was delayed previously and she says it was largely because of Armin's tight schedule.
- The album is mastered, there's no touching it. It's finished.
- She talks about the making of NGUOL & Armin.
- She talks about her work with Calvin, Freemasons and Ed Harcourt.
- She was at home for New Years after several years.

EDIT - apparently this is a broadcast from 20th Jan.

ORIGINAL LINK: http://www.juicefm.com/player?url=http://contentbank.u-loader.com/Juice%20FM%20Interviews/Sophie%20Ellis%20Bextor%20(Final).mp3

Monday, February 21, 2011

Interview, Performance and other stuff

Sophie has been promoting her new single "Not Giving Up On Love" with Armin Van Buuren on Radio and TV. In fact, the single is already out on iTunes. Support Sophie, please buy the single.

Sophie was on LORAINNE where she was asked about the new single, being a mum and the usual. She also performed the new single, which sounded excellent, actually. Thanks to Paul and Renzo for the videos.

Recently, Sophie was also on T4 to talk about the new single and play Celebrity Squares. You can watch the show right here.

Also, Sophie has been picked by Erasue to support them on their tour in June. So maybe we can expect the album out before that. Hopefully this support tour will do some good for her. So if you couldn't catch her on her Straight To The Heart tour, you can go see her live now. Here are the tour dates
Fri 10 June Thetford Forest, Nr Brandon, Suffolk.
Sat 11 June Bedgebury Pinetum & Forest, Nr Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Fri 17 June Sherwood Pines Forest Park, Nr Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire.
Sat 18 June Westonbirt Arboretum, Nr Tetbury, Gloucestershire.
Fri 24 June Cannock Chase Forest, Nr Rugeley, Staffordshire.
Sat 25 June Dalby Forest, Nr Pickering, North Yorks.
Fri 1 July Delamere Forest, Delamere, Cheshire. (Note: Sophie Ellis-Bextor will not be appearing in Delamere Forest)

Here's a video from T4 - Sophie Ellis Bextor Style Masterclass

Friday, February 11, 2011

Sophie on the radio + new tweets

Dear @SophieEB if #MakeAScene #StraightToTheHeart or whatever u finally decide to name ur album isn't out by summer, i'll stop being ur fan
@carlosiberri well thanks for the threat ;-) but the album WILL be out by summer.

Has Sophie used CAPITAL LETTERS in her tweets before?
Has she used a smiley before? :o

And a treat for her Latin American fans:

i hear you, latin american fans. i will come and see you. x
woah that opened the floodgates! ok ok i will come to see all of you. have passport, will travel. x

Sophie is finally promoting the song on the radio. And the good thing is some stations are playing her song. Gaydar has A-listed the song as well. You can still keep voting for Sophie on Gaydar and MTV Dance. The links are in my previous post.

Here are some radio interviews:
Many thanks to Paul and Renzo for these interviews.

Interview on The Extra Big One (KMFM Extra)

Interview on The Extra Big One (KMFM Extra) by RenzoMV

Interview on Total Access

Interview on Total Access by RenzoMV

Interview on BBC Radio 2

Interview on BBC Radio 2 by RenzoMV

Monday, January 31, 2011

Sophie & Armin are #2 on MTV Dance.

So i have been voting religiously, and i hope everyone else have been voting as well. Sophie & Armin FINALLY entered MTV Dance at #2. Please keep voting for them so they stay at #1 for a long time. Help promote Sophie's new UK Single - "Not Giving Up On Love"

VOTE FOR SOPHIE:
@ Gaydar - http://www.gaydarradio.com/
@ MTV Dance - http://www.mtv.co.uk/channels/mtv-dance/chart

Friday, January 28, 2011

Sophie interviewed by Gaydar Radio

(thanks to Paul)
Sophie was interviewed by Phil Marriott on Gaydar Radio, 27 January 2011.

Are you a "morning person"?
No I'm not. Left to my own devices I'd go to sleep quite late - probably about 1 or 2, and sleep in. But I don't really have much choice in it often.

Yes, because we know you have been doing a lot of club dates and you have been DJ-ing too. But you were touring last month as well.
Yes I was. For the first time in ages - and I loved it! It was brilliant and I plan to do lots more of it this year.

This collaboration. We've got to talk about this because it is amazing. Everyone's talking about the album which is coming out in March, I believe?
Well, the single is coming out in March, and the album will follow in the spring.

Brilliant! Because people are saying, and I told everyone here and on FaceBook - "When is the album coming out?" - that's the big question on everyone's lips. Is that starting to annoy you now?
No. I just wish I could give a really specific answer. But the album is all mastered and it will be coming out. I think it's looking like May. So that's why I say "spring" because it's kind of all-encompassing for that time of year.

Not so specific like you're naming a date exactly, or a week.
No. That's what I've done in the past, and I end up getting myself rather unpopular.

Tell us about the collaboration, because this is fascinating. We love it, we stuck it straight on the A-list. Armin van Buuren is the guy behind it that you've got your vocals on there. We know it's not the first collaboration you've done with dance producers because you've worked with Spiller, Junior Caldera, Freemasons.... Why Armin?
When I was writing the last record I worked with these lovely girls called The Nervo Sisters. Very enthusiastic, talented Australian songwriters. They wrote When Love Takes Over with David Guetta.

Ah, that's Mim and Liv, isn't it.
Yes, Mim and Liv. They know everybody in the dance scene. They were talking a lot about Armin. I must confess I didn't know that much about him, and I was intrigued by what they were saying. They had these tracks, and they said, " We'll play them to you". I just loved one of them - it had something inherent that just appealed to me. I've always been a person who doesn't mind what genre something comes from; if it resonates with me then it's worthwhile doing it. I was quite intrigued by doing a Trance track, because I've done a lot of House, Electo and Disco. Trance has always been this other genre of dance I've never really explored. I'm not sure if it's a typical example of Trance in a lot of ways because I actually think Not Giving Up On Love has a lot of pop sensibilities. But that being said, when I've been singing at some of Armin's concerts we do a remix of it which is definitely a lot more like the authentic Trance sound. It's really different for me, and it's massive - he's massive! In fact the number one DJ in the world, four times in a row now.

Yes, he's big business. Voted Number One DJ four years in a row in DJ Mag. It's quite an emotional track. I think in a lot of ways it is very trancy because it tugs on the old heart-strings, doesn't it!
Yes, It's got that thing that I always love in any music. A bit of wistfulness. I'm a big fan of that. A bit of melancholy, please.

Me too. I'm a soppy old queen
[both laugh] I love that! A little tug, as you say.

How does he compare to working with producers like The Freemasons, whom you've worked with in the past? Is he different in many ways?
Well, with track we did, I would say not so much, because he also does the thing that I believe makes The Freemasons so celebrated. They're really good at letting the melody do what it's supposed to do. I think when you produce a vocal track as a DJ, it should not be about your ego; it should be about letting the song do what it's supposed to do. I think Armin's very good at that, and that's probably one of the reasons why he's so popular. And The Freemasons have definitely got that sensibility.

I've got to tell you that months and months ago, when it [Not Giving Up On Love] was big around the world, because it's been big in Europe already last year, everyone was asking us to play it - and we didn't have it!
Oh really??

It wasn't out in the UK, or wasn't even being promo'd in the UK. And it was one of the most requested songs.
Oh well, that's exciting! That's encouraging.

They love it here at Gaydar. The Gayers love it. But they love you, don't they.
Well, as I have said before, if it wasn't for my gay audience I probably would not have a career. The've been so brilliant and hugely loyal. I 'm a very happy girl, especially when I perform at gay clubs, it's just brilliant. And I'm a sure a lot of straight women would agree with me that it's actually a very comfortable environment to be in. I'd pick a gay club over a straight club any time.

Now we know you're in demand, Sophie, because we had a message from Garry of Hoxton Whores. He said he wants you sing for them, he wants your vocal - and I will quote, "Let me get my hands on her vocal!".
How can I say no! [laughs]

He added a bit. He said he lost your phone number eight years ago, that's why he couldn't call you.
Eight years ago!

Yes, sounds like an excuse, doesn't it.
Love it!

Are you going to set off for that though?
Yes, sure. Why not! I always think when you write with people or work with people, the worst that can happen is you'll do a song that nothing happens to. But you might just do something that changes the course of what you're up to. How exciting is that!

Now you're the face of the cosmetic brand Rimmel. Luciano in London wants to know what the lipstick was in the advert, because she was thinking it's a hot look.
Oh, thank you very much. I'm trying to remember the name of it. I know that my favourite of the Moisture Renew lipsticks is Coral Queen

Coral Queen! We can identify with that.
But I think that one was more of a berry kind of tone, but I can't remember what it's called now. I generally wear more pinks and corals and oranges.

I was out with Sarah, the singer from Dubstar. She is a massive fan of yours and she wants to know how you get your eye-liner so even on your eyes.
Well that is really nice coming from her because she always has phenomenal eye make-up.

Yeah, the eyelashes as well.
That was the real signature look. I remember that very well. Well I'm sure I do what a lot of people do - I put it on and just keep on taking off the bits that have gone wrong. I get through a lot of those little cotton buds - I get through a ton of those.

But you always look great when you're out. Are there ever any nights when you're maybe a bit knackered and you think, "God! I'm not looking my best". Because you do look great when you go out.
Well, yes there's tons of times when I haven't really gone to town. It depends on what I'm doing. If I'm going to a proper event where I know I'll be seen I'll probably spend an extra ten minutes. I think by-and-large I like to be quite quick, and I'm normally ready before Richard, my husband.

There's a lot of women breathing a sigh of relief now - "Oh, she is human...."
Oh God, yeah, absolutely! I've got two little boys. I mean, come on!

What's your take on the current female artists like Ke$ha, Lady GaGa, and Rihanna too? Are you quite competitive with these artists?
No. I don't think competition is a very good bed-fellow for being creative. It's quite negative, and there's loads of room. There are as many female artist around as the've ever been. And at every point in my career there's been a healthy amount of women around - you know, really brilliant women. And long may it continue! I think it's great. I'm always a music fan before I'm an artist. I like seeing people who are good, and I'd rather the bar be raised higher and there be good people around than have a kind of barren landscape where it's like tumbleweed, because I don't think anyone benefits from that.

Ah, what a lovely attitude to have!
It is sincere. I really mean it. I like other women, and a lot of my favourite artists are female.

And you're inspired by them probably?
Yes! I went to see Lady GaGa in concert not that long ago and it was brilliant! She really gives it her all. And I also went to see Beyonce not long ago as well, and she was fantastic. It's well worth seeing her, she puts everything into it.

Sophie, I can't believe it's ten years since Groovejet.
Yeah. It will be eleven this year.

My goodness! Where has that time gone! Does it shock you that it's been eleven years? It seems like yesterday to me.
I suppose I'm surprised and heartened that other people have noticed. Because I could see on the horizon that the ten-year anniversary was coming up, and I didn't know if anyone else would be that interested really. I'm quite glad people have noticed I've been around for a while.

I've got a great question from Nick, who does a guest mix for us here - a DJ. If you were going to murder someone on the dance floor, who would it be and how would you do it?
Ah, that is a good question! One of the really good things about doing that video was writing a list, me and the director (also called Sophie), of how we were going to get rid of people. Chloroform, someone's going to slip on butter, you're going to make that person think the've been having an affair... You know, we were coming up with really stupid ways of getting rid of people.

It's quite comedic - a Carry-On style of death!
Exactly. And I suppose when that song came out there was a lot of the more "shiny" pop, with very smiley-looking people. And I enjoyed presenting myself as someone you did not necessarily have to like.

You liked the dark edge.
Yeah! Definitely.

I think people get that, they kind of identify with it. Because it's a bit too predictable, having everything nice and smiley.
Well, I just thought it would look really cheesy, you know.

Tell us about what's going to be happening this year, because you did the tour in December. Are you going to be playing again?
Yes, definitely. That was quite a small tour. I didn't do hundreds of dates, and it was in relatively small venues, just to get back out there and to get the show really strong. The response was fantastic, and I feel quite embarrassed by how long I'd left it since my last solo tour. I was still gigging, but I was doing a lot of support tours and one-off dates and that kind of thing. The plan is to do as much as I can this year.

But do you know what, I think it's good to keep people hanging on a bit...
Umm, maybe. But it wasn't really intentional.

But you've been having babies, and being a mum.
Well there is that, but I have always been doing lots of shows. I think sometimes with pop and dance you're not necessarily expected to do the live thing that much - you know, it doesn't have to be one of your strong suits. But I have always felt [that I want to perform live]. You know, I've got a fantastic band. A lot of the songs may have started off obviously very produced with a lot of synth stuff in there, but live they can really pack a punch. A good example is Not Giving Up On Love, which as you say, is very emotional when done live. So I think it's worth going that extra mile and making the live show really important. But it hasn't always been something that other people have felt is that crucial. I think now is the time for it, and people are going to live shows more than ever.

The album sounds very "us", it sounds very Gaydar Radio. It's kind of like an endorsed product for us already because its kind of up-beat, positive and dancey. Is that true?
Yes, that's all true. All three adjectives.

Sounds like our kind of album.
I certainly am very happy with it, and it was the most fun to make out of all of them.

Well when the album comes out you've got to come and see us again. We would really love that. And we'd love to come and party with you as well because we've heard about your nights out! [laughter]
OK, I'll get my eye-liner ready.

Fabulous! Listen, good luck with the Armin van Buuren track, we love it. And we're going to continue to love it. It's out in March.
Thank you for your support. It means a lot to us.

Oh bless you Sophie, thank you so much for joining us.