Mewbox caught up with Sophie

You can listen to the interview on the Mewbox Site - http://www.mewbox.com/blog/sophie-ellis-bextor-mewbox-interview/

Sophie talks about:
1. Metronomy Track: quirky and leftfield. Joe and she have a mutual friend and that's how the collabration came about.
2. Wants to work with: Aha, Arcade Fire (she had also mentioned Daft Punk and Kings Of Leon in the past)
3. Tours with TT & PSB
4. She wants us to reward us for our patience by touring

thanks for the heads-up Danny.

Sophie & Armin are #1 in Lebanon

Sophie & Armin are #1 Lebanese Radio Charts after staying in the top 10 for the longest time. Congrats to Sophie and Armin. To celebrate, Sophierazzi gives away a wallpaper.

Side (left-1366x768. right-1024x768):


Center: (left-1366x768. right-1024x768):

Sophie Ellis-Bextor going fourth

This was a good read... definitely worth the re-post.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/sophie-ellis-bextor-going-fourth-26407/

Sophie Ellis-Bextor has a cough, but nonetheless she is happily chatting to me on her mobile about shopping for vintage clothes from her home in London. “The best place for vintage is still eBay,” she tells me, “but failing that I like car boot sales.”

At 31 Sophie has pretty much got it all. A rock-star husband (The Feeling’s guitarist Richard Jones) with whom she has two young boys, Kit and Sonny, an ex-Blue Peter presenter mother (Janet Ellis), a huge international hit (Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love) with Italian DJ Spiller) and a fourth album due for release next spring which she describes as “my danciest album, very positive, shiny and sparkly”.

Two years in the making, the album features songs co-written with some of the very best songwriters around – Cathy Dennis, Greg Kurstin – and relative newcomers like Calvin Harris and Richard X. Who impressed her the most? “Basically every song that made it onto the album I really enjoyed making, and I enjoyed working with those people so I couldn’t say one specifically,” she neatly sidesteps before adding, “the criteria was that if I hadn’t enjoyed making it then I wasn’t using it.”

Unlike most artists, it was her third album that Sophie found the most difficult to make, not her second. “Because you’re aware what’s at stake,” she says. “The first one you’re so excited. The second you think, ‘Oh yeah, I know how this works’ and the third one you’re like, ‘Right, if I get this right then I’ve got a career’. That was the turning point but once you get past that… Well everybody treats you quite differently as well and, I think, don’t doubt your motives. Especially the British press. At the beginning they’re always there to trip you up, but once you’ve been around for a while they come to accept that maybe you’re an honest person getting on with what you do.”

And Sophie certainly does get on with it. This year already she’s been busy with live shows promoting singles from the forthcoming album, including a date at the O2 Academy Islington on December 13. “I was in Russia every weekend of last month. It is quite tiring and at the same time it is quite fun.” And December alone will see her back in Russia as well as Turkey and the UK: “It’s a bit chaotic, but there’s two more singles from the album that haven’t been released here but have been in other countries,” she explains.

Despite the glamorous jet-setting and many adoring fans – her MySpace and Twitter pages are testimony to this – Sophie is very rarely featured on the pages of the weekly gossip rags. Is this a part of celebrity culture that she consciously avoids? “Yeah, definitely,” she says, politely stifling a cough. “I’m kind of fascinated with what some people reveal to the public. I’ve just never felt the need to share everything all the time. I don’t think it’s particularly interesting a lot of the time, but also once you’ve done that you can’t get it back again.”

She also thinks there’s nothing worse than people getting jaded, especially pop stars: “I find cynicism a general turn-off anyway, I’m quite a positive person really. It is really easy to become bitter although some of the people I know who are like that are not necessarily the ones who have been hugely successful.”

And what does she think about celebrity culture being the motivation behind most young artists today? “When I was a teenager, teenage culture was all Melody Maker, Select, Smash Hits and Top of the Pops and everybody would talk about what bands you liked. Now if you look on the shelves it’s all celebrity culture, it’s not so much about music.” And although embracing celebrity is a route she’s chosen not to go down, being too judgemental about those who have is something she skirts around: “I don’t think one’s good or one’s bad, the whole way you go about your world has changed anyway and now it’s a lot more about branding, how you do your videos and how you do your artwork.” Her tolerant attitude is also backed-up by her thoughts on other artists. “Complaining about what other artists are doing makes no difference. There’s absolutely room for everybody, if you’re good at what you do there’s room for everyone. Of course there’s going to be people I look at and go ‘I don’t understand why they’re successful at all’, but it’s got nothing to do with me.”

A huge Mad Men fan – “I find watching it a bit like having a nice White Russian or a nice hot chocolate, kind of decadent and creamy and lovely” – she also, along with the rest of us, spends Saturdays nights watching The X Factor, although says sagely: “I think you can see some genuinely talented people come up through the ranks, but it’s important to remember that that’s not the only option.” And she’s also pretty busy on Twitter, though she questions this with a laugh. “I’ll go through a phase of answering loads of questions and I’ll just go quiet again. I don’t know how you can keep it up all the time, I suppose you have to write about everything you’re doing but I kind of feel like ‘Are they really interested in all that?’… Maybe they are. I’m a bit like that with all those things, I kind of go in and out of phases with them. I don’t really update my status on Facebook.”

This all sounds frighteningly normal as does the admission that she’s not a complete workaholic. “I’m not like Dolly Parton up at four and writing songs, I definitely let life get in the way,” but then when she starts talking of “jotting down lists of people she’d like to work with on the next record” and going for a more “stripped down live sound”, I’m reminded that maybe her world is a little more shiny and sparkly than most after all.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor will be appearing at the O2 Academy Islington on December 13 – for tickets, call the box office on 0844 477 2000

Sophierazzi is now on Soundcloud as well. I have started with uploading 3 demos including the recent "The Hype" demo, only in much higher quality. You'll notice it sounds a lot less demo-ey.

Also, links to Sophierazzi's Youtube Channel and Soundcloud Channel are under the Sophierazzi banner (top). It's a lot easier now for all those of you who couldn't find me on youtube (thanks for your emails, i hope this helps you out.)

Sophierazzi - for anything Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Let the hype begin!

An official Catch Up from SEB.net (part 1 & 2)

Wextor asks - As your tour is about to kick off soon, I'd like to know if your fans can expect a new DVD from this tour? Watch My Lips is an amazing DVD!
SEB: Thank you. No DVD is planned for this tour but I might bring a crew out to film our Moscow show - it's the biggest date of the tour and such a fascinating city. I would quite like a little memento of that night.

KingRefusenik asks – What is your favourite lyric you have ever written and why? PLEASE come to glasgow! x
SEB: I think I am proudest of the lyrics for Today the Sun's on Us. I am the person in that song sometimes - I struggle to be truly relaxed and happy when life is good - I feel like something has to go wrong. I have to remind myself to enjoy the moment before it goes.

Newdoberman asks - Hi Sophie. David from Ireland here. Saw you at the Milk Festival. Had a great time. Did you enjoy it? Just wondering did you hear that Murder on the Dancefloor was used in the Eastenders episode where the Queen Vic burned down. Just before the fire started you were singing "Gonna burn this goddamn house right down". Quite the honour that you signalled the end of the Queen Vic.
SEB: Wow yes. Thank you for pointing that out - I had no idea. I used to watch lots of Eastenders and I remember when I heard my first band Theaudience, being played in the show - it was a bit of an 'I’ve made it' moment!

Anouk asks - Hello Sophie, just wondering. How was it like to work with Armin van Buuren, because the genre of his music is quite different? Xx
SEB: Fun! I love trying out new things. Armin's sound is different but he's at the top of his game and I think what makes his stuff special is that it crosses over. I love the track we did together and I am not a trance kid. That’s what sets him apart I guess - he is informed by different genres while he plays what he plays.

Chris_Sydney asks - Hello Sophie from sunny Sydney! I always look forward to your single releases because they are usually jam-packed with remixes. (I remember importing the German editions back in the early days because they often had more than the local releases!) Do you have a favourite remix of one of your songs? Love to you, as always.x
SEB: Hello chris! I am jealous of your sun. My favourite remix was an early one - jewels and stone remix of Take Me Home.

Dave H asks - Hey Sophie - so cool of you to do this. Since you go to Russia so much - what is the main thing you like best about it - and what is the thing you like least?
SEB: I love the foreign-ness of Russia. It's got such a rich history and whenever I tell people I am going, they always want to come too. Also the people are interesting and there's a lot of progression happening in youth culture - lots of exciting things occurring. Oh and some brilliant restaurants! The thing I like least is the journey although I am quite used to it now. This year I did a stint of 6 weekends in Russia out of 7 and towards the end I started to really flag - the commute was a bit much! Some great shows though.

Roman Sovrano asks - What music or artist are you listening at the moment?
SEB: I am still loving the latest Phoenix album and Arcade Fire's latest.

Nancy Buckland asks - I love your style Sophie and wanted to ask who your own personal style icon is? (Apart from your mum!)
SEB: My style icon is a combination of Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews as Maria, the doll Sindy and the cast of Grease.

Jeff Tilton asks - Will you ever tour the USA? Come to Las Vegas, We love you here!
SEB: I would love to do some shows in the US. I have never been to Las Vegas but I know I would love it. Start a petition, Jeff!

Gabby asks - Dear Sophie, for my fashion design class I decided to do a profile about your sense of style. It's a project I have to work on. So can you describe to me your sense of style, your likes and dislikes for your wardrobe. And you what you like to wear during different seasons?
SEB: Hello Gabby and thank you for the compliment. I think my style is quirky, colorful and feminine. I like quite sharp tailoring but am really influenced by the past. Anything from 50's to 80's can be found in my wardrobe - my friends always come to me if they have a fancy dress party. Hang on, that may not be a good thing....
My dislikes are things that are too baggy or try too hard. That being said I'm sure I have bought many things along those lines that looked great on someone else, but not on me.

Bashar Al-ani asks - If you have three wishes, what would they be?
SEB: To change the weather, to make good moments last longer and to be able to tidy up with the click of my fingers.

Onvoor Spelbaar asks - Hi Sophie, what kind of career would you have chosen if you had not venture into the media/music industry and why? Thanks a lot =), a fan from Malaysia.
SEB: Maybe being a writer. Either fiction or maybe a journalist. Having said that I am very slow, so if it takes 3 years to make an album, writing a book would take me forever!

More Sophie leaks - "Romeo (Don't Believe The Hype)"

I am aware that the song is called "Romeo" and "Hype". I decided to call the untagged version that i made "Romeo (Don't Believe The Hype)" to differentiate it from the original that was uploaded on youtube by getyourheadstra1ght right here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mwG3SdyhsY

Here are the untagged versions that i tried to master.
MP3: http://www.mediafire.com/?s8myrsarkezn2bl
AAC: http://www.mediafire.com/?5364clo6g8a5886
If you remember, Sophie recorded a song sampling Kraftwerk's "The Model". She couldn't obtain license to release the song, but it has finally surfaced. This song is miles better than the leak from yesterday... Trip The Light Fantastic would have sounded completely different if it had tracks like this one, Colour Me In, Take Me With You, Mr. Friday, Pop Wow, Love Is The Law, Dear Jimmy etc., I wonder how she selected those 14 songs to release on the album. Some of the leaks are really good!

My edited version - removes the tag from the beginning which was placed before the song began. There was a snippet of some other song that was layered on top of the second chorus. I managed to get rid of it.

Lyrics:

Romeo, Romeo… Where for art thou Romeo? (x4)

It’s Firday night and I’m waiting for my friends to come
So I’m standing in a bar all by myself
And there’s a boy who’s caught my eye too many times
I don’t think that tonight sees me up on the shelf

He’s walking over to me now, his chat-up lines are coming out
I’ve heard them twice or more
“Have we met somewhere before?”

And all you girls are gonna know what I mean
You meet a new man, swears he’s the one of your dreams
Well he may be exactly all that he seems
But don’t believe the hype (overnight)

Romeo, Romeo… Where for art thou Romeo?

But this one could be different to the other guys
Shall I give him the benefit of the doubt?
But I hear a voice inside my head, protest
She’s saying we’ve been over this
Just ‘cause he’s caused a stir, doesn’t mean he’ll rock your world

And all you girls are gonna know what I mean
You meet a new man, swears he’s the one of your dreams
Well he may be exactly all that he seems
But don’t believe the hype

You’ve got to wait ‘til dawn, see if he rings true
Because the light of the sun’s brighter than the moon
Sure enough, he may be made for you
But don’t believe the hype (overnight)

Romeo, Romeo… Where for art thou Romeo? (x4)

Well he may be exactly all that he seems
But don’t believe the hype

C’mon now, all you girls are gonna know what I mean
You meet a new man, swears he’s the one of your dreams
Well he may be exactly all that he seems
But don’t believe the hype

You’ve got to wait ‘til dawn, see if he rings true
Because the light of the sun’s brighter than the moon
Sure enough, he may be made for you
But don’t believe the hype

The way I do…
Can break your heart in two
Don’t let it happen to you
Don’t believe the hype
(Don’t believe the hype)

SPECIAL THANKS TO getyourheadstra1ght FOR THIS DEMO, AND FOR MIRACLE. Lyrics, thanks to Carried Into The Sun from PJ

Sophie's 4th record will be out in Spring 2011.

Sophie was on BBC Radio Leicester this morning. Here are the highlights :
Touring next month
Setlist is gonna be all the singles, some stuff from the new record, some covers.
Situation with the new album - will be released in Spring (around April)

I made a fairly large post about my thoughts on PopJustice. I'll just quote the same thing here. But what are your thoughts?

I don't think she is blaming the DJs. Didn't someone here say that the project was going to have singles as DJ feat SEB etc., Seems like that was true. She confirmed that, well, sort of... Had Polydor not stopped Roger Sanchez from using that song she did with him, we would have a single now, and she wouldn't have said that.

The good thing is that she knows where she is and it's not like she believes she can still get away with a Christmas release. I appreciate her honesty for that. April release - i suppose i understand why she wants the album out in Spring. Remember, it was supposed to be out in Spring back when Sophia Loren was planned to be the lead single. It's a dance album, it wouldn't make much sense to release it in the winter when no one will care about it, unless of couse, it's something like Loud. There's your perfect winter dance album. Judging by Bittersweet, Not Giving Up On Love, Can't Fight This Feeling and Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer, i think the album is filled with summer anthems.

I hate to wait, just like any other person in this thread, but i think i will be okay with it eventually. We have waited 3 years. A few months really shouldn't matter that much. But i do hope and pray we have a single or two between now and the album. And hopefully that won't be CFTF....

I can think of several reasons for this delay:
1. Polydor have no interest in taking risks with her, so they want her to make enough money from her gigs and use that to fund this release.
2. My theory about a summer dance album
3. She intends on recording new songs
4. Polydor want people to disassociate the album with Bittersweet (which is tragic. so what if it flopped. it's the highlight of 2010 and deserves to be on the album. if it doesn't make it to the final cut, i will be very very disappointed)
5. Fascination couldn't really do much, but Polydor FINALLY have a plan in mind and they want to go about it that way
6. She has no record label and she is trying to release this on her own.

Read more: http://www.popjustice.com/forum/index.php?topic=21518.4995#ixzz15ZAxG0DW