Sophie Ellis-Bextor

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Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor (born 10 April 1979) is a multi-platinum selling British pop singer and songwriter. Her music is a mixture of mainstream pop, disco and 1980s electronic influences. She is also noted for her RP accent when singing.

Biography

Personal life

Sophie Ellis Bextor in 2005

Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor was born in West Middlesex to Janet Ellis, then an actress, but later better known as a presenter on the TV series Blue Peter (on which Sophie appeared with her mother at the age of six, modelling snoods), and Robin Bextor, an award-winning film director. Ellis and Bextor divorced when Sophie was four years old. She has three sisters and two brothers. She has often spoken about being very close to her family growing up and she often takes her brothers and sisters to work with her. Her brother Jackson Ellis-Leach is currently her drummer. Her official website hyphenates her surname, which is the joining of her parents' surnames; some other sources separate the names with a space. She went to school at St. Stephen's School and later Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith. Among her earliest public performances were with the W11 Opera children's opera from the age of thirteen.[1] On April 23, 2004, Sophie gave birth to her first child, a boy named Sonny. The father is the bass guitarist for The Feeling, Richard Jones, whom she later married on 25 June, 2005 in Italy. Previously, she dated her manager Andy Boyd for six years.

Theaudience

Ellis-Bextor began her career in 1997, with an indie band called theaudience. She sang the lead vocal in the band. While she was a band member, readers of Melody Maker elected her to the Number 1 position among the 'most sexy people in rock'. She recorded a duet with Manic Street Preachers—Black Holes for the Young—as a B-side for their 1998 single The Everlasting. Some songs released by theaudience are I Got the Wherewithal, If You Can't Do It When You're Young; When Can You Do It?, I Know Enough (I Don't Get Enough), and A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed (perhaps their best-known single). The band split in December 1998. In 1999 Ellis-Bextor made an appearance on the Departure Lounge album Out Of Here.

Rise to fame

After theaudience split, Sophie took a year off from singing. In 2000, Sophie collaborated with Italian DJ Spiller on adding vocals to his then-instrumental club track Groovejet, her first recorded work since that with theaudience. Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) entered the U.K. charts at No. 1, just beating then-former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham on her first solo outing to the top spot. Since then, the two have been described as rivals. Both women deny, however, that there is any rivalry between the two of them. Groovejet won several awards: No. 1, Pop Top 20; No. 1, ILR; No. 1, Radio 1; No. 8, top dance track of 2000 and single of the year in Melody Maker. In the Metro Newspaper, it received ninth place in the contest for the Greatest No. 1 of all time, beating even Madonna.[2] In 2000, it was a finalist in The Record of the Year. In that same year, it won the awards for Best Single and Best Ibiza Tune at the Ericsson Muzik Awards.[3]

Read My Lips

In 2001, Sophie released her debut album, Read My Lips. It reached No. 2 on the UK charts and spawned four top-twenty hit singles. Her rework of Cher's "Take Me Home" reached No. 2, as did "Murder on the Dancefloor", which became Sophie's biggest single to date and was on charts for twenty-three weeks.[4] "Murder on the Dancefloor" became Europe's most played song of 2002. In 2002, Read My Lips was re-released with two new songs (and a live version of "Groovejet") and Ellis-Bextor won the Recording Artist Award at that year's Showbusiness Awards.[5] Her third single, "Get Over You" / "Move This Mountain" was released in June 2002 and reached No. 3. The fourth single, "Music Gets the Best of Me", rose to No. 14 in December. At the beginning of 2002, Ellis-Bextor was nominated for the "British Female Solo Artist" BRIT Award, going on to be nominated for a further two consecutive years.[6][7][8]

Shoot from the Hip

Her second album, Shoot from the Hip, was released in October 2003. Although it was not as commercially successful as her previous material, it held two further top-ten singles. The album reached no higher than No. 19 on the UK charts; its two singles were "Mixed Up World", which reached No. 7, and "I Won't Change You", reaching No. 9. Around this time, rivalry against Victoria Beckham was suggested again; Victoria's single "This Groove" / "Let Your Head Go" reached No. 3, a higher position in the charts than "I Won't Change You". During this time Sophie became pregnant and plans for a third and fourth single as well as the Shoot From The Hip Tour were scrapped. After that, Sophie paused her musical career to take care of her first child.

Trip the Light Fantastic

File:SEB TripLight.jpg
The third album from Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

In early 2005, she performed on a track by the duo Busface, entitled "Circles (Just My Good Time)"; credited as "Mademoiselle E.B." in order to not have this be mistaken for a single from her next album. In 2004, she announced that she was working on a third album. She worked with Fred Schneider of The B-52s and Richard Barone (formerly of The Bongos), Shelly Poole (formerly of Alisha's Attic), Cathy Dennis and Kerin Smith (formerly of theaudience) among others to create a fun dance/party, disco-pop album which was released on May 21st, 2007 and is entitled Trip the Light Fantastic.[9]

Before the album two singles were released, Catch You, which charted in the UK through downloads alone at No. 18 and peaked at No. 8 after a physical release and Me and My Imagination which was released on May 14 and charted at No. 23. Her album Trip the Light Fantastic debuted at No. 7 on the UK albums chart and just missed the top twenty the following week, falling to No. 21. The album was certified Gold in July 2008, for selling over 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom[10].

Sophie supported George Michael on his UK tour leg in June 2007. Her own UK tour was due to start on the 14th August 2007, entitled "Trip The Light Fantastic Tour", but, on September 8 2007, on her official website, Sophie said that she had postponed it because she has been invited to be the "special guest" on the forthcoming Take That European Tour, which kicks off on October 11 2007 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Sophie confirmed that her tour will be re-scheduled for March next year as it had proven difficult, if not impossible to do both. All tickets purchased will be valid for next year.[11]

The third single off Trip The Light Fantastic was Today the Sun's on Us, which was released on 13th August 2007. The track received good reviews, and the accompanying video, directed by Sophie Muller and shot in Reykjavik, Iceland has achieved strong airplay on music channels; this did not help sales of the single, however, which debuted on the UK Singles Chart at No. 64. The single, however, was responsible for the album's re-entry into the top 100, where it spent another two weeks.

On the first of September 2007, Sophie took part in Sopot Festival 2007 in Poland, representing the UK.

She performed "If I Can't Dance" on DanceX, BBC One on 28 July 2007 and confirmed that it would be the fourth single in an interview with Digital Spy on 2 August 2007, a position that was later retracted in an interview on her website dated 12 August 2007.[12][11] "Love Is Here" was confirmed on her website as the fourth single, however, that was scrapped as she was supposed to release a brand new single in late November which was to be included on the following "Greatest Hits" compilation. Then the release date of the Greatest Hits was pushed back to March.

However, "If I Can't Dance" was released in Spain as the fourth single taken from the album, second released there after "Me and My Imagination". The single has been a hit on Catalonian music station Flaix FM, and the song has been put on several compilations, like Supermodelo 2008 CD and Disco Estrella 2008.[13][14][15]

The fourth album

Her fourth studio album was due for release in late summer 2008, with Sophie confirming this on April 11, 2008.[16] Recording sessions for the singles to be released from the Greatest Hits collection proved fruitful, and Ellis-Bextor decided to release a fourth studio album before releasing her Greatest Hits. She has additionally indicated that she would like to change musical directions after the release of her fourth album and Greatest Hits collection.

On 2 June 2008 two of her new songs, "Off And On" and "Heartbreak Make Me a Dancer", appeared on her official MySpace.

Calvin Harris has contributed two songs, "Calling It Love" and "Off And On" (an outtake from Róisín Murphy's album Overpowered written with Cathy Dennis). Freemasons worked with Ellis-Bextor on "Heartbreak Make Me a Dancer". Her collaboration with Richard X resulted in a song titled "I Still Believe in Magic". She is also collaborating with Groove Armada, The Hoosiers, Dimitri Tikovoi, Hannah Robinson, Matt Prime and Liam Howe from the Sneaker Pimps.

The album has reached #2 at the HMV Top 10 Pop Albums Coming Soon Chart, just behind Go West's new album "Futurenow."[17]

"Off And On" has been remixed by Calvin Harris.[18]

It has been revealed by Peter Maggenis that Sophie has recorded a cover of "Revenge", an unreleased Madonna's song from the Ray of Light recording sessions.

Sophie will be back to stage on August 23, 2008 to perform at the Manchester Pride 2008.[19][20] Sophie also performed on the last G-A-Y night.

According to HMV, Sophie's fourth studio album will be released on January 23, 2009.[21] However, a week later, the Daily Mail confirmed that Sophie will be releasing her fourth project in January 2009.[22] This has now been officially confirmed by Fascination Records on their website.[23]

Sophie will be performing an exclusive gig in aid of The Terrance Higgins Trust on October 28, 2008. The event will take place at London's hottest venue Café de Paris, and she will be singing some new material[24].

Other projects

In August 2006 it was announced that she was the new 'face' of high street fashion chain Monsoon replacing the model Sophie Dahl.

In 2007, Sophie appeared at Christmas in the Robbie the Reindeer Episode, Close Encounters of the Herd Kind. Sophie was depicted as a female alien at the closure of the story, singing the song 'Supersonic', the last track on her third solo studio album Trip The Light Fantastic. In November of this year she also launched the NPower Greener Schools Programme, which aims to give schools in the UK a 'green makeover' by providing free energy audits, implementing tailor-made energy efficiency measures to reduce their carbon footprint, and educating children on how to be greener[25] She also launched Capital Radio's Capital 95.8 'Lights Out London' campaign, which asks Londoners to switch off their lights for one hour in a bid to save 750 MWh and send a message to the world on the importance of climate change.[26]

In May 2008 it was reported that Sophie was hired by cosmetics brand Rimmel as one of their new faces. She was apparently taken aboard after wowing Rimmel's bosses in secret screen tests.[27] Contrary to early reports however, Sophie will not replace Kate Moss as the main face of the cosmetics giant.

In 2008 she features in the short musical film 'The Town that Boars Me' by photographer Ben Charles Edwards. The film also features Jodie Harsh, Kelly Osbourne and Zandra Rhodes amongst others. The film is set to debut in late summer at the Portobello Film Fetsival and is produced by Glass Loves and Shoot to Kill Productions.[28][29]

An advocate for animal rights, she posed for PETA's anti–fur clothing advertisement.[30] She is also currently fronting a campaign for The Children's Society encouraging people to log onto the Hundreds and Thousands of Childhood Memories Website to donate their favourite childhood memory.[31]

In 2002 it was rumoured she was the frontrunner to land the role of bondgirl in the James Bond movie Die Another Day.[32] This was just a rumour: Sophie never got the part, nor did she confirm to have auditioned for the part. She did, however, audition for the 2001 movie Moulin Rouge! for the part of Satine, which eventually went to Nicole Kidman.[33]

Sophie is appearing as an advocate for Verdi on BBC World News classical music programme Visionaries [1]in August 2008.

Sophie performed live at Manchester's Gay Pride, on 23 August 2008, having just arrived back from Moscow.

Sophie and her husband Richard Jones will be launching a DJ club project, called "Modern Love" in London.[34]

On October 4th 2008 she performed at the End Child Poverty Coalition's Keep the Promise Event at Trafalgar Square

Discography

Further information: Sophie Ellis-Bextor discography

Albums

Singles

References

  1. ^ W11 Opera Website
  2. ^ Melody Maker 2000
  3. ^ Spiller and Jaxx take Muzik honours
  4. ^ Murder On The Dancefloor, World Charts
  5. ^ Varierty Club Website
  6. ^ BRIT Awards 2004
  7. ^ The Brits 2003, The Nominees
  8. ^ Brits Awards: The Nominees
  9. ^ Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Official Forum
  10. ^ Sophie Ellis-Bextor Gold status in the UK
  11. ^ a b Sophie Ellis-Bextor's official website
  12. ^ "Video: Sophie Ellis-Bextor speaks". Digital Spy. 2 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
  13. ^ Flaix FM CD 2008
  14. ^ Disco Estrella 2008
  15. ^ Supermodelo 2008 CD Valemusic/Universal Music Spain
  16. ^ news entry dated 11 April 2008
  17. ^ hmv.com: albums: New Album Out Soon (2008)
  18. ^ YouTube - Sophie Ellis-Bextor "Off & On" (Calvin Harris remix)
  19. ^ Sophie-online.net
  20. ^ Manchester Pride official website
  21. ^ Sophie Ellis-Bextor - HMV 4th album release date
  22. ^ Sophie's new album in January 2009
  23. ^ http://www.fascinationrecords.com/index.php?id=170
  24. ^ Sophie at Cafe de Paris
  25. ^ Sophie Ellis-Bextor Greener Schools Programme
  26. ^ Sophie Ellis Bextor Launches ‘Lights Out London’ | popdirt.com
  27. ^ Sunday Mirror
  28. ^ Portobello Spy: Portobello Film Festival
  29. ^ YouTube - 'The Town That Boars Me' coming soon
  30. ^ 'Read My Lips' Sensation Says, 'Don't Wear Fur!'
  31. ^ Plea For Happy Childhood Memories
  32. ^ Sophie Ellis-Bextor Next Bond Girl?
  33. ^ Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Bextor'S Moulin Rouge! Misery
  34. ^ Sophie Ellis Bextor to put Modern Love before more children
  35. ^ Sophie's new album in January 2009

Sophie Ellis Bextor - If I Can't Dance [2]

External links


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