SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR – THE Q&A WITH ESP!

Sophie Ellis Bextor has certainly had a busy ten years.  If having a string of international hits, including Groovejet, Take Me Home and Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer) wasn’t enough, Sophie supported Take That on their Beautiful World Tour, renewed her Rimmel contract and became a mother to two beautiful children.

After recording, writing and touring for the last couple of years, Sophie is back with her new single Bittersweet due for release this month and is set for chart success once again.

You may have followed Sophie from the days when she burst into the charts and into our lives alike, after a famous battle for the no. 1 slot with Posh Spice and Dane Bowers, or maybe with her later material.  Either way, you’ve got to love her, just like we do at ESP.

ESP’s Susan Saunders  caught up with her to talk music, motherhood and the future…

New single Bittersweet is out on 3 May – how are you feeling about it?

“Good thank you yeah – I think it’s quite a good introduction to the album.  It’s quite positive, upbeat, dancey, electro, which is indicative to the sort of sound I’ve been making with this one.”

Your new album will be your fourth, is it easy to keep the sound fresh and keep coming up with new ideas?

“Uh I’d say yeah because it’s probably the easiest record I’ve made so far because I worked with some fantastic folk and I had quite a clear idea of the kind of area I wanted to go into because the other albums have been quite eclectic.  The first (song) was quite genre specific, it was so dancey and so that meant that I could just kind of really have a good play around within that area and if you’re working with people like Cathy Dennis and Calvin Harris, you’re going to be having a nice time”

How would you sum up the feel and vibe of your new material in a couple of words but you’ve just said dancey…

“Yeah… and positive.”

What’s your favourite track from the upcoming album?

“Erm… well because they’re all shiny and new they’re all pretty much favourites but there’s one song called Revolution, which I’m particularly pleased with because it’s quite chaotic and urgent and I like songs like that.”

So this year not only are you celebrating 10 years as a successful pop mainstream artist, you’re the face of Rimmel and a mother of two – how do you juggle it all?

“[Laughs] It’s quite chaotic, hectic [laughs] but you kind of take each week as it comes and, you know, the kids are quite used to it really they don’t know any different and neither do I so yeah, we shape our week around what’s going on I guess and you know some weeks it means I’m away quite a lot but other weeks I’ll be there the whole time so and I take it as it comes.”

Where do you see yourself in another 10 years?

“Really haven’t got a clue, I’m not very good at that.  I can’t even really think of 2 years time and that’s probably down to what you said before about thriving more on things being quite fast paced and changing so yeah I have no idea [laughs]!”

When you’re not working, what do you do to relax?

“Apart from anything I play with the kids, take them to the park and that sort of stuff and I think a big pleasure is eating so whether it be getting people round for a meal, or going out for dinner with my husband, or cooking I find quite therapeutic.  Along with other stuff it’s the source of a lot of pleasure for me.”

What’s your signature cooking dish?

“I don’t know about a signature one as I like to change it once in a while but I suppose my family would say anything to do with fish as I eat a lot of fish and seafood, I dunno maybe some roasted sea bass.”

Dinner sounds great at your house Sophie

“[Laughs] not bad, Rich’s a better cook than me so that’s quite fun.  I also do quite good roast dinners and things, maybe roast lamb or something”

What can we expect from you over the next year?

“Well this year is mainly about the album really so I’ve got another single coming out in July and the album will come out in the August, so I’ll just be following it where it takes me and do a music tour in the Autumn and I think that’s about as far as I’ve got in my head.”

That’s alright, that’s good for us.  So the single that’s coming out in June, what’s that called?

“Off and on.”

So is there anyone who you’d like to work with, I know you worked with quite a few on this album but is there anyone who stands out who you’d still like to work with?

“Yeah definitely there’s loads of people.  A couple of French acts, Daft Punk and who else (?), maybe someone quite different to me like The Killers or Kings of Leon.”

Who was your favourite artist growing up?

“Probably have to say Madonna…”

Growing up mine was Kylie so Madonna’s a bit cooler but Kylie’s great too!

“Oh yeah Kylie’s cool.”

So many years ago you performed for us in Peterborough, which I was lucky enough to see, are there any plans to return

“Yes definitely.  I will be doing a tour in the autumn, which takes us everywhere from Peterborough up to Scotland and back.  Everywhere yeah – it’s been too long.”

So with yours and your hubby’s musical roots do you think it’s likely your children will follow in your footsteps and if so will you encourage them?

“I think it’s quite a seductive lifestyle so I can imagine they might give it some thought as it’s, you know, playing music with your friends and doing that all the time it’s just – there are a lot worse ways to spend your time.  That being said they might rebel, I mean you tend to rebel against your parents and stuff don’t you (I agree – and can vouch for that a million times)?  Maybe they’ll go for other areas; arts?  It’s quite hard to imagine they’d go for a really you know, more sort of structured 9 -5 job just because it’s not what they know anything about.  Maybe they’ll go seek it out for themselves.  I mean they’re only 5 and 1 so quite early to tell really.”

Do you have any tips for people wanting to embark on a successful pop career?

“My main tip actually would be don’t fixate on getting a record deal because sometimes that bit when you’re in development, you know, trying out new ideas and experimenting and enjoying just being your own person is the bit where you can really work out who you wanna be and how you wanna take it forward.  You know, so getting a record deal is not the Holy Grail when you’re ready it will happen so just enjoy developing.”

So if you had to choose another career, what do you think you’d be?

“Hmmm… well I always thought about being a writer so maybe some kind of journalist?  I quite like the idea of that or maybe some kind of reviewer, like the restaurant critics where you can travel around, see different places and eat at new places – that would be fun.”

Well you can swap with me and I would happily perform all of your tracks and have your life!

“[Laughs] Ok I’ll see what (management) says, maybe you can have a couple of weeks…”

Yeah a trade, even just for one day, I would be absolutely happy with that…

We say our goodbyes and I’m left thinking not only is Sophie the epitome of über cool, I found out, she’s also a doting mother, a great cook and really quite nice.

New single Bittersweet is in shops from 3 May 2010