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Sophie Ellis-Bextor is a British singer, songwriter and model who rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the indie rock band Theaudience. After the band split, she embarked on a successful solo career that spanned various genres, from disco and electronica to pop and folk. She is best known for her hit singles “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)”, “Murder on the Dancefloor”, “Catch You” and “Bittersweet”.
Sophie was born in London on 10 April 1979 to Janet Ellis, a former presenter of BBC children’s programmes, and Robin Bextor, a film producer and director. She started singing and performing at a young age, and joined the W11 Opera children’s opera at the age of 13. She attended Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith, where she formed her first band, Theaudience, with four classmates. The band released one self-titled album in 1998, which reached number 22 on the UK Albums Chart and spawned four top 40 singles, including “I Know Enough (I Don’t Get Enough)” and “A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed”. However, the band was dropped by their label and disbanded in 1999.
Sophie’s solo breakthrough came in 2000, when she collaborated with Italian DJ Spiller on the song “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)”, which topped the UK Singles Chart and became the best-selling vinyl single of the millennium. The song also earned her a BRIT Award nomination for British Female Solo Artist. She then signed with Polydor Records and released her debut solo album, Read My Lips, in 2001. The album was a commercial and critical success, reaching number two on the UK Albums Chart and selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide. It featured four top 10 singles, including the Cher cover “Take Me Home”, the disco anthem “Murder on the Dancefloor”, and the double A-side “Get Over You” / “Move This Mountain”.
Sophie’s second album, Shoot from the Hip, was released in 2003 and showcased a more pop-oriented sound, influenced by artists such as Blondie, Madonna and Kylie Minogue. The album reached number 19 on the UK Albums Chart and produced two top 10 singles, “Mixed Up World” and “I Won’t Change You”. In 2005, she released a collaboration with Busface and Mademoiselle E.B. called “Circles (Just My Good Time)”, which reached number 11 on the UK Dance Chart. She also married Richard Jones, the bassist of the band The Feeling, and gave birth to their first son, Sonny, who was born prematurely and spent a month in intensive care.
Sophie’s third album, Trip the Light Fantastic, was released in 2007 and marked a return to her disco and electronica roots. The album peaked at number seven on the UK Albums Chart and spawned three singles, “Catch You”, “Me and My Imagination” and “Today the Sun’s on Us”. She also embarked on her first solo tour, which sold out across the UK and Europe. In 2009 and 2010, she collaborated with several dance music producers and DJs, such as Freemasons, Armin van Buuren and Junior Caldera, on songs like “Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer)”, “Not Giving Up on Love” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling”. These songs were included on her fourth album, Make a Scene, which was released in 2011 under her own label, EBGB’s. The album reached number 33 on the UK Albums Chart and featured three more singles, “Bittersweet”, “Off & On” and “Starlight”.
Sophie’s fifth album, Wanderlust, was released in 2014 and represented a major departure from her previous dance-pop style. The album was co-written and produced by Ed Harcourt, and drew inspiration from folk, baroque and orchestral music. The album received rave reviews from critics and fans, and reached number four on the UK Albums Chart, becoming her highest-charting album since Read My Lips. It also spawned two singles, “Young Blood” and “Runaway Daydreamer”. In 2016, she released her sixth album, Familia, which was also co-written and produced by Harcourt, and explored a Latin-inspired sound. The album reached number 12 on the UK Albums Chart and featured the singles “Come with Us” and “Wild Forever”.
Sophie is currently working on her seventh album, which is expected to be released in 2022. She has also been involved in various other projects, such as hosting a podcast called Spinning Plates, appearing as a judge on the TV show The Masked Singer, and performing at various festivals and events. She is also a mother of five children, Sonny, Kit, Ray, Jesse and Mickey, and a patron of several charities, such as the Meningitis Trust, the Children’s Trust and the British Red Cross.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor is one of the most versatile and enduring artists in the British music scene. She has sold over 10 million records worldwide and won numerous awards and accolades. She has also proven herself as a talented songwriter, model, actress, presenter and author. She is a true pop icon and a disco queen, who continues to surprise and delight her fans with her music and style.
