For this interview i chose Sophie Ellis-Bextor. She is a British singer that makes the most fabulous danceable pop music. Not only known for her music she is recognised as a British style star. She works her own brand of quirky cool, never one to be afraid of standing out from the pack if anything she relishes in it and works it to her advantage. I hope that by reading this interview you find out more about a women who is not only a wonderful mother but a career women too and that you get inspired by her fearlessness and honesty. And remember like Sophie says as long as you are staying true to what you do and what you believe in then it's ok to be a 'Christmas Tree' sometimes because everyones time to shine comes around sooner or later!
Look out for a post full of Sophie's most coveted outfits soon too!
If you want to read my past interviews then click here-
-LnA
I want to say a massive thanks to Sophie too for agreeing to be interviewed. Her awesome new single 'Bittersweet' is available to download on Sunday 2nd May and if you go to the bottom of this post you can check out the video for it!
As always let me know what you think of the interview!
Sophie Ellis-Bextor Interview
Pictured above Sophie Ellis-bextor
1. So, you’re back with your new single Bittersweet. I love the more electro sound of this song but you’ve still kept that pop vibe too, what were your influences when you were making this record?
I guess the biggest influence was the track itself, because that’s what we started with, it started off as an instrumental. I don’t know how melodies come about really, you just try a few noodles and then something sticks. The thing I really liked about the chorus melody is that to me it almost sounds like it could be from a musical. It sounds like it could be in the West End, but maybe that’s just my slightly strange tangent, I don’t know.
2. I always think you have the best titles for your album like ‘Shoot From The Hip’ and Trip The Light Fantastic’ and your new album is called ‘Straight To The Heart’ which is another great title how did you come up with this one, because I saw that you had recently changed it from ‘Make A Scene’?
In a lot of ways nobody should have really known about Make A Scene as that was just a working title, as Scene was one of the first songs written for the record. Straight To The Heart is actually a lyric from another song called Cut Straight To The Heart and I thought it was a really good title for a pop record because that’s what pop music does I think, it’s very emotional and instinctive. I think out of all my titles though my favourite is still Trip The Light Fantastic, I just like the way it feels to say that.
3. As well as being known for music you are also recognised for your style. You have a really strong look, you always wear such beautiful interesting pieces that you might not expect to work together but they really do on you because you also have a really chic feel to your style I think, which keeps your outfits classic looking. Have you always been interested in fashion?
Firstly, thank you for the compliment. I’ve always loved dressing up. Sometimes I think I have got it really wrong, but I think it doesn’t matter really, I try not to play it too safe, but I suppose part of the fun side of working in pop music is that you can really dress up, so I do.
4. Do you think it is important to have a strong style aesthetic when breaking into the music industry especially nowadays with the likes of Lady GaGa at the forefront of the fashion and music crossover?
I think undeniable that the visual and the audio side are connected. So many people are influenced by the front cover, the video, the way you look when you are performing, so although you can get away with not putting that much work into the aesthetic side, you’re probably doing yourself a disservice really. That little world you create helps to inform how you think your music should be heard. I certainly can watch a video and go from thinking ‘I’m not sure about that song’ to ‘actually I really love it’ it can sometimes really unlock it for me so I think it’s in your best interests to make it cohesive.
5. Would you ever consider designing your own fashion line?
I get asked this question a lot which is really lovely, unfortunately the people who haven’t asked me are the ones who actually would be able to provide that service. So yeah, I’d be up for it but I’m not talking to anyone about it. What girl wouldn’t want to do it? So if there are any companies out there want me…
6. Where do you like to shop are you more designer or high street?
I’m more high street than designer, but my favourite is actually second hand and vintage shops and markets because I’m addicted to that one-off thing, I just love finding something and thinking ‘ooh no-one else is going to have this’ and all the colours and the old fabric and the story behind the clothes.
7. You have also done some modelling in the past too for Rimmel and Accessorize, what was that experience like for you and would you consider doing more modelling?
I don’t really see it as modelling, as a pop singer you get your picture taken quite a lot anyway. For the Rimmel stuff it was really good fun because you get to wear make-up and do all the stuff you normally do, and I think it’s a nice brand to be associated with. I don’t see myself as a model at all but it’s very flattering to be asked.
8. In Between making great albums you have also got married and had two children. How did you find the difference between your career from before you had children to now, is it a difficult industry to be in when you are also trying to juggle family life as well or is it quite accommodating?
I think it’s quite accommodating actually. A lot of people I work with have got children. I think for my kids there are a lot worse childhoods than one that is surrounded by music. For them its second nature that there are loads of instruments lying round and Richard and I are always playing our new songs and singing around the place. I think the biggest difference between before them and after them is that I am much happier in myself and I think I have become strangely more fearless because you lose some of your inhibitions I suppose and I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone anymore. I’m just enjoying it – there is no point playing it super safe.
9. Do you notice a lot of changes about the music industry from when you started out till now, what with all the different ways people have broke through whether it be MySpace ,YouTube or X Factor rather than the mainstream route, there seems to be a lot more variety out there now?
Yeah I think that’s true but at the same time I think things have got a lot more diluted. It feels like there isn’t a sense of occasion around stuff any more. It used to be that there would be an occasion around each single release or performing Top Of The Pops, but that has dissipated now amongst all these different mediums so I miss that a little bit, that heyday of gearing up for all these milestone moments, at the same time I think the whole digital age is exciting and gives the power back to the people really for everything, which has influenced fashion and music a lot.
10. I’ve always thought you seemed really fearless in your music choices like your new album having a different electro dance sound and even when you first started out with ‘murder on the dancefloor’ which to me is just such a classic song it never dates, but I remember at the time it was really different to what everyone else was doing and people were really impressed by your music, have you, with every album always wanted to kind of re invent your sound?
I think my most fearless moment (although it was quite unwitting really) was when I brought out my third album and which was very poppy and had bits of synth on it at the time the charts was full of guitars, I didn’t realise that I was in my own bubble thinking ‘I just like making pop music’ but now I’m like ‘blimey, that was actually quite bold’. But I think I’m a creature of habit, I’m like a Christmas tree, for 10 months of the year it doesn’t really make that much sense but then for two months it’s like ‘that’s exactly what we need right now’. I just wait my time until it comes around again.
11. Perez Hilton seems to be a really big fan of your music and has posted about you on his blog before. That must be great having support from such an influential figure. Have you any plans to go over and release your music in America?
Perez has been great and that’s cool. There have been little murmurings of going over to America because the Freemasons spend quite a lot of time DJing in clubs over there. So I might do a little tour of Gay clubs in America. There’s also been talk about going over to New York for Gay Pride and that would be pretty cool, but that’s about as far as it’s got. I’ll go wherever people want me, that’s always been my rule.
12. And finally, where would you like to see yourself in 10 years time, personally and professionally?
I’ve got not idea. Still doing what I love would be great. I’m sure music will still be a big part of my life. But I really don’t know – I can’t even really remember 10 years back and I can’t really imagine 10 years forward.
At This Moment In Time......
1. Favourite Song/Album-
My favourite album at the moment is the ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’ album.
2. Favourite Quote-
Coco Chanel said that you should take off the last accessory that you put on and I always find that to be true.
3. Favourite TV Show-
Mad Men
4. Best Piece of Advice-
Trust your instincts (it’s what my mum says – she’s right!)
5. Favourite blog/website-
It’s gotta be this one!
