Sophie Ellis-Bextor Addresses saltburn Backlash, Discusses Navigating Homophobia, and Celebrates the Power of Pop in New Album
LONDON – Sophie Ellis-Bextor has spoken out about the controversy surrounding her music’s use in the film Saltburn, while also detailing her strategies for dealing with transphobic viewpoints and the therapeutic power of pop music, coinciding with the release of her new album, Perimenopop.
The singer, whose song “Murder on the Dancefloor” experienced a resurgence in popularity after being prominently featured in Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, acknowledged the mixed reactions to its inclusion in the film’s explicit scenes. “It was a really weird thing to happen,” she said, adding that she’s learned to “turn down the volume” on negative reactions and focus on amplifying positive voices. Ellis-Bextor also discussed a recent experiance with a friend exhibiting ”a weird flip” in her views, emphasizing the importance of asserting differing beliefs and “supporting what you believe is being on the right side of history.”
This conversation forms part of a wider discussion about Ellis-Bextor’s approach to navigating public life as a visible LGBTQ+ ally, and her commitment to using her platform to uplift marginalized voices. Her weekly podcast,spinning plates,regularly features interviews with inspiring women,including trans mothers and activists. “The women I have on are so eloquent and articulate, and I know they don’t always want to have to be the voice of reason, but they will take that on and be that beacon,” she explained.
Ellis-Bextor also reflected on the unexpected success of her Kitchen Disco livestreams during the pandemic,which she initially worried might be out of touch with the anxieties of the time. “My stepdad was having treatment for lung cancer at the time, and then we had this invisible illness killing people, and I desperately needed lift and escape and catharsis,” she recalled. “I didn’t know if other people felt like that, too.” Hundreds of thousands tuned in weekly, proving her instinct correct. She concluded, “I realised that pop is a really brilliant tonic for the brain. It serves a purpose,and it should be respected for that,too.”
Perimenopop is available now, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor is currently touring Europe and the US.Tickets are available at https://sophieellisbextor.net/live/.
