Sophie Alice Baxter: Saltburn leads 110 gigs in 2024

In 2024 Sophie Ellis-Bextor played more shows than ever – 110 in total.

To put that into context, Taylor Swift’s total (albeit massive) for the year was 83.

The singer is clear as to the reason – the film Saltburn. Or more specifically, Emerald Fennell’s black comedy scene about class and privilege, where Barry Keoghan dances triumphantly, and completely naked, through a country house to her track Murder on the Dance. On the floor.

“Last year it was after Christmas, we were at home, and it was crazy to see the number of people just streaming and interacting with the song on TikTok,” she says, of when she first saw a Something unusual is happening with the song more than 20 years old.

On December 22, 2023, Saltburn was released on Amazon Prime. By January 5, 2024, Murder on the Dance Floor had returned to the top 10 and would spend five weeks at number two, with only Noah Kahn’s Stick Season keeping it off the top spot.

“The year started with an old friend killing me on the dance floor which took me for another spin,” he sums it up.

“To be honest, it was all very abstract at the time, and I think this year has been about making it a reality.”

In 2024, at the age of 45, Ellis-Bextor had her first hit single on the Billboard Top 100, debuting live on USTV as the musical guest. The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and embarked on his first headlining tour of the States.

Murder on the Dance Floor was also her singing ticket. In a BAFTA film AwardsMaking a guest appearance During the DJ Peggy Go’s headlining set at Glastonbury’s Park Stage.and even performing in front of King Charles at the Royal Variety Show.

“It’s a lot to take in. It’s a rare thing to get to the stage you’re in your career and still do new things, new excitement. So, I really wanted to capture that.”

Her year ends with another big milestone, as on Tuesday night, TV viewers will watch her 110th show of 2024, which she describes as a “career highlight”.

Standing in London’s Riverside Studios, under what one production manager says is “the biggest disco ball in the country”, Sophie Alice Baxter is rehearsing for BBC One’s New Year’s Eve concert, half The nightly fireworks are broadcast on both sides.

“It’s the cherry on top,” she enthuses about BBC Studios following the likes of Robbie Williams, Alicia Keys and Craig David, who have done the gig in the past.

Last year more than seven million people watched as Rick Astley handed over Big Ben.

Alice Baxter says that for the past two months, and while on tour supporting the Human League, she has been extensively planning the show with her husband and musical director Richard Jones, who is also a bass player. Using less time for feeling

“New Year’s Eve is a big deal, and I don’t take it lightly if people choose to spend it with us,” she admits.

“So, I want to make sure we try and have the ultimate New Year’s Eve party. I just want to give this last boost to escapist fun. I mean, look at how many discos we have here. Balls. All we have is a monopoly.”

All of his greatest hits will be featured. Take Me Home, Music Gets The Best Of Me and the track that famously beat Victoria Beckham to the number one spot and will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2025, Grovejet. (“It was an extraordinary time, but kind of silly.”)

And 2025 will, of course, kick off with Murder on the Dance Floor, “but after a while Auld Lang Syne,” she clarifies.

To make the show even more special, Ellis-Bextor has enlisted some of her musical collaborators.

“I got Jack Shears from the Scissor Sisters,” she confirms with gusto.

“His album came out a long time after my first album, so we’ve been doing a lot of stuff together. We’ve had a few nights out, but this is actually the first time we’ve sung together.”

They will duet on two of the Sixer Sisters’ most famous tracks, including Take Your Mama, which Alice Baxter described as “an epic guitar solo” by Emily Roberts of Brit-winning group The Last Dinner Party.

“I’m a huge fan of his band,” she says. Covered his song Nothing Matters for Radio One Live Lounge. Back in February.

In fact, indie music is where Ellis-Bexter got her start. She first hit the charts in 1998 as the lead singer of Listeners, a band that influenced subsequent Britpop Top 40 hits with some catchy smiths due to their lack of capital letters and use of the space bar. What did

Andy Gill in The Independent called their debut album “the final cherry on the Britpop cake”.

He performed their single. A pessimist is never a pessimist as an a cappella encore on that year’s US tour.

Also on the Tuesday evening team sheet is his friend and fellow pop singer podcaster, Jessie Ware, to stomp through the disco classic Yes Sir, I Can Boogie. (“I didn’t even have to ask her to bring the sequins, she just did.”)

I mention how popular it will be in Scotland, the song has become an anthem for the Tartan Army, and she laughs, recalling that she first played it north of the border, before linking it up. Be explained.

“They were too cowardly for that. I just thought they were big baccarat fans,” she laughs.

“Though I have to say the verses need a bit of work. Everyone knows all the words to the chorus, but when it comes to the verse it’s ‘mmmmmmmmm’.”

As for New Year’s resolutions, Ellis-Bextor believes in making jokes and managed to keep her 2024 pledge to “wear more kaftans”.

For 2025 he has challenged himself to buy more disco balls: “I only have one at home and I think it looks great,” he says, pointing to the stage and Britain’s biggest disco ball. Hoy says.

I hope the shiny ball is securely attached, because if it falls while it’s under it, the title of the song that replaces it in 2024 will be appropriate.

“When I die, it doesn’t matter, they’ll laugh,” she laughs. “The good news is I still love singing it. Imagine if I didn’t.” “What?”

Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s New Year’s Eve Disco is on BBC1 from 23:30, except in Scotland, where Hogmany coverage will include musical guests Marty Plow and folk band Skipinnish.