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It may be more than two decades since Sophie Ellis-Bextor first burst onto the music scene, but she isn’t planning on slowing down any time soon — for starters, the place she once joked about being buried no longer exists. Inspired by the fact Bruce Forsyth’s ashes rest beneath the stage of the London Palladium, Ellis-Bextor once imagined hers might go under the old Topshop across the road — until it became an Ikea. That mix of dark humour and quick wit runs through everything she does. She’s the sort of artist who can deliver a perfect pop chorus and then start talking about séance folklore without missing a beat. Her latest album, Perimenopop, is a confident celebration of life’s middle chapters: bold, witty and defiantly glamorous. She calls it “the record I was meant to make”, a glitter-bright extension of the disco sound that has anchored her career. The title, a cheeky nod to the perimenopause, folds honesty into humour — proof that pop can age as gracefully, and playfully, as its maker. Five children and countless tours later, she insists her energy comes from joy rather than discipline. Music, travel and home life coexist because she genuinely loves them all. “If you like all the elements in your life, you can make time for them,” she says. “My love affair with music has never really diminished, and home life’s what gives me my sense, really.” On tour, Ellis-Bextor has a habit of uncovering the stranger side of every venue. She points out that the Royal Albert Hall once hosted an indoor marathon between a Frenchman and an Italian — one of whom had to drop out halfway through after developing terrible blisters — while Arthur Conan Doyle’s spirit was reportedly summoned there in front of 10,000 people. “I don’t believe in ghosts,” she says, “but walls hold stories.” Even offstage she’s not one for stillness. Her husband and bandmate Richard Jones doubles as “official cocktail maker” once the encore’s done — a small ritual that marks another night survived, another city conquered. That fondness for a well-made espresso martini has even followed her into her latest collaboration with Tia Maria, fronting its Shake Up The Taste campaign. The initiative celebrates the drink’s original 1980s recipe and offers consumers the chance to win one of 500 limited edition cocktail shakers — a fitting nod for someone who’s long toasted tour endings with the same mix. With age, she says, has come perspective. “I think I’ve got a better relationship now with welcoming people into the things that make my heart happy,” she reflects. “That’s part of growing up. You stop worrying so much about what other people might think.” She’s earned that ease. This year alone has seen her play landmark venues across Europe, perform a triumphant show at the Royal Albert Hall and prepare for a Day of the Dead party in Mexico City — a suitably theatrical setting for someone who loves a costume change. “It’s going to be something we’ve never done before — a proper dress up party on an old film lot. I always dress up for gigs anyway, so I might as well make it spooky.” After months on the road, the Murder On The Dancefloor hit-maker finally sounds ready to take a breath. “It’s been such a big year,” she says. “I just want to enjoy it.” Contentment might not sound rock’n’roll, but for Sophie Ellis-Bextor it’s its own quiet rebellion — proof that humour, self-awareness and a little glamour still go a very long way. Sophie Ellis-Bextor is partnering with Tia Maria, available in stores nationwide. For the perfect Espresso Martini recipe, go to www.TiaMaria.com/#espresso-martini
