Latitude: Sophie Ellis-Bextor on the perfect festival set

When Sophie Ellis-Bextor takes the stage at the Latitude festival in Suffolk this weekend, there’s a good chance she may not focus on her new album, Hana.

A similar scenario occurred at Glastonbury last month, even though the album was sitting comfortably in the Top 10 of the UK album charts. Instead of showcasing new material, Sophie combined her popular hits like “Murder On The Dancefloor” with covers of songs by Madonna and Moloko, aiming to create a lively and enjoyable party set for the Sunday afternoon crowd.

Sophie acknowledges that festival audiences should be treated differently from dedicated fans, understanding that they may not be as familiar with her new work. Drawing from her own experiences as a music fan attending festivals, she aims to connect with the audience and make them feel like she is in it together with them. With over 500 gigs under her belt, including countless festival appearances and a stadium tour with Westlife, Sophie’s approach to playing big venues has evolved. She now focuses on connecting with individual audience members rather than seeing them as a massive, anonymous crowd.

Despite performing her signature song, “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love),” numerous times over the years, Sophie still enjoys singing it and appreciates the long-term relationship she has with her fans. She looks forward to performing it each time, relishing the passage of time and the continued connection with her audience.

While at the Latitude festival, Sophie will be joined by headliners Pulp, George Ezra, and Paolo Nutini, among others. Fans who want to experience her new album live will have the opportunity to do so during her headline tour in November. Hana, her latest album, was inspired by a family trip to Japan just before the first Covid lockdown in March 2020. The album, which carries a wistful and romantic theme, includes the atmospheric opener “A Thousand Orchids” and the soaring single “Breaking The Circle.”

Amidst rumors that she might represent the UK at next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, Sophie has denied the speculation, stating that, although she adores Eurovision, she feels it would be a gamble at this point in her career. Instead, she expresses her interest in writing a song for the contest.