Sophie Ellis Bextor, theaudience's teen-sensation frontwoman, on perfection, petulance and being bored.
How was recording the album?
I don't really like recording that much, so I don't hang about. But it's great hearing the songs exactly as you'd envisaged. Some of the ballads, I really never imagined would sound this great. 'Mr Doasyouwouldbedoneby' just sounds perfect to me.
You realise you sing with extreme confidence?
That's just how it comes out. I tend to sound like I'm cross, but that's because I haven't got a long attention span. I do it in a petulant way because I just want to get on. I get nervous when I sing live, which people say is good but I hate. People also say they like our shows best when I'm bored. When I'm actually excited, they don't enjoy it as much.
A lot of the album seems to be about being young, in a pop band, wanting to be famous. Is there a concept at work?
There's no plan. It just happens that way, organically. Billy wrote most of the lyrics with me in mind and I vetted them - so they fit for both of us. I can easily identify with them. They're about falling in love with the idea of glamour and fame, getting away from mundanity. That's why we're all in the band.
Is this pop stuff a viable alternative to higher education?
Well, for someone as lazy as me, it's brilliant. I actually have a place to do a degree in English and Drama at Queen Mary Westfield, but I'll have to tell them I'm not coming - I've got an album to promote! If I went, I'd only be biding my time before getting into a position where I didn't have to do a proper job, anyway. So if I can bypass that, then fine.
So, are you ready to be a glam icon?
Oh yes, that would be good, thank you very much!
Sep 1998 | Select Magazine
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