One of the biggest British pop artists to emerge in the 2000s, Sophie Ellis-Bextor soared to the top of the U.K. charts with her glossy, disco- and ’80s-synth-pop influenced dance sound. Initially gaining buzz as the lead singer of the Brit-pop band theaudience, Ellis-Bextor established herself as a pop diva with her chart-topping anthem “Murder on the Dancefloor,” which helped take her 2001 debut, Read My Lips, to number 2 on the U.K. Albums Chart. Recently, the song gained renewed popularity after appearing in 2023’s cult film Saltburn, surging on streaming platforms, rising on the U.K charts, and giving the singer her first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100.
Over the years, Ellis-Bextor has remained a chart favorite in the U.K. and Europe, hitting the top 20 with 2003’s Shoot from the Hip and 2011’s Trip the Light Fantastic, before rounding out her dance-pop period with 2011’s Make a Scene. While dance music remains core to her work, she has expanded her sound, collaborating on a series of folk and orchestral pop productions with Ed Harcourt, including 2014’s Wanderlust, 2016’s Familia, and 2023’s Hana.