Today, Sophie Ellis-Bextor shares the entertaining and dazzling video for her new single, the glorious and magical disco-pop anthem “Freedom of the Night,” which celebrates one of the most iconic videos of the noughties “Murder on the Dancefloor”
An energetic, fun, and glitteringly catchy track, the new single “Freedom of the Night” sees Sophie enter a new era with a confident return to her iconic and esteemed disco-pop sound. The video, filmed at London’s Rivoli Ballroom by long standing collaborator and friend Sophie Muller, is set within a dance gala and hints at nostalgia whilst being fresh, exciting, and joyful.
The video nods to the renowned “Murder on the Dancefloor” video, also directed by award-winning Sophie Muller, which sees Sophie use underhand tactics to win a dance competition, connecting to the dark undertones in the joyful disco-pop song. Set at the “Freedom of the Night” dance gala, the video sees Sophie now play the role of a competitive Mum, fiercely pushing for her fictional daughter to win the dance competition (spoiler: she does). With choreography from Polly Bennett, who choreographed the final dance scene in Saltburn, we see Sophie showcase her own captivating solo dance routine alongside a cameo from one of the Strictly Come Dancing professional dancers as a fellow “dance Mum”.
Sophie says, “We thought it would be really fun to continue the story from the ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ video. I am the same cunning person from the video who is trying to win, but this time I’m grown up and it’s my fictional daughter who is participating in the dance competition! See if you can spot some of the links between this and the ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ video.”
Sophie has also announced her biggest ever UK headline tour in May and June 2025, including a headline show at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Kicking off in Glasgow on May 24th and taking in 15-cities in total including Manchester, Newcastle, Cardiff, and Bristol, the tour culminates at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London. See the full list of upcoming tour dates HERE.
She says, “This year has been full of amazing tour dates around the world, and it has been so much fun. I absolutely love performing live, but it’s always an extra treat to be able to tour at home, and I can’t wait to play my biggest dates in the UK yet next May and June. It will be wonderful to bring the disco fun to everyone! Headlining The Royal Albert Hall in London is a bit of a dream, and it’s going to be very special.”
With an impressive musical career that spans over an amazing 25 years, Sophie has achieved five top 10 albums and eight top 10 singles. With hits including “Murder on the Dancefloor,” “Take Me Home,” “Get Over You,” “Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer),” and many more, “Freedom of the Night” is the beginning of a return to Sophie’s distinctive sound, embracing her musical roots across pop, disco, and dance. Working with both classic and new collaborators, the track sees Sophie back together with Biff Stannard (Kylie Minogue, JADE), Duck Blackwell, and Shura and collaborating with Chris Greatti (Willow Smith, The Dare) and David Wrench (Jamie xx, Hot Chip), alongside additional production from her husband and The Feeling bassist Richard Jones.
Most recently, after featuring in the epic final scene of Emerald Fennell’s film Saltburn, Sophie’s beloved 2001 hit “Murder on the Dancefloor” saw a huge resurgence, garnering a Platinum Certification in the US and 2x BRIT Platinum in the UK, climbing to #2 on the Official UK Singles Chart, #51 on the Billboard Hot 100, #10 on Billboard Global 200 Chart, Top 5 on Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Chart, and #1 on the Spotify Viral 100 Chart, and amassing over 11 billion global streams. Earlier this year, Sophie made her U.S. late night television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, performing “Murder on the Dancefloor” backed by The Roots and a three piece string section—watch HERE. She also delivered a stunning performance of the song at the 2024 BAFTA Awards—watch HERE.
Sophie has recently toured sold-out headline shows across Europe and North America, supported Nile Rodgers & CHIC, and also performed at festivals across the world, including performing with Peggy Gou during her set at Glastonbury, which followed her own set on the Pyramid Stage in 2023. Up next, she will be returning to the U.S. for three more North American shows in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Atlanta in November, then supporting Take That in Australia in November and The Human League across the UK in December, before embarking on her 2025 headline tour in May and June.
UPCOMING NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES:
November 12th Fort Lauderdale, FL The Parker
November 13th Orlando, FL The Plaza Live
November 14th Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre
https://sophieellisbextor.net/
