Sophie Ellis-Bextor returns to Top Ten as she works with legendary songwriter to capitalise on career revival
SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR has been catapulted back into the charts after winning a new generation of fans — 22 years after her biggest hit Murder On The Dancefloor.
The single, which was first released in December 2001, bounced back into the Top Ten last night and is now at No8.
There are hopes it could rise further by next Friday’s charts.
The secret behind the song’s sudden resurgence is its inclusion in the final scene of hit Amazon film Saltburn, in which Irish actor Barry Keoghan dances naked to the track. Its rediscovery mimics the success of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill, which became a surprise hit in 2022 after featuring in a key scene during the Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things.
According to music video network Vevo, there has been a 541 per cent surge in views of the song’s video.
As well as Sophie’s renewed success in the UK, Murder On The Dancefloor could become her first US hit.
It has topped Spotify’s viral chart in the States but no one knew it there the first time around
Sophie said of attending the film’s LA premiere in November: “I did the red carpet and people were saying, ‘How did you come up with the idea of the song for the movie?’
“I was like, ‘You don’t understand, this is a really old song of mine having a new adventure’.
“It is a lovely thing to be a part of.”
Now Sophie is capitalising on her new, younger fan base by collaborating with two of the biggest names behind Noughties pop hits.
She has joined forces with songwriter Cathy Dennis — who wrote I Kissed A Girl for Katy Perry and Toxic for Britney Spears — as well as producer Richard X, who worked on hits for Sugababes, Will Young and Rachel Stevens.
During an appearance on ITV’s Lorraine yesterday, Sophie added: “I have been getting a lot of messages from people who weren’t actually born when it came out the first time.
“That is really lovely and very special.”
The song originally peaked at No2 in the early Noughties, being held off the top spot by Daniel Bedingfield’s Gotta Get Thru This.
Only time will tell if Sophie can go one better with the old track this time around.