Sophie Ellis-Bextor credits her LGBTQ+ fans for making her feel 'safe on stage'

When she took the stage during OUTLOUD at WeHo Pride on Saturday (June 1), Sophie Ellis-Bextor certainly didn't kill the groove.

In an interview with Billboard News Ahead of her set, the 'Murder on the Dancefloor' singer opened up about her love of Pride events, saying she was honored to be included among artists such as Kylie Minogue, Janelle Monáe and many more.

“It's a very inclusive, supportive, warm audience,” he says. “I know we talk so much about being your authentic self that we don't think about what that means. But really, being able to be comfortable in your own skin is one of the greatest things you can do for someone… I think the fact that you get that in a very pure form at events like Pride is just a really happy thing.” .

The singer added that after the shutdowns caused by COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, Pride events have been “particularly emotional” in recent years. “I know how important this family is to the community. So the fact that people might have been at home and not been able to see their friends was a really significant loss,” he says.” When we were all together and looking at this sea of ​​very young faces, it made me feel quite emotional.”

Ellis-Bextor said she can trace her journey as an artist through the various Pride events she's played in her career. “I can credit almost everything about how I perform to my relationship with my LGBTQ+ audience,” she says. “Because it was those performances that I did that really crystallized and helped me feel safe on stage, excited and relaxed. My lack of suspension is entirely down to them.”

The singer has already had a huge 2024, thanks to the revival of “Murder on the Dancefloor” after the song appeared in Emerald Fennell's 2023 thriller. Saltburn. Climbing to No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 more than 20 years after its original release, Ellis-Bextor says she's grateful to be seen by a whole new audience as a result.

“The whole reason I'm here in Los Angeles today is because of what happened with 'Murder' and Saltburn, because that gave me the opportunity to tour here. It was amazing,” he says. “There will be some young people who will only remember me as the lady from 'Murder on the Dancefloor' — but to be honest, that's perfectly fine with me.”

Watch Sophie Ellis-Bextor's full interview with Billboard News over.