Sophie Ellis-Bextor Honors 2015 Paris Attack Victims Before Singing 'Murder on the Dancefloor' at Same Theater
Ellis-Bextor spoke about the tragedy at the Bataclan, where 90 people were killed in coordinated terrorist attacks at a concert, during her tour stop
Joe Maher/BAFTA/Getty
Sophie Ellis-Bextor performs "Murder on the Dance Floor" on stage during the EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall in February 2024 in London, EnglandSophie Ellis-Bextor delivered an important tribute at one of her recent shows.
On Tuesday, the British pop star, 44, honored victims of the 2015 Paris tragedy at the Bataclan — where 90 people were killed in coordinated terrorist attacks during an Eagles of Death Metal concert — during her tour stop at the same venue amid her European tour.
Ellis-Bextor spoke about the horrific events before performing her 2001 hit "Murder on the Dancefloor," which found a cultural resurgence after the release of Emerald Fennell's film Saltburn in November.
Joe Maher/BAFTA/Getty
Sophie Ellis-Bextor in London in February 2024“It didn’t feel right to me to just waltz into a song called ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ without noting and paying tribute to the history,” she said, according to SkyNews.
In fan-recorded footage of the performance, Ellis-Bextor continued, “All I want to say is that ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ is not a song with any evil in its heart."
She added: “The whole intention of that song, like this venue, is to bring joy and music onto the dancefloor. So in tribute to that spirit, and in tribute to everybody who has ever danced right here at the Bataclan, this is ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’.”
Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/Getty
Sophie Ellis-Bextor in Reading in July 2023Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor,” originally released on her 2001 debut solo album Read My Lips, has gone viral on TikTok and become somewhat of a pop culture phenomenon. (In the film, the tune plays for an extended period while star Barry Keoghan dances through the titular mansion in the nude.)
“Murder on the Dancefloor” received its most-ever streams in a single day on Spotify on New Year’s Eve heading into 2024, and it’s since appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time ever and returned to the U.K. Singles Chart.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Frazer Harrison/Gett
Sophie Ellis-Bextor in Los Angeles in November 2023Related: Sophie Ellis-Bextor Announces First-Ever U.S. Tour Following ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ Resurgence
The hitmaker has also performed the infectious dance-pop track on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and during the 2024 BAFTAs.
Upon the release of Saltburn, Ellis-Bextor told PEOPLE that she was somewhat surprised by how her song was used in the film, but pleased with the results. "Seeing it written down as a premise is different," she said. "I mean, Barry really went for it. And it's, like, the whole song!"
She added: "I didn't really know exactly how it would play in terms of the role it was in the movie until I saw it at the screening, but I absolutely loved. I think it's such a clever, funny, smart film. I really enjoyed it."
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
