Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Spark Is Charli XCX's Brat

Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Spark Is Charli XCX's Brat

Author: Adam Unze - Music & Film Interviews November 12, 2025 Duration: 29:24

Sophie Ellis-Bextor joins Adam to talk about her Spark: Charli XCX’s bold and boundary-pushing album Brat.


They share the story of how the album’s daring production and confessional lyrics sparked Sophie’s creative inspiration just before it exploded into the mainstream. From its genre-blurring sound to its cross-generational appeal, they explore how Brat embodies the fearless honesty and queer cultural vibrancy shaping today’s pop music landscape.


If you love innovative pop, authentic songwriting or insights into the evolving music industry, this episode is your gateway to a fascinating conversation.


What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • Sophie’s first encounter with Charli XCX’s Brat and family connections
  • How Brat’s bold, minimalistic sound challenged pop conventions
  • The importance of honesty and vulnerability in modern songwriting
  • Brat’s impact across different generations and queer communities
  • Sophie’s reflections on her own career reinvention and classic hits like “Murder on the Dancefloor”




The Spark Parade is a podcast that dives deep into the films and albums that have inspired today’s creative icons. Hosted by Adam Unze, each episode features a unique conversation with an artist about their chosen film or album, and how it sparked their artistic journey.


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For more info, visit: www.thesparkparade.com






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What single piece of art-an album, a film, a television show-fundamentally altered your creative path? That's the central question of The Spark Parade, a podcast hosted by Adam Unze. This isn't a standard interview format; it's a focused excavation of a singular, transformative work. Each conversation with an actor, musician, or cultural icon revolves entirely around that one catalytic piece of culture that ignited their journey. The discussion delves into the personal history and emotional resonance of the work, whether it's a cult classic or a mainstream hit, tracing how its influence continues to echo through their life and career. Listeners are invited into these intimate reflections, hearing stories from artists like Margaret Cho and Maya about the moments of inspiration that sparked everything. The podcast operates at the intersection of music, film, and personal narrative, offering a unique lens on the creative process. By concentrating on a single artifact, each episode provides a deep, nuanced portrait of both the artist and the art that made them. You'll come away from the podcast not just with a recommendation, but with an understanding of how art shapes identity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Spark Parade
Podcast Episodes
Jesse Boykins III's Spark Is The Fifth Element [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:38
Singer, songwriter and producer Jesse Boykins III was introduced to The Fifth Element by his college roommate (who happened to be Jonah Hill!). He was hooked on the film's style and storytelling from the first frame and…
Trinity the Tuck's Spark Is Death Becomes Her [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:56
Drag Race superstar Trinity the Tuck loves the bonkers campiness of the queer classic movie Death Becomes Her for lots of reasons; the deliciously over-the-top performances by Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, the iconic fas…
Dessa's Spark Is A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:14
Rapper, singer, and writer Dessa first came across Dave Eggers' memoir A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genious as a college student and was immediately drawn to its wild, vibrant prose. Eggers' frankness and honesty h…
Amanda Seales' Spark Is The Cosby Show [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:27
Comedian and actor Amanda Seales loved The Cosby Show as a child and it had a profound effect on the development of her own comedy. It taught her to bring a personal slant to her stand-up. It's also incredibly important…
Cold War Kids' Spark Is U2: From The Sky Down [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:56
Cold War Kids' Nathan Willett and Matt Maust are obsessed with all things U2, so it's no surprise that they love Davis Guggenheim's documentary about the making of one of the band's biggest albums, Achtung Baby. Seeing U…
Phoebe Robinson's Spark Is Sex And The City [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:51
Comedian, actress, and author Phoebe Robinson first saw Sex In The City as a college freshman and has binge-watched the whole series annually ever since. She loves the camaraderie between the four leads, the sex positivi…
Angie McMahon's Spark Is Fantastic Funghi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:26
Singer-songwriter Angie McMahon watched the mycelium-centered documentary Fantastic Fungi during the height of COVID and it radically changed how she sees the world. It brought the interconnectedness of the natural world…
Slayyyter's Spark Is Blue Velvet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:56
The first time she saw David Lynch's neo noir classic Blue Velvet, singer and songwriter Slayyyter was immediately drawn to its distinctive visual style. The saturated colors and dramatic lighting acted as a mood board f…

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