Take 5

Sophie Ellis-Bextor knows how to fill a dancefloor. Across 8 albums, and a double indemnity hit in "Murder on the Dancefloor", she's made a name for herself as a pop-disco queen. When she’s not on stage or in a recording studio, Sophie is throwing a kitchen disco, hosting her Spinning Plates podcast, and publishing books.
Sophie’s latest album Perimenopop takes stock of where she is today. The lessons learned, the way love evolves, and the place she finds herself. It's through-line is liberation, so I asked her to choose her favourite songs of freedom.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor's song choices:
Sylvester — 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)'
Madonna — 'Express Yourself'
George Michael — 'Freedom 90'
Sigrid — 'Mine Right Now'
Prince & the Revolution — 'Let's Go Crazy'
00:34 Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Musical Journey
02:15 Making new music 25 years after debut
04:55 Disco escapism and the queer community support
09:23 Sylvester – 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)'
06:23 Indie rock beginnings and Groovejet 
15:40 Obsession with Madonna and pleasure
13:39 Madonna – 'Express Yourself'
19:08 Is it better for women in pop music now?
22:37 Loving completely and opening for George Michael 
26:32 George Michael – 'Freedom! '90'
27:18 Writing new album and mid life
29:09 Sigrid – 'Mine Right Now'
29:50 Going through Murder on the Dancefloor resurgence 
34:06 The drama of Prince 
35:25 Prince & the Revolution – 'Let's Go Crazy'
38:11 Conclusion, Susan Rogers Prince story + next week's guest!
Show Notes
Check out the Take 5 episode with Prince's sound engineer Susan Rogers!

From bucket list guests to Australian rock royalty and a disco queen, find out who Zan will be Taking 5 with in 2026.

Zan lets you know what's in store for 2026...

It's been a stratospheric rise for comedian, Aaron Chen.
Getting his start in stand-up, he won a heap of fans starring in Fisk, and his charming stint on Taskmaster.
But at the top of his game, he left Australia to start again in New York City.
For his Take 5, Aaron shared one song from a pivotal time in his comedy career.
Arcade Fire – 'Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)'
This is one of the Best Bits from Take 5. 
You can hear the full episode here:
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/take-5/aaron-chen-take-5/105781008
Watch Take 5 on ABC iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe

If you grew up in Australia in the 1980s then you probably grew up with Young Talent Time.
It was a springboard for so much talent, and one of its biggest stars was Dannii Minogue.
For her Take 5, Dannii shared the one song she loves the most from her sister Kylie Minogue's epic catalogue.
Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue – ‘Kids’
This is one of the Best Bits from Take 5. 
You can hear the full episode here:
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/take-5/dannii-minogue-take-5-catalyst-songs/104419298
Watch Take 5 on ABC iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe