Sophie Luise Elisabeth Muller (born 31 January 1962) is an English music video director who has directed over 300 music videos. She won a Grammy Award for Annie Lennox's 1992 Diva video album, and an MTV Video Music Award for Lennox's song "Why" from the same album. In 1993, she received a BRIT Award for "Stay" by Shakespears Sister. She won another MTV Award in 1997 for "Don't Speak" by No Doubt. Muller is a longtime collaborator of Sade, Annie Lennox, Gwen Stefani, Kylie Minogue, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Garbage and Shakespears Sister.
Muller has also photographed still campaigns and cover art for albums, and provided photographs and art direction for concert tours, concert films, and commercials.
Background Muller was born in London but spent her early years living in the Isle of Man. After leaving secondary education, she returned to London to attend Central St Martins, studying graphics and gaining a Foundation Diploma in Art. She befriended Sade there; the two later worked together.
Following her graduation, Muller went to the Royal College of Art to study for her Masters in Film and Television, where she made "Interlude" and "In Excelsis Deo" (In Adoration of God). The latter won the J. Walter Thompson Prize for creativity.
Her trademark style of a singer or a band inside a dim room started with "I Need a Man" by Eurythmics, shot in 1987.
Career Muller's first taste of professional film came working as a third assistant on the 1984 horror/thriller Company of Wolves. She then went on to work for International Film and Video, honoring her for her editing, producing, and directing skills.
Muller's goal was to become a successful director in her own right, and her big break came through a chance meeting with John Stewart (brother of Eurythmics' Dave Stewart) and Billy Poveda of Oil Factory, an established film production company.
She has directed over three hundred music videos and has been a longtime collaborator with Sophie Ellis-Bextor, No Doubt, Shakespears Sister, Garbage, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics. Her work with Annie Lennox won her a Grammy for the Diva video album. She also picked up an MTV Video Music Award for Lennox's 1992 hit "Why", and was also Grammy nominated for the Eurythmics' 1987 Savage video album. In total, Muller has directed over twenty videos for Lennox and Eurythmics and has a longstanding collaboration with producers Rob Small (UK) and Grant Jue (US).
The video she directed for "Stay" by Shakespears Sister was spoofed by many British comedians at the time, including French & Saunders and Mr. Blobby, and won the BRIT Award and The Music Week Award for Best Video at both of the ceremonies' 1993 Awards.
She has directed fifteen videos for Sophie Ellis-Bextor, including "Take Me Home", "Murder on the Dancefloor", "Catch You", two versions of "Music Gets the Best of Me" and "Love Is a Camera".
Muller directed nine videos for No Doubt as well as nine solo videos for Gwen Stefani. When No Doubt's "Don't Speak" won the award for Best Group Video at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, Stefani thanked her extensively, saying "I'd like to say that Sophie Muller is a genius." Stefani has also stated,
The artwork for The Jesus and Mary Chain's 1994 album, Stoned & Dethroned, and the singles accompanying it, is composed entirely of stills from the video to the group's song "Sometimes Always", which was directed by Muller. She also directed the video for "Come On", which also appears on the album.
Muller states that her only ambition is to continue directing to her own high standards and to never grow bored. In 2004, she directed the socially aware video for Sarah McLachlan's "World on Fire", where all but $15 of the entire $150,000 video budget was donated to charities. Recently, she has directed videos for Brandon Flowers, Kings of Leon, Mae Muller, Mika, Tom Odell, Shakira, and the critically acclaimed video for the Dixie Chicks, "Not Ready to Make Nice".
Videography
1980s 1982 Eurythmics – "The Walk" (editing)
1987 Eurythmics – "Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)" Eurythmics – "I Need a Man"
1988 Eurythmics – "You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart" Eurythmics – "Brand New Day" Eurythmics – "Do You Want to Break Up?" Eurythmics – "Heaven" Eurythmics – "I Need You" Eurythmics – "Put the Blame on Me" Eurythmics – "Savage" Eurythmics – "Wide Eyed Girl" Sade – "Nothing Can Come Between Us" Sade – "Turn My Back on You" Sade – "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" Shakespears Sister – "Break My Heart" Shakespears Sister – "Heroine" Annie Lennox featuring Al Green – "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"
1989 Shakespears Sister – "You're History" Shakespears Sister – "Run Silent" Sarah Brightman – "Anything but Lonely" Pleasure – "Pain" Eurythmics – "Don't Ask Me Why"
1990s 1990 Eurythmics – "Angel" Julia Fordham – "Lock and Key" Sinéad O'Connor – "The Emperor's New Clothes"
1991 Nanci Griffith – "Late Night Grande Hotel" World Party – "Thank You World" Curve – "Coast Is Clear" Shakespears Sister – "Goodbye Cruel World"
1992 Annie Lennox – "Why" Annie Lennox – "Precious" Annie Lennox – "Cold" Annie Lennox – "Money Can't Buy It" Annie Lennox – "Legend in My Living Room" Annie Lennox – "The Gift" Annie Lennox – "Primitive" Annie Lennox – "Keep Young and Beautiful" Annie Lennox – "Walking on Broken Glass" Annie Lennox – "Love Song for a Vampire" Annie Lennox – "Little Bird" Shakespears Sister – "Stay" Shakespears Sister – "I Don't Care" Shakespears Sister – "Hello (Turn Your Radio On)" Vegas – "Possessed" Sade – "No Ordinary Love" Curve – "Fait Accompli" Aaron Neville – "Somewhere, Somebody"
1993 Björk – "Venus as a Boy"
1994 Hole – "Miss World" The Jesus and Mary Chain featuring Hope Sandoval – "Sometimes Always" The Jesus and Mary Chain – "Come On" Sparks – "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'"
1995 Come – "Cimarron" Sophie B. Hawkins – "As I Lay Me Down" Sparks – "When I Kiss You (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing)" The Stone Roses – "Ten Storey Love Song" Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories – "Do You Sleep?" Jeff Buckley – "So Real" Weezer – "Say It Ain't So"
1996 The Cure – "The 13th" Kè – "Strange World" Gary Barlow – "Forever Love" Shakespears Sister – "I Can Drive" Johnny Bravo – "Used To Be Cool" No Doubt – "Don't Speak" No Doubt – "Excuse Me Mr." No Doubt – "Sunday Morning" The Lightning Seeds – "What If..."
1997 Blur – "Beetlebum" Blur – "Song 2" Blur – "On Your Own" Maxwell – "Whenever, Wherever, Whatever" Curve – "Chinese Burn" David Arnold and David McAlmont –"Diamonds Are Forever" No Doubt – "Live in the Tragic Kingdom" No Doubt – "Oi to the World!"
1998 James Iha – "Be Strong Now" Maxwell – "Luxury: Cococure" Sparklehorse – "Pig" Sparklehorse – "Sick Of Goodbyes" Remy Zero – "Gramarye" Garbage – "When I Grow Up" (live version) Garbage – "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing" Rufus Wainwright – "April Fools"
1999 Blur – "Tender" (Unreleased) Sinéad O'Connor – "Chiquitita" Natalie Merchant featuring N'Dea Davenport – "Break Your Heart" Sparklehorse – "Pig" Manic Street Preachers – "You Stole the Sun from My Heart" Garbage – "When I Grow Up" (U.S. version) Semisonic – "Secret Smile" The Cardigans – "Hanging Around" Sarah McLachlan – "Possession" (American version) Sarah McLachlan – "I Will Remember You" Emilíana Torrini – "To Be Free" Beth Orton – "Central Reservation" Sarah McLachlan – "Ice Cream" Supergrass – "Mary"
2000s 2000 No Doubt – "Simple Kind of Life" Ute Lemper – "The Case Continues" Doves – "Catch the Sun" Bentley Rhythm Ace – "How'd I Do Dat???" Alisha's Attic – "Push It All Aside" Alisha's Attic – "Pretender Got My Heart" JJ72 – "Oxygen" PJ Harvey – "Good Fortune" No Doubt – "Bathwater" Sade – "By Your Side" Coldplay – "Trouble" (U.K. Version) Jamelia – "Boy Next Door"
2001 Turin Brakes – "The Door" Sade – "King of Sorrow" Turin Brakes – "Underdog (Save Me)" PJ Harvey – "A Place Called Home" Nelly Furtado – "Turn Off the Light" Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "Take Me Home" PJ Harvey – "This Is Love" Radiohead – "I Might Be Wrong" Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "Murder on the Dancefloor"
2002 Amy Studt – "Just a Little Girl" Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "Move This Mountain" Sugababes – "Freak like Me" Coldplay – "In My Place" The Beu Sisters – "I Was Only 17" Sparta – "Cut Your Ribbon" Pink – "Family Portrait" No Doubt featuring Lady Saw – "Underneath It All" Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "Music Gets the Best of Me" (Day version) Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "Music Gets the Best of Me" (Night version)
2003 Amy Studt – "Misfit" Nickel Creek – "Speak" Dolly Parton – "I'm Gone" Dido – "Life for Rent" Pink – "Trouble" The Raveonettes – "That Great Love Sound" Katy Rose – "Overdrive" Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "I Won't Change You" [co-produced] No Doubt – "Rock Steady Live"
2004 Dixie Chicks – "Top of the World" The Killers – "Mr. Brightside" Sixpence None the Richer – "Don't Dream It's Over" Maroon 5 – "This Love" Maroon 5 – "She Will Be Loved" Nelly Furtado – "Try" Mindy Smith – "Come to Jesus" Sarah McLachlan – "World on Fire" Sarah McLachlan – "Stupid" The Strokes – "The End Has No End" Natasha Bedingfield – "These Words" (UK version) Vanessa Carlton – "White Houses" Loretta Lynn featuring Jack White – "Portland, Oregon"
2005 KT Tunstall – "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" Garbage – "Why Do You Love Me" Garbage – "Bleed Like Me" Garbage – "Sex Is Not the Enemy" Garbage – "Run Baby Run" Gwen Stefani – "Cool" Coldplay – "Fix You" Faith Hill featuring Tim McGraw – "Like We Never Loved at All" Gwen Stefani – "Luxurious"
2006 Gwen Stefani – "Crash" Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean – "Hips Don't Lie" Dixie Chicks – "Not Ready to Make Nice" She Wants Revenge – "These Things" Faith Hill – "Stealing Kisses" Lily Allen – "Smile" Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z – "Deja Vu" Beyoncé – "Ring the Alarm" The Raconteurs – "Level" Gwen Stefani – "Harajuku Lovers Live" Gwen Stefani – "Wind It Up" Siobhán Donaghy – "Don't Give It Up"
2007 Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "Catch You" Mika – "Grace Kelly" Mika – "Grace Kelly" (extended version) Gwen Stefani – "4 in the Morning" Mika – "Love Today" Rufus Wainwright – "Going to a Town" Garbage – "Tell Me Where It Hurts" Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "Today the Sun's on Us" Maroon 5 – "Won't Go Home Without You" Gwen Stefani – "Early Winter"
2008 The Kills – "U.R.A. Fever" The Kills – "Cheap and Cheerful" The Kills – "Last Day of Magic" Leona Lewis – "Better in Time" Leona Lewis – "Footprints in the Sand" The Ting Tings – "That's Not My Name" Gavin Rossdale – "Love Remains The Same" Kings of Leon – "Sex on Fire" Cold War Kids – "Something Is Not Right with Me" Duffy – "Stepping Stone" Sarah McLachlan – "U Want Me 2" Duffy – "Rain on Your Parade" Kings of Leon – "Use Somebody"
2009 Paloma Faith – "Stone Cold Sober" Beyoncé – "Broken-Hearted Girl" Shakira – "Did It Again (Normal Version and feat. Kid Cudi)" / Lo Hecho Está Hecho No Doubt (as "Snowed Out" on Gossip Girl) – "Stand and Deliver" Pink – "I Don't Believe You" Shakira – "Give It Up to Me" Broken Bells – "The High Road"
2010s 2010 Sade – "Soldier of Love" Sade – "Babyfather" Armin van Buuren vs. Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "Not Giving Up on Love" Cheryl Cole – "Promise This" Cheryl Cole – "The Flood" Brandon Flowers – "Only The Young" Kings of Leon – "Radioactive"
2011 The Kills – "Satellite" Ellie Goulding – "Lights" Noah and the Whale – "L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N." Birdy – "Skinny Love" Sade – "Love Is Found"
2012 Alicia Keys – "Girl on Fire" No Doubt – "Settle Down" Beyoncé – "I Was Here" No Doubt – "Push and Shove" Labrinth featuring Emeli Sandé – "Beneath Your Beautiful"
2013 Rihanna – "Stay" Tom Odell – "Hold Me" Garbage and Screaming Females – "Because the Night" Lana Del Rey – "Young and Beautiful" (with Chris Sweeney) Pink featuring Lily Allen – "True Love" Birdy – "Wings" Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "Wanderlust" (Album Trailer) Sophie Ellis-Bextor – "Young Blood" John Mayer featuring Katy Perry – "Who You Love" Robin Thicke – "Feel Good" Katy B – "Crying for No Reason (with Ross McDowell)"
2014