Sugababes UK Tour
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Sugababes are a British
girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
composed of
Mutya Buena Rosa Isabel Mutya Buena (born 21 May 1985) is an English singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a member of girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buena had four UK number one singles, an additional six top-ten hits and three multi-pl ...
, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhán Donaghy. The lineup changed three times before returning to the original lineup in 2011. Formed in 1998 by All Saints manager Ron Tom, Sugababes released their debut album '' One Touch'' through
London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...
in November 2000, which achieved moderate success and produced the top-ten single " Overload". In 2001, Donaghy departed the group and was replaced by Heidi Range. With Range's introduction, the group experienced a higher level of commercial success and went on to release three
multi-platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
albums: '' Angels with Dirty Faces'' (2002), '' Three'' (2003) and '' Taller in More Ways'' (2005). In December 2005, Buena left the group and was replaced by Amelle Berrabah. Following the release of their first greatest hits album, the new line-up released two further studio albums: '' Change'' (2007) and '' Catfights and Spotlights'' (2008). In September 2009, after 11 years in Sugababes, Buchanan, the final original member, was replaced by Jade Ewen. Range, Berrabah and Ewen released the group's seventh studio album, '' Sweet 7'' (2010), after which they signed to
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
, before taking an indefinite hiatus in 2011. That year, the original lineup reformed as Mutya Keisha Siobhan and released the single "
Flatline A flatline is an electrical time sequence measurement that shows no activity and therefore, when represented, shows a flat line instead of a moving one. It almost always refers to either a flatlined electrocardiogram, where the heart shows no el ...
". The trio regained the name Sugababes in 2019, and recorded a rendition of the song "
Flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
" with DJ Spoony. In 2021, the Sugababes re-released their debut album ''One Touch'' in honor of the album's 20th anniversary, with plans for new music. In 2022, they appeared at various festivals before embarking on a headline tour and released '' The Lost Tapes'', an album consisting of previously unreleased material. Sugababes have achieved six number-one singles: " Freak like Me", "
Round Round "Round Round" is a song performed by British girl group Sugababes. It was written by group members Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena, and Heidi Range, as well as Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Nick Coler, and Lisa Cowling. Produced by ...
", "
Hole in the Head "Hole in the Head" is a song performed by British girl group Sugababes, released on 13 October 2003 as the lead single from their third studio album, ''Three (Sugababes album), Three''. It was written by Brian Higgins (producer), Brian Higgins, ...
", " Push the Button", " Walk This Way" and "
About You Now "About You Now" is a song by British girl group Sugababes from their fifth studio album, ''Change'' (2007). Written and produced by Dr. Luke along with Cathy Dennis and Steven Wolf, it was released on 24 September 2007 by Island Records as the ...
"; the
Spice Girls The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Vict ...
are the only British girl group to have had more. They have also released five UK top ten albums, four of which were certified Platinum in the UK, and have been nominated for six Brit Awards, winning for Best British Dance Act in 2003. They have been a long-term fixture in the British tabloids due to their several line-up changes and alleged group infighting.


History


1998–2001: ''One Touch'' and Donaghy's departure

Sugababes were formed in 1998 by All Saints manager Ron Tom and Sarah Stennett, and
First Access Entertainment FAE grp (also known as First Access Entertainment Group) is an entertainment company founded by Sarah Stennett and owner of Access Industries and Len Blavatnik, with offices in London, New York City and Los Angeles. It launched in 2015 and is t ...
. Siobhán Donaghy and
Mutya Buena Rosa Isabel Mutya Buena (born 21 May 1985) is an English singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a member of girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buena had four UK number one singles, an additional six top-ten hits and three multi-pl ...
, both aged just 13, had been signed as solo artists, but decided to work together after performing at the same showcase. While working in the studio, Buena invited her best friend Keisha Buchanan to watch them. Manager Ron Tom decided the three girls were to be a trio, likening their different appearances to the
United Colors of Benetton Benetton Group S.r.l. () is a global fashion brand based in Ponzano Veneto, Italy, founded in 1965. Benetton Group has a network of about 5,000 stores worldwide. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Benetton family's holding company Edizio ...
campaign. Originally dubbed ''the Sugababies'', the group's name was tweaked to ''Sugababes'' when they were signed by
London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...
to give the group a more mature image. The group's debut single, " Overload", peaked at number 6 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
in 2000 and was nominated for a BRIT Award for Best Single. The group co-wrote most of the tracks on debut album ''One Touch'' with the help of All Saints producer Cameron McVey. '' One Touch'' peaked at number 26 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
. The album produced three more top 40 hits—"
New Year New Year is the time or day currently at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count increments by one. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner. In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system to ...
", "
Run for Cover Run for Cover Records is an American independent record label based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 2004 by Jeff Casazza at the age of 17 with a $1,000 loan, the label functioned as a small one-person bedroom operation in Brighton, until Casa ...
" and "
Soul Sound "Soul Sound" is a song by British girl group Sugababes from their debut studio album '' One Touch'' (2000). It was written by Charlotte Gordon Cumming during a trip to Kenya, Africa, where she was inspired to compose it based on her experiences ...
". The sales of ''One Touch'' did not meet
London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...
' expectations, and they dropped the group in 2001. It was later certified Gold by the BPI and had sold 220,000 copies in the UK by 2008 according to ''
Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...
''.Music Week, 1 November 2008; CHARTS ANALYSIS: AC/DC don't mind the gap after twenty eight years. Alan Jones. Pg. 37 During a Japanese promotional tour in August 2001, Donaghy left the group. She stated initially that she wanted to pursue a fashion career, but was eventually diagnosed with clinical depression amid reports of in-fighting amongst the group's members. Donaghy later stated that she was forced out of the group by Buchanan and called Buchanan the "first bully" in her life. Former Atomic Kitten member Heidi Range replaced Donaghy.


2002–2004: ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' and ''Three''

Having already started work on a second album with new member Range, the trio looked for a new record label, eventually signing to
Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...
. Their first single on the new label, " Freak like Me" scored the group their first UK number 1 single. Follow-up single "
Round Round "Round Round" is a song performed by British girl group Sugababes. It was written by group members Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena, and Heidi Range, as well as Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Nick Coler, and Lisa Cowling. Produced by ...
" also debuted on top of the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and peaked at number 2 in Ireland, the Netherlands and New Zealand. Both singles were certified silver by the BPI. On the back of the success of the singles, the group's second album, '' Angels with Dirty Faces'', debuted at number 2 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
and was later certified triple Platinum, selling almost a million copies in the UK alone. It is to date their highest-selling album. In the UK, the third single from the album, a ballad titled " Stronger", gained the girls their third consecutive top ten hit in their native country. The track was released as a double-A side with " Angels with Dirty Faces" in the UK, the latter song chosen as the theme tune to '' The Powerpuff Girls Movie''. A fourth single, the
Sting Sting may refer to: * Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger * Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself Fictional characters and entities * Sting (Middle-eart ...
-sampling "
Shape A shape or figure is a graphics, graphical representation of an object or its external boundary, outline, or external Surface (mathematics), surface, as opposed to other properties such as color, Surface texture, texture, or material type. A pl ...
", made the top ten in the Netherlands and Ireland in early 2003. The group's third album, '' Three'', was released in late 2003 and reached number 3 on the UK Albums Chart, earning the group a BRIT Award nomination for Best Album. Certified double Platinum, it has sold 855,000 copies to date. The album was preceded by lead single "
Hole in the Head "Hole in the Head" is a song performed by British girl group Sugababes, released on 13 October 2003 as the lead single from their third studio album, ''Three (Sugababes album), Three''. It was written by Brian Higgins (producer), Brian Higgins, ...
", which became the group's third UK number 1 single. It also reached number 2 in Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway, and became the Sugababes' first (and to date only) single to chart in the United States, reaching number 96 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Follow-up single "
Too Lost in You "Too Lost in You" is a song by English girl group Sugababes from their third studio album, ''Three'' (2003). It was written by American songwriter Diane Warren as an English rendition of the song "Quand j'ai peur de tout" ("When I'm Afraid of Ev ...
" appeared on the soundtrack to the film ''
Love Actually ''Love Actually'' is a 2003 Christmas romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. It features an ensemble cast, composed predominantly of British actors, many of whom had worked with Curtis in previous film and television proje ...
'' and went top ten in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK. The album's third single, " In the Middle", was released in 2004 and garnered the group another BRIT Award nomination for Best Single; like its successor, the ballad "
Caught in a Moment "Caught in a Moment" is a song by English girl group Sugababes from their third studio album ''Three'' (2003). It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 August 2004 as the album's fourth and final single. The song was written by the group's ...
", it went to number 8 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2004, the trio sang on the
Band Aid 20 Band Aid 20 was the 2004 incarnation of the charity supergroup Band Aid. The group, which included Daniel Bedingfield, Dido, Justin Hawkins of The Darkness, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Bono of U2, an ...
remake of "
Do They Know It's Christmas? "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a charity song written in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. It was first recorded by Band Aid, a supergroup assembled by Geldof and Ure consisting of pop ...
", which went to number 1 in the UK in December. Around this time, the group's perceived "moodiness", alleged backstage catfights, and press junket tantrums were tabloid fodder in Britain. They were surrounded by continuous rumours of in-fighting within the group and constant split reports. Rumours suggested that Buchanan and Buena had bullied Range, although Range herself repeatedly denied such allegations; Buena later admitted that she did not speak to Range when she first joined. According to Buchanan, there was only one serious fallout between herself and Range during a 2004 gig in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
, a disagreement around
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
's song "
Toxic Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subst ...
".


2005–2006: ''Taller in More Ways'', Buena's departure, and compilation

After a hiatus, during which Buena gave birth to her daughter Thalia, the Sugababes released their thirteenth single, " Push the Button" in October 2005. The song debuted at number 1 in the UK and remained in the position for three consecutive weeks. It also peaked at number one in Ireland, Austria and New Zealand, and reached the top three across Europe and in Australia. Certified silver in the UK, it was later nominated at the BRIT Awards for Best Single. Parent album '' Taller in More Ways'' became the group's first UK number 1 album. The group was number 1 on the singles, album, airplay and download charts simultaneously, making them the first girl group to achieve such a feat. ''Taller in More Ways'' was certified double Platinum in the UK. Following an apparent illness that prevented her from promoting follow-up single "
Ugly Ugly may refer to: * Ugliness, a property of a person or thing that is unpleasant to look at, listen to or contemplate Music Albums * ''Ugly'' (Life of Agony album), 1995 * ''Ugly'' (Screaming Females album), 2012 Songs * "Ugly" (Bubb ...
", Buena left the Sugababes on 21 December 2005. Buena later stated in an interview that she was suffering from postnatal depression after the birth of her daughter combined with the group's increasingly hectic schedules, and chose to leave to spend more time with her daughter. Amelle Berrabah joined the Sugababes in late December 2005, having been chosen by the group's management to replace Buena. The third single from ''Taller in More Ways'' was a re-recorded version of " Red Dress", which was released in early 2006, and gave the Sugababes their third consecutive top five hit from the album, entering the UK Singles Chart at number 4. Berrabah re-recorded three of the album's twelve tracks and co-wrote a new song with Buchanan and Range named "Now You're Gone". The tracks appeared on a re-release of ''Taller in More Ways'' that reached number 18 on the UK Albums Chart. The fourth and final single from ''Taller in More Ways'' was " Follow Me Home", released only in the UK in June, where it charted at number 32. In mid-2006, the group returned to the studio to record two new tracks for their first greatest hits collection, titled '' Overloaded: The Singles Collection''. The lead single from the compilation, " Easy" peaked at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart, whilst the compilation album, released in November 2006, peaked at number 3. The album, certified Platinum by the BPI, has sold 598,000 copies. During this time, the group had also announced that they had begun work on their then-untitled fifth studio album.


2007–2008: ''Change'' and ''Catfights and Spotlights''

In March 2007, the Sugababes collaborated with fellow British girl group Girls Aloud for their eighteenth single, a cover of the song " Walk This Way" by
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...
. The track was released as the official single for '' Comic Relief''. "Walk This Way" became the group's fifth UK number one single. Following their Greatest Hits Tour, the Sugababes returned to the recording studio in mid-2007 to continue working on '' Change'', their fifth studio album, and the first to feature Berrabah on all tracks. "
About You Now "About You Now" is a song by British girl group Sugababes from their fifth studio album, ''Change'' (2007). Written and produced by Dr. Luke along with Cathy Dennis and Steven Wolf, it was released on 24 September 2007 by Island Records as the ...
" was released as the album's lead single in September 2007. Upon release, the song became the group's sixth UK number one hit and first Hungarian chart-topper. It remained atop the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. "About You Now" was nominated for a 2008 BRIT Award for Best British Single and is to date their highest-selling single, with sales standing at almost 500,000 copies. In the 2009 edition of the ''
Guinness Book of World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'', "About You Now" was listed as the "first track by a British pop act to top the singles chart solely on downloads". The song was also named as the "biggest chart mover to the number one position in the UK". In October 2007, ''Change'' became the group's second UK number 1 album. For the second time, the group topped the singles, album and download charts simultaneously. The album's title track " Change", was released as the second single in December 2007 and peaked at number 13 in the UK. The album sold 494,000 copies in the UK, and was certified Platinum. The third and final single from ''Change'' was " Denial", which reached number 15. From March to May 2008, the Sugababes travelled the UK on the thirty-date
Change Tour The Change Tour is the fourth concert tour by British girl group Sugababes. It supported their fifth studio album, ''Change (Sugababes album), Change''. The tour began with 2 nights in Brentwood, Essex, Brentwood on 12 March and 13 March 2008 ...
, their biggest tour to date. Following the Change Tour, Sugababes returned to the studio to write and record tracks for their sixth studio album, '' Catfights and Spotlights''. It was reported that producer Timbaland had approached the Sugababes to work on their sixth album, but due to time restrictions, a collaboration did not occur. " Girls", the lead single from ''Catfights and Spotlights'' was released in October 2008. The single peaked at number 3 in the UK, making it their first lead single since ''One Touch'' not to reach number 1. The album peaked at number 8 in the UK Albums Chart. Its second and final single, "
No Can Do "No Can Do" is a song by British girl group Sugababes from their sixth studio album, ''Catfights and Spotlights'' (2008). It was written by The Invisible Men, Jason Pebworth and The Invisible Men, George Astasio of The Invisible Men, Jon Shave ...
", was released in December and peaked at number 23 in the UK. The
Performing Right Society PRS for Music Limited (formerly The MCPS-PRS Alliance Limited) is a British music copyright collective, made up of two collection societies: the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) and the Performing Right Society (PRS). It undertakes ...
named Sugababes the fourth hardest-working band of 2008 due to the number of concerts they had performed during that year.


2009–2010: Buchanan's departure and ''Sweet 7''

After the release of "No Can Do", the group decided not to go on tour in 2009 and instead focus on writing and recording material for their seventh studio album. The Sugababes travelled to the United States to work on their seventh studio album, '' Sweet 7''. In April 2009, the Sugababes signed a contract with Jay-Z's label Roc Nation, resulting in working with high profile producers. Berrabah also collaborated with
Tinchy Stryder Kwasi Esono Danquah III ( ; born 14 September 1986), known by the stage name Tinchy Stryder, is a Ghanaian British, Ghanaian-British rapper, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and investor. Stryder has released three solo (music), solo studio al ...
for the track "
Never Leave You "Never Leave You" is a song by Tinchy Stryder, released as the fourth single from his second studio album, '' Catch 22'' as a digital download on 2 August 2009 and then as a CD single on 3 August 2009. The song was written by Stryder with lyric ...
", the third single from his second album, '' Catch 22'' in August 2009. The single debuted on top of the UK charts, making Berrabah the only member of the Sugababes, past and present, to achieve a number one single outside of the group. The lead single from ''Sweet 7'', "
Get Sexy "Get Sexy" is a song by British girl group Sugababes, taken from their seventh studio album, ''Sweet 7'' (2010). It was written by Fred Fairbrass, Richard Fairbrass, Rob Manzoli, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars and produced by the latt ...
", debuted at number 2 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
in September 2009. In September 2009, Berrabah was reported to have left the Sugababes. She had missed two engagements promoting ''Sweet 7''. On 21 September, it was revealed that Buchanan, the sole original member of the group, had left the Sugababes. Buchanan's place was filled by Jade Ewen, the UK's 2009
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...
entrant. Buchanan revealed on Twitter that it was not her decision to leave, resulting in some journalists describing her as having been "sacked". Critics and fans reacted very negatively to the news, and British
broadsheet A broadsheet is the largest newspaper format and is characterized by long Vertical and horizontal, vertical pages, typically of . Other common newspaper formats include the smaller Berliner (format), Berliner and Tabloid (newspaper format), ta ...
''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' ran an article named "Why the Sugababes' show can't go on without Keisha".Robinson, Peter, 22 September 2009)
"Why the Sugababes' show can't go on without Keisha"
, ''The Guardian''
Digital Spy ran an article called "Keisha Buchanan, We Salute You" in which they thanked her for her contribution to "incredible pop songs". According to Berrabah and Range, both women had wanted to quit the Sugababes themselves only to find that their group's management decided that they would follow them, rather than find two new members for Buchanan. In September 2020, Buchanan stated that she did not know that she was ousted from the group until after the public announcement of her departure had already been made. The new member, Ewen, was flown to the United States to film the music video for single " About a Girl" mere days after Buchanan had left the group. "About a Girl" reached number 8 in the UK, during a truncated promotion schedule due to Berrabah flying to Austria for treatment for nervous exhaustion resulting from the line-up change. In late 2009, "
Wear My Kiss "Wear My Kiss" is a song by British girl group Sugababes, released as the third and final single from their seventh studio album, ''Sweet 7'' (2010). It also serves as the final official single from the band before they disbanded in 2011. It w ...
" was confirmed for release in February 2010 as the third single, with the album, originally set for a late November 2009 release, delayed until March 2010. "Wear My Kiss" debuted and peaked at number 7 in the UK, making ''Sweet 7'' the Sugababes' first album since ''Taller in More Ways'' to contain at least three top ten hits. The album debuted and peaked at number 14 in the UK but was critically panned due to the loss of an identifiable sound, soul and originality stemming from Buchanan's departure. In March 2010, former group member Mutya Buena applied to the European Trademarks Authority for ownership of the group's name. The application was submitted amid the controversy of Buchanan's departure, in which Buena insisted that "the Sugababes have ended" without a founding member still in the group. It was confirmed that Buena had obtained rights to use the name on paper, cardboard and goods; namely stationery, paper gift wrap and paper gift wrapping ribbons. In the same month the group was dropped by Roc Nation, due to poor sales of ''Sweet 7''.


2011: Cancelled eighth album and disbandment

The Sugababes initially began recording an eighth studio album in April 2010. In June 2011, the group and their managers Sarah Stennett and Mark Hargreaves Crown Music Management Services left their record label of ten years,
Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...
, for a new three-album distribution deal with
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
's
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
, with Crown Music Management Services as the acting record label. In July, the Sugababes commented on their new album, saying: "It's a bit darker, tougher and quite edgy." In another interview, the group stated the new album showcased their personalities. At the Wireless Festival in London, Buchanan, who was kicked out of the group in 2009, approached the current line-up and the girls were reported to have a "teary" reunion and put the past behind them. It was the first time in two years that she had seen former comrades Range and Berrabah, as well as the first time she had officially met her "replacement" Jade Ewen. In a later interview, Buchanan revealed that she was disappointed by the treatment she received back in 2009, but went on to wish the current line-up "the best of luck". Their first and only single under the new label, "
Freedom Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...
", was released for free on 25 September 2011. Afterward, the group began a hiatus to work on solo projects: Range participated in the seventh series of ''
Dancing on Ice ''Dancing on Ice'' is a British television series presented by Phillip Schofield alongside Holly Willoughby from 2006 to 2011, who then returned in 2018, and Christine Bleakley from 2012 to 2014. The series features celebrities and their profe ...
'', Berrabah worked on solo material and Ewen competed as a contestant on the first series of ''Splash!'' In March 2013, Ewen stated that the Sugababes would likely reform to record new music by the end of the year; though with no set release date, and in May, Berrabah said the group had been writing songs for their new album and hoped to release new music in 2014. However, later the same year, Ewen expressed her feelings towards the Sugababes' future being uncertain, stating they were "pretty much done", which led to reports suggesting the group had split. This was initially denied by Berrabah, who stated she believed the band would get back together in late 2014, but in September 2013, an interview was published quoting Ewen confirming that the group had split two years prior. She was quoted saying "This is a tricky one because I don't feel comfortable lying, saying we're in the studio recording and we're going to bring music out next year, which seems to be the favoured line. I think it's unfair to fans and we should be honest. ..We kind of fizzled out about two years ago. I do think the lineup changes have obviously got to be a factor, you can't get away from it." In January 2014, Range contradicted Ewen's statement, saying that the group was merely on hiatus to pursue solo projects. However, she later admitted in a June 2020 interview that the group had conceded in 2011 that it would not be fair for them to continue further due to the controversy and their declining popularity after Buchanan's departure. In March 2019, Berrabah revealed that the Sugababes had been approached several times about reforming for a farewell tour for the fans. In July, in an interview with Irish broadcaster
RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...
, she said that there were discussions about a reunion tour featuring all six members of the group.


2012–2015: Original lineup reformation as Mutya Keisha Siobhán

In October 2011, several news outlets reported that the original line-up of the Sugababes would reform. In January 2012, further speculations circulated that the group would reunite were sparked, after both Buena and Buchanan tweeted that they were in the studio with "two other females" and British rapper
Professor Green Stephen Paul Manderson (born 27 November 1983), better known by his stage name Professor Green or simply Pro Green, is an English rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, television personality and mental health activist from London. Growing up on ...
. However, Buena later denied this on Twitter, saying: "No track
ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is immediatel ...
keisha or professor G he was around tha studio. im jus workin on my stuff @ tha moment. ic Despite this, Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé confirmed to
MTV UK MTV is a British pay television channel focusing on reality TV and music programming operated by Paramount Networks UK & Australia. The channel launched as part of MTV Networks Europe localisation strategy in 1997. MTV UK (previously MTV UK & I ...
that she had written new songs for Buena, Buchanan and Donaghy, saying: "Yes, that is true. I've written for the original line-up of the Sugababes, which I’m very happy about because I just loved them when they first came out. I loved their sound, it was so cool. It was very different, so I'm happy to kind of be involved in what started the whole Sugababes journey. It sounds amazing." In April 2012, it was reported that the line-up had signed a £1 million record deal with
Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
. In July 2012, it was officially confirmed that the group had reformed under the name Mutya Keisha Siobhan and were writing songs for a new album under Polydor. The name was officially registered through the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
on 27 June 2012. The group attended the
2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony The opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on the evening of Friday 27 July 2012 in the Olympic Stadium, London, during which the Games were formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the pr ...
on 27 July 2012 and posted pictures on their official
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
page, marking the trio's first public appearance together in eleven years. On 6 August the group confirmed they had written two songs with Shaznay Lewis, former member of the All Saints. The next day, Donaghy tweeted "With the girls in the studio. I think the album is finished!!!" In November 2012, the group were nominated at the
Yahoo! Yahoo! (, styled yahoo''!'' in its logo) is an American web services provider. It is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and operated by the namesake company Yahoo Inc., which is 90% owned by investment funds managed by Apollo Global Man ...
Gossip Best Girl Band of 2012 Poll alongside
Little Mix Little Mix are a British girl group, composed of group members Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, and Perrie Edwards. Jesy Nelson was originally part of the group before she left in 2020. After becoming the first group to win the British ver ...
,
Stooshe Stooshe () are a British girl group from London, consisting of three members Alexandra Buggs, Karis Anderson and Courtney Rumbold. Initially signed to Warner Music they released of their first single " Love Me", featuring US rapper Travie McCoy ...
, Girls Aloud,
The Saturdays The Saturdays were a British-Irish girl group based in London, England. The group formed during the summer of 2007 and have been on hiatus since 2014. The lineup consists of Frankie Bridge, Una Healy, Rochelle Humes, Mollie King, and Vanessa Wh ...
and
Spice Girls The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Vict ...
. Their return was named the eleventh biggest moment of 2012 in
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
's '75 Moments That Defined 2012' countdown. The group also appeared on the cover of fashion magazine ''Ponystep'' in December 2012. That same month, they performed an intimate gig at ''Ponystep'''s New Year's Eve party, performing three Sugababes singles, " Overload", "
New Year New Year is the time or day currently at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count increments by one. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner. In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system to ...
" and " Freak Like Me". They also did a cover of
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
's "
Diamonds Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, b ...
". The performance marked the first time Buena, Buchanan and Donaghy had performed together in over a decade. A fan-filmed video went viral online, receiving over 70,000 views in just two days. In an interview with BBC News, MKS said that they decided to reform as they felt they still had "something to give". The first glimpse of new material came to light on 7 January 2013 when the group uploaded a short
a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
clip of their rumoured debut single "Boys" on Buchanan's YouTube account. The clip has been viewed over 140,000 times. The same day, Popjustice released a three-second clip of the studio version of the single, calling it "simply amazing". The group have also signed with Storm Model Management. On 14 March, the group's producer Dev Hynes uploaded a track on his official
SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
page, stating the track would not feature on the group's forthcoming album. "Lay Down in Swimming Pools" is a reinterpretation of Kendrick Lamar's " Swimming Pools (Drank)" that features hazy R&B production and three-part harmonies. Hynes later commented saying "Just finished recording new music with Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan, And the girls felt like having a bit of fun at the end of the last session – enjoy!!" On 26 March, the group featured on a remix of Phoenix's single "
Entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousa ...
". The group released the single, "
Flatline A flatline is an electrical time sequence measurement that shows no activity and therefore, when represented, shows a flat line instead of a moving one. It almost always refers to either a flatlined electrocardiogram, where the heart shows no el ...
", in June 2013. MKS performed their first official headline gig at Scala on 1 August. Among Sugababes classics "Overload", "Run for Cover", "Stronger" and "Freak like Me", the trio also performed several new songs from their forthcoming album, including "I'm Alright", "Love Me Hard", "Boys", "Today" and "No Regrets". "Lay Down in Swimming Pools" and a mash-up of "Flatline" and "Push the Button" served as the encore to the evening. In early October, Mutya Keisha Siobhan appeared on the Google+ Sessions series, performing three live acoustic tracks: new song "No Regrets", the Sugababes classic "Caught in a Moment" and "
Royals Royals may refer to: Entertainment * The Royals (band), a Jamaican reggae vocal group * The Royals, original name of The Midnighters * "Royals" (song), a 2013 single by Lorde * ''The Royals'' (TV series), a 2015 E! network drama series * ''The ...
", a cover of the international number one track by
Lorde Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde ( ), is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. Taking inspiration from aristocracy for her stage name, she is known for her unconventional musical styles and i ...
. The performances are available to view in HD on YouTube. On 6 November 2013, Buena said that she was open to reclaiming the Sugababes name, as Ewen revealed that the fourth line-up split two years earlier. During 8–16 November 2013, the group embarked on The Sacred Three Tour, playing six dates across the UK. In June 2016, at London Pride's WandsworthRadio special, Donaghy said the album was due the following year. "The Sugababes got a record coming out next year. We've been back and then there was a bit of a break but we're working on it again, so it's exciting. I can't tell you the exact release date of the album. I know but I can't tell you. It's next year." In August 2017, Buchanan said in an interview that the group were working on new material after their previous work was leaked online. In June 2018, Donaghy was a guest on Tom Aspaul's podcast ''Battle Pop'' and revealed "We're still working together. That's really easy to ayand reassure fans. We're kind of stronger than ever. Things were really difficult when we were teenagers. The vultures were out, it was new to us and relations were strained or whatever. Then we got back together and you've got to go through that full circle of almost like therapy of working out who you are now and what happened back then. We've done all that now." She added that she had no idea when, or even if, an album would be released.


2015–2021: Reclaiming the Sugababes name and 20th anniversary

Buchanan, Buena and Donaghy won back the rights to the group name Sugababes in 2019. Later that year, the group appeared with DJ Spoony on his album '' Garage Classical'', covering the 2000 song "
Flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
" by
Sweet Female Attitude Sweet Female Attitude is an electronic music act from Manchester, England. They are known for the UK garage remix by Sunship of their track "Flowers", written by Martin Green a.k.a. Shine MC and Mike Powell, which reached number two on the U ...
. This marks the group's first release under the name Sugababes after years of working as Mutya Keisha Siobhan. Their comeback performance took place on ''
The Graham Norton Show ''The Graham Norton Show'' is a British comedy chat show presented by Graham Norton. It was initially broadcast on BBC Two, from 22 February 2007, before moving to BBC One in October 2009. It currently airs on Friday evenings, with Norton s ...
'' on 18 October 2019. Following their performance on Graham Norton's show, the group revealed that they were working on new music and a special project for the 20th anniversary of ''One Touch''; however, plans were put on hold due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. On 11 May 2021, Sugababes released a reworking of 2001 single "Run for Cover" featuring MNEK. The same day they announced an expanded ''20 Year Anniversary'' edition of ''One Touch'' that would feature unheard demos and remixes from Dev Hynes, Metronomy and others. On 22 June 2021, the Sugababes released a Blood Orange remix to ''One Touch'' track "Same Old Story". The album peaked at number 18, outperforming the original peak of 26.


2022–present: ''The Lost Tapes'' and international tour

Sugababes headlined the second day of June 2022's “Mighty Hoopla” festival in
Herne Hill Herne Hill is a district in South London, approximately four miles from Charing Cross and bordered by Brixton, Camberwell, Dulwich, and Tulse Hill. It sits to the north and east of Brockwell Park and straddles the boundary between the boroughs ...
,
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. On 20 May 2022 it was announced the band would be supporting
Westlife Westlife is an Irish pop vocal group formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The group currently consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member, until he left in 2004. The group temporarily di ...
on their Dublin leg. They will make a number of further appearances at music festivals over the summer, including Glastonbury, Portsmouth's
Victorious Festival Victorious Festival is a three-day music festival held in Portsmouth, United Kingdom. It was founded in 2011. In its first year, the festival was named the Victorious Vintage Festival. For the first two years, the festival was held in Portsmou ...
and the
Margate Margate is a seaside resort, seaside town on the north coast of Kent in south-east England. The town is estimated to be 1.5 miles long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay, UK, Palm Bay and Westbrook, Kent, ...
Pride Festival. On 3 June 2022, the 2013 Mutya Keisha Siobhan single, "
Flatline A flatline is an electrical time sequence measurement that shows no activity and therefore, when represented, shows a flat line instead of a moving one. It almost always refers to either a flatlined electrocardiogram, where the heart shows no el ...
", was re-released under the Sugababes name. Sugababes announced their 17-date headlining tour, their first in 9 years, on 23 June 2022, starting on 16 October 2022 in Bristol and concluding on 7 November 2022 in Glasgow. In October 2022, it was announced that the band would support Take That at
BST Hyde Park British Summer Time Hyde Park (BST Hyde Park) is a series of concerts held over two or three weekends once a year in London's Hyde Park. Since 2013, BST Hyde Park has seen headliners such as Celine Dion, the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Barbra ...
on 1 July 2023 alongside
The Script The Script are an Irish rock band formed in 2001 in Dublin, consisting of lead vocalist and keyboardist Danny O'Donoghue, lead guitarist Mark Sheehan, and drummer Glen Power. The band moved to London after signing to Sony Label Group imprint ...
. On 29 November 2022, Sugababes announced they would be playing a one off show at the
O2 Arena O2 Arena may refer to: *The O2 Arena (London) *O2 Arena (Prague) *The 3Arena The 3Arena (originally The O2) is an indoor amphitheatre located at North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands in Dublin, Ireland. The venue opened as The O2 on 16 Decemb ...
in London in September 2023, which would be their biggest headlining show ever. On 15 December 2022, Sugababes announced that they would be touring Australia in February 2023 - their first headlining tour of the country. On 24 December 2022, Sugababes surprise-released the album '' The Lost Tapes'' online. The album was originally recorded in 2013 but never received an official release. In a statement online the group stated: “We wrote this album almost 8 years ago and for various reasons it didn’t get an official release, so it’s with great pride that ''The Lost Tapes'' is available now on all streaming platforms” the group also confirmed that the album had been released independently.


Other endeavours


Merchandise

In April 2007,
Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in more ...
teamed with the Sugababes to create a new themed Barbie collection, which was released only in the United Kingdom in May 2007. The Sugababes had also told reporters that they hope to branch out into other areas such as a makeup line. In September 2010, the Sugababes released their own fragrances, named Tempt, Tease and Touch.


Philanthropy

Their cover of
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...
and
Run-DMC Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of ...
's " Walk This Way", a collaboration with Girls Aloud, was the official charity single for Comic Relief in 2007, recorded at Comic Relief co-founder and trustee Richard Curtis's request. On 27 January 2010, the Sugababes performed at the "Fight Cervical Cancer Event", an event which aims to educate women about cervical cancer. In March 2010, Berrabah jumped 13,000 feet from an aircraft to raise money for a cancer charity. In September 2011, the Sugababes performed "
Dancing Queen "Dancing Queen" is a Europop and disco song by the Swedish group ABBA, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, ''Arrival'' (1976). It was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson. Andersson and Ulvaeus al ...
" by
ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's ...
at the Prince of Wales Theatre for charitable purposes.


Members


Current members

* Keisha Buchanan (1998–2009, 2012–present) *
Mutya Buena Rosa Isabel Mutya Buena (born 21 May 1985) is an English singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a member of girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buena had four UK number one singles, an additional six top-ten hits and three multi-pl ...
(1998–2005, 2012–present) * Siobhán Donaghy (1998–2001, 2012–present)


Past members

* Heidi Range (2001–2011) * Amelle Berrabah (2005–2011) * Jade Ewen (2009–2011)


Discography

Studio Albums *'' One Touch'' (2000) *'' Angels with Dirty Faces'' (2002) *'' Three'' (2003) *'' Taller in More Ways'' (2005) *'' Change'' (2007) *'' Catfights and Spotlights'' (2008) *'' Sweet 7'' (2010) * '' The Lost Tapes'' (2022)


Tours


Headlining

*Angels with Dirty Faces Tour *Three Tour *Taller in More Ways Tour *The Greatest Hits Tour *
Change Tour The Change Tour is the fourth concert tour by British girl group Sugababes. It supported their fifth studio album, ''Change (Sugababes album), Change''. The tour began with 2 nights in Brentwood, Essex, Brentwood on 12 March and 13 March 2008 ...
*
The Sacred Three Tour ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
* Sugababes UK Tour * Sugababes Australian Tour


One Night Residency

*One Night Only at the O2


Supporting act

*
Blazin' Squad Blazin' Squad were an English hip hop group. The group had seven top ten hits, including "Crossroads", a cover version of the Bone Thugs-n-Harmony original. Jon O'Brien of AllMusic called them the "self-proclaimed pioneers of 'chav' culture". ...
– UK Tour *
No Angels No Angels are an all-female pop group from Germany, formed in 2000. Originally a quintet, consisting of band members Nadja Benaissa, Lucy Diakovska, Sandy Mölling, Vanessa Petruo, and Jessica Wahls, they originated on the debut season of th ...
Four Seasons Tour The Four Seasons Tour is a 2002 concert tour by German female pop group No Angels, organized to promote their second studio album '' Now... Us!'' (2002). Reception Local online magazine ''ka-news'' declared the concert "''the'' perfect show an ...
* Take ThatThe Ultimate Tour *
Westlife Westlife is an Irish pop vocal group formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The group currently consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member, until he left in 2004. The group temporarily di ...
The Wild Dreams Tour The Wild Dreams Tour, originally known as the Stadiums in the Summer Tour, is the current concert tour by Irish pop vocal group, Westlife. It was first scheduled to begin on 17 June 2020 in Scarborough, England at the Scarborough Open Air Theatr ...
* Take That – Live at Hyde Park


References


External links

* * {{Authority control Brit Award winners British contemporary R&B musical groups British musical trios English pop girl groups English vocal groups Island Records artists London Records artists Musical groups established in 1998 Musical groups from London RCA Records artists Roc Nation artists Vocal trios