Sugababes Biography
Multi-ethnic U.K. trio Sugababes jumped aboard the teen pop bandwagon prior to the new millennium and exuded their own sassy demeanor without the frivolity of most mainstream acts. Siobhan Donaghy, Keisha Buchanan, and Mutya Buena were barely in their teens when they formed in 1998, sharing a liking of garage, hip-hop, and dance music. Initially, Sugababes were three friends who enjoyed singing along to the radio. Buchanan and Buena had been pals since primary school, and a chance meeting with Donaghy molded a fierce bond. A career in music wasn't intentional, yet a deal with London surfaced in 2000. Studio time with producer Cameron McVey (All Saints, Pete Tong) led to One Touch, which was released during the summer of 2001 and featured a dozen tracks co-written by the girls, including the smash hit "Overload." Sales didn't meet London's expectations. The group was subsequently dropped.
During the fall of 2001, rumors swirled about Donaghy's departure. Buena and Buchanan denied that Donaghy was kicked out of the group, but she was nonetheless out after a four-year run. Heidi Range, one of the pre-chart members of Atomic Kitten, became her replacement, and Angels with Dirty Faces -- the group's second album -- was released through a new deal with Island by the end of 2002. The Richard X-produced "Freak Like Me," a cover of Adina Howard's 1995 R&B hit that featured a bolstered version of Tubeway Army's "Are Friends Electric" as its backdrop, debuted as a number one hit in the U.K. The Xenomania-produced "Round Round" followed suit with identical success.
Three, released in late 2003, fittingly topped out at number three on the U.K. album chart. It spawned another U.K. number one, "Hole in the Head," which even managed to scrape the Hot 100 in the U.S. and hit the top of the same country's dance chart. Amazingly, the group was never given much of a push stateside. Taller in More Ways, the fourth album, followed roughly two years later and eclipsed the group's already successful run by reaching the top of the U.K. album chart. Shortly after its release, Buena left the group on good terms, citing personal persons. Amelle Berrabah's entry into the group prompted a re-release of Taller that featured her vocals on a handful of cuts; Buena's work was left intact on a few others. The album eventually gained platinum status. Overloaded: The Singles Collection was out by the end of 2006. ~ MacKenzie Wilson & Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Mondo grosso Biography: As Mondo Grosso, Japanese track-master Shinichi Osawa has acted alone and with various vocalists and collaborators -- ranging from Monday Michiru to N'dea Davenport to Tania Maria -- to produce some...
Dieselboy Biography: The jungle scene has always been centered in Britain, leaving Americans to watch from afar, import the records, and spin occasionally (though rarely very well). Damian Higgins reversed the trends a...
Pascal feos Biography: As part of the duo Resistance D, German producer Pascal F.E.O.S. (Pascal Dardoufas) helped define the sound of early-'90s trance before moving toward minimal techno. After parting ways with...
Chrome division Biography: For some mysterious reason (maybe long winter boredom), Scandinavians find time to start more bands -- full-time and side-project -- in any given week than the rest of the planet's denizens will...
Letoya Biography: Part of the original lineup of the superstar group Destiny's Child, LeToya Luckett, who as a solo artist chose to go by her first name only, didn't just sit around after she and Latavia Roberson left...
Sacred reich Biography: Led by bassist/vocalist Phil Rind, this Phoenix-based band also includes Wiley Arnett, Jason Rainey, and Greg Hall. Sacred Reich is noted for its highly opinionated political lyrics, examination of...
Jahcoozi Biography: A collaborative effort recorded over the span of three years, Jahcoozi's debut album, Pure Breed Mongrel, was released on the Kitty-Yo imprint in 2006. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music...
Our lady peace Biography: While studying at the University of Toronto in 1992, vocalist Raine Maida met guitarist Mike Turner (a British expatriate) and the two formed the post-grunge band Our Lady Peace. They later recruited...