SUGA-FREE

It was almost two years ago when I first interviewed the ‘Babes – well, two of them.

It was just after you know who had departed (I promised myself I wouldn’t mention the K-word in this interview, we mustn’t live in the past!) Amelle was taking time off to recuperate, ‘in a clinic for nervous exhaustion’ was the official line, and fledgling solo artist and former Eurovision contestant Jade Ewen was drafted in to replace the feisty K… er… former member. Whilst friendly, handling themselves impeccably and enthusiastic about moving forward, one could sense that the girls were just coming out of a frenetic and turbulent period in the group’s history and were keen to get on with their jobs.

Fast forward to September 2011, all three girls look beautiful, happy, relaxed and excited for their new album. The camaraderie and closeness they’ve built up is genuine, and the hysterical laughter and gossipy chattage in-between promo work would have probably jarred any hardened hacks still looking for dregs of drama.

“Sorry, you’re not boring me,” says Heidi with a giggle as she stifles a yawn. “We’ve been up since 5am filming for Children in Need.”

“And then we’ve got Radio 1 afterwards,” chips in Jade. One thing’s for certain, the ‘Babes publicity machine is certainly back and firing on all cylinders.

When I comment on how much more relaxed things seem now, the girls unanimously agree. “I don’t know how I didn’t have a nervous breakdown,” says Jade of her whirlwind recruitment into the Sugababes. “You just cannot digest everything quick enough, but I guess shock just kicks in and you carry on. I look back and think, ‘whew, I don’t want to do that again’. It feels like a really long time ago I joined, but sometimes I talk as if I’m really nervous and new.” She giggles.

Amelle is a little coy when I bring up her time away from the group. Whilst still friendly, there’s a flash of hurt behind the eyes that suggests she’s still not quite ready to talk about whatever happened.

So, we’ll move on to their successful summer gigs, which included a surprise appearance at Lovebox, performing their new single ‘Freedom’ exclusively for Jodie Harsh’s Circus stage. “We absolutely loved that, Kris [Di Angelis] is a wicked DJ, man,” pipes up Amelle.

“It all happened last minute but it was so much fun,” adds Heidi, before Jade pitches in with “And Manchester Pride!” which causes them all to squeal with delight. “That was such an amazing crowd,” says Amelle. “Our favourite gigs are usually the gay ones to be honest,” grins Heidi. “You can just let go and have fun because the crowd are always so up for it.”

The ladies are due to appear at G-A-Y this weekend, their first time in the current line-up. Surely they will be in their element, as the only thing gayer than Saturday night at Heaven is Christopher Biggins holding a diamante-collared poodle in one hand and Joan Collins in the other. “I remember a couple of years ago when we played there it got a bit hardcore,” says Amelle. “This girl was at the front of the stage as I was standing there, you know… singing, and she got her hand and just cupped my, erm… down there. She just left her hand there, grabbing! I was like ‘erm, ok’ trying to back away slowly.”

“Is that known as a furry cupping?” I ask. “There’s no fur there at all, love,” says Amelle with a wicked cackle.

Whilst our lesbian readers salivate over that for a moment, what about the last album? There’s no denying the fact that Sweet 7 wasn’t received as well as hoped by critics and the public alike. Complete with a roster of super producers and that current “electropopR&B” sound that refuses to leave the charts, on paper it was destined for greatness. However, all the vocals had to be hastily re-recorded with Jade and, unlike every other ‘Babes album, which featured writing contributions from all members, the songs on Sweet 7 were provided to the girls. This certainly didn’t help stifle cries from the press that the group had now lost their identity, becoming simply a brand. The result was their lowest-selling album to date. “It was so hectic at that time,” admits Heidi.

“Me and Heidi flew over to LA and New York and Jade recorded her parts in a shed in Basildon,” says Amelle laughing.

“It really was,” chimes in Heidi, “We were in New York in luxury and poor Jade was in a shed with a pile of Rich Tea biscuits!” she says as the girls all collapse into laughter.

“We had the songs written for us too, by writers who had done stuff for all these amazing people like Beyonce, Rihanna, Ne-Yo and all that but, to me, it just didn’t feel like ‘us’,” says Amelle.

“We still love that album though,” pipes up Heidi, seemingly the calm and caring ‘big sister’ of the group and also the most media savvy. “I think it’s a shame that it was overshadowed by all the controversy… we couldn’t say that word before could we? ‘Controversy’. Just, ‘Oh no, it’s all fine’,” she says to the other girls with a chuckle.

Now that the word can be uttered again, because the ladies have very little to clash over, all three are aware that attention from tabloids and gossip rags could wane with no Suga-coated bitchiness to fill the headlines, but aren’t bothered by it. And, of course, in the pop music game, the PR is almost as important as the music itself, in some cases even more so. But the stories and ‘scandals’ have also had an impact on their day-to-day work.

“It’s got to the stage now where people who work with us actually come up afterwards and say, [in shocked tones] ‘Oh God, you’re really nice’,” says Amelle. “Everyone’s expecting us to be absolute bitches…”

“Everyone’s expecting us to be absolute bitches…”

“You would though wouldn’t you,” says Heidi in her rather lovely Liverpudlian drawl, “if the only thing you’ve read is all these stories for the last how many years. You can’t take that stuff on board, though. As long as you, your friends and family know what type of person you are, you just carry on and hope others see you’re not a bad person too.”

Saying that, even as we speak, the ‘Babes are still grabbing headlines for things other than their musical output. Former member Mutya Buena has just won paper rights to the Sugababes name, allowing her to bring out stationary, wrapping paper or something equally bizarre. And just this week Amelle was found guilty of assault on a girl in a nightclub and given a conditional discharge.

So the headlines are still there, but what can we expect from the new album? “Anthemic dance pop,” says Heidi confidently.

“This album is genuinely our taste and our personality,” agrees Jade, “Because we had a break, the pressure’s off and you can be more creative. This last year we’ve got to know each other properly and write together for the first time”.

“We’ve also just come up with a fantastic song for the next single that we can’t wait for everyone to hear,” adds Amelle.

With a renewed confidence about their output and a smoking hot look to boot, the girls don’t seem to mind having a ‘sexier’ image, but understand better than most the pressures of looking good in the public eye. “I think as you get older you accept yourself more,” says Heidi. When you’re younger you just don’t really know yourself, but when you get older you accept what your body is.”

Amelle adds, “If you’ve got a couple of pounds or a bit of cellulite, nowadays they’re on you. It’s a funny old world. Everyone has imperfections, you just have to make yourself happy.”

Jade is more vocal on the subject. “One thing I do have problems with is, as a woman, you know how much those things affect you, you expect other women who write these things to be more sensitive about that and not try to humiliate someone else in order to make themself feel good. Sometime it’s really personal things.

“How would you feel if you have your bits in the ‘circle of shame’? Younger, more impressionable girls see that and feel they should aspire to that and that’s where the problems with body issues can start.”

I 100% agree. But then again, expecting journalists of that ilk to have a heart is like asking ITV1 to come up with a funny comedy – you’re going to be waiting a very long time…

So the girls are happier than ever, the new single is hot and, as a fan, I’m personally happy we get to hear the girls personalities in the new material. I think the world is certainly ready for another spooful of Suga.

 


Catch the Sugababes at G-A-Y this Saturday 10th September at Heaven (under the Arches, Villier Street, Charing Cross, WC2N 6N G) The new single ‘Freedom’ is out on 25th September.


 

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