Renowned for their line-up changes more than their hits these days, it was only a matter of time before the Sugababes‘ latest campaign hit the skids.
And hit the skids it has. In quite sensational fashion too.
Full story after the jump…
*UPDATED*
The late hours of last night saw Twitter ablaze with speculation that newest member Jade Ewen had quit the trio – almost two years to the day she joined. (Indeed, as many will recall, the leggy starlet replaced founder Keisha Buchanan in 2009).
Also gathering steam is the notion that the ladies have been forcibly split due to lack of public support and an irreparably damaged brand.
Oft quick to quell untrue rumours, Amelle and co were noticeably silent as the speculation mounted. Speculation which was later intensified when the group’s new single ‘Freedom’ was pulled from iTunes, Amazon, Play.com, and the like. The track, their first for new label RCA, was set for release in a matter of days.
We hear clarification of some sort is expected any moment now. Developing…
Update:
Jade has taken to Twitter moments ago saying:
Wow! So who started this rumour guys?? The only place this Sugababe is going is to the studio with the girls to work on our new album!
I smell PR stunt. A bad one too.
‘Freedom’ has had NO radio support at all! Indeed, it was predicted by chart analysts to miss the top 20 altogether; and two days before it drops, BAM…it’s snatched off iTunes and the like. Outlets which had it available to pre-order hours before. This, of course, just as the rumours start. Interesting timing, no?
The sad thing is, the vast majority of folk were happy. For, as good as the song is, the whole group is a bit of a farce now. I mean I couldn’t but gag at footage of the new line-up recently performing ‘Overload’. Like, really?! That’s like Farah, LeToya, and LaTavia performing ‘Lose My Breath’. Love you, but no.
Stunt or not, this has certainly knocked whatever standing they had with public several notches down. Perhaps it really is time to pack it in?
Surprise, surprise…
this is not true, jade just conformed it on her twitter.
*What goes around comes back around, my, my baby* This is Karma in full effect. I feel absolutely nothing for these girls and seriously now does anyone really care? The voices that made the sugababes the sugababes have left and in their leaving have taken any fans that the sugababes had prior to all of this. I think that what could possibly salvage this group is a total re-invention i.e. new name and image…otherwise the ghost of “girls kicked out of the group” will forever haunt them and hinder any chances of success that they may have.
they must disband, nobody like them anymore and Freedom will be a flop.
I’m only here for heidi
Sam im so with you, when i saw the heading the first thing i thought was publicity stunt too, so sad really. Performing overload, really? damn the nerve, only a UK act could try that lmao
freedom is indeed a very good song but as you said “sugababes” brand is damaged and frankly exhausting, if i were a radio DJ, i wouldnt care for them much either. labels need to understand there’s a connection between fanbase and entertainers, you cant just thrust people in and out as u pls and expect continued support. id be skeptical to purchase a sugababes cd cus when the tour rolls around im not sure who’ll be on stage
@KD
bro/ sis im always feeling your comments
Love Sugababes don’t think they should pack up. They need to do something big however otherwise its bye bye.
“I mean I couldn’t but gag at footage of the new line-up recently performing ‘Overload’.”
Unless you want Sony and Crown knocking on your door for your lies, I’d shut the f*** up and go back to bashing Rihanna.
Sheesh this group is so messy, do they think this will really work for them? The majority of people didn’t know who they were initially, but instead of building on their brand they’ve instead chosen to swap members in and out till you can hardly tell who’s still in and who’s left.
This is just so foolish. I don’t like when record companies play fans for fools, they might as well kilobits Sugababes and start off completely new.
I’VE HAD IT.Let them f****** breathe and give them a damn chance.’Freedom’ is a buzz single.It doesn’t have many worldwide release dated and the label paid 400$ to produce it so they haven’t lost anything from it.And I am tired of ‘The Original Babes’ thing
1)NOONE complained when Keisha made Amelle re-record ALL the Sugababes songs and made a Greatest Hits without Mutya but instead had Amelle who had been a member for less than a year to put vocals on all the Sugababes classics!NOBODY minded then.
2)Heidi is responsible for the Sugababes brand as well and if it wasn’t for her, all of those 4.0 haters wouldn’t even know who the Sugababes are.
3)If you cannot listen to their music without Mutya and Keisha then how come NOBODY is checking for their solo music??The YouTube views for Mutya’s and Keisha’s new material are beyond embarassing.
4)It’s very bizzare that people didn’t mind Sugababes 3.0 singing 1.0 songs just because of Keisha, yet they choose to forget that Keisha had the concept for ‘Sweet 7’ and partly ‘Catfights’, which were the 2 albums that weakened their reputation, altered their image and ruined their back catalogue.If anything, ‘Freedom’ sounds much more ‘Sugababes’ than anything 3.0 did, so since hardly anyone attacked 3.0, then you should give 4.0 a break as well.
5)The DC comparison is off.Hiedi has been in the band for 11 years and she was there during thier massive success, so WHY is everybody trying to discredit her??You think she’s like LeToya and LaTavia.PLEASE!!
Looks like a publicity stunt to me as well, since there single is not doing very well.
I am hoping they will reinvent themselves and create a new group name, because none of the original members are left of the group. They should start a brand new image or just split up and go their separate ways.
This is whole load of nothing. Not even worth writing about.
No! They need to go and JADE Needs to go SOLO!
That is all…
Ok really, this is hella annoying… Freedom is a huge hit, it IS good indeed and it has received a lot of radio support (I can even listen to it in the Spanish radio which is actually amazing).
And why is everyone b**ching about the 4.0 line-up? they ARE the Sugababes and in case they weren’t the Sugababes weren’t Sugababes anymore after Siobhan’s departure, but i do NOT think that way.
Freedom is closer to the Sugababes’ 2.0 sound that everyone defends so hard, then why didn’t you complain about Sugababes 3.0? Oh yeah, they had a massive hit so they were magically forgiven.
ACCEPT IT!!! Freedom is good, Jade Heidi and Amelle are great singers. Why the ef would u hate them!?
@ASAP well said! Heidi hasn’t been with them just for 1 album and that album flopped! You can say she an a original babe I don’t even know what the other 1 name is anyway I’ve always liked the babes mainly cus of heidi! I dnt know why she getting shade When she has been in the Group The Longest
Sam go change your tampon!!
GIRL u were better SOLO!!!! u can outsing both chicks!
@ASAP AGREE!!!
Hiedi is an ORIGINAL i dont care. no one knew shiobhon. ppl only would mention her cuz back in the late 90’s earily 00’s it was cool for a band to have an ex member,. every band would have members leave and come cuz it was a way of promoting / keeping it fresh its just the sugababes have done it all the time.
and how can ppl say girl there not the originals? b**** the originals didnt wanna be in this band to begin with… SUGABABES 4.0 is the one =D
I don’t know their music, but this story I hilarious! Lol!
I don’t know their music, but this story is hilarious! Lol!
PR 101!
FYI ! The greatest hits album did not have all the vocals re-recorded ! it is called the singles collection as it kept all the songs the same as when they were released ! shows how much you know asap ! Fool !
@ ASAP:
To # 1: That’s wrong. Amelle didn’t re-record the Songs. If you listen to the songs at the Greatest Hits-Album carefully, you will notice, that Amelle only sings at three of them (Easy, Good to be gone, Red dress). On all other songs you hear Mutya. They used the songs like they were released. And the bad thing is: They only mentioned Mutya at some songs which featured her, but she was not credited for all the songs that contained her voice. I have read the writing credits…
# 2: Without Siobhan, Keisha and Mutya, the new Sugababes even wouldn’t have any job now.
#3: I hated 3.0 singing Overload. I didn’t like the music from 3.0 that much either.