Nothing and everything has happened in the land of the Sugababes: The first incarnation of the group (Siobhan Donaghy, Keisha Buchanan and Mutya Buena) is reuniting, Heidi Range is busy twirling on Dancing on Ice, and Jade Ewen is busy painting Egyptian Queens and letting “Punching Out” just sit there and go to waste.

And as for Amelle Berrabah? Well, she’s heading into the studio…alone.

After launching an Official Amelle Berrabah Facebook page for herself earlier this week, the Suga songstress been tweeting about heading into the studio with Pete Kirtley, the UK producer responsible for “Now You’re Gone” on the Sugababes’ Taller In More Ways and “Strung Out,” which is featured on Mutya Buena’s solo album, Real Girl.

From Twitter:

According to what I’ve been told from a close source, the lead single will be produced by Kirkley, who’s also acting as the main producer for the project. Still no word yet on when we’ll hear the new tunes this year, however.

Regardless of her new solo ambitions, Berrabah insists the Sugababes are still very much in tact, so it seems the ladies are pulling an Aloud and busying themselves with solo projects during their hiatus.

Whether or not they’ll stay together as the Sugababes once the original trio finally re-launch? Well, that’s a whole otha’ spoonful of suga.

It’s the answer to the question everyone’s been asking ever since Keisha Buchanan got the boot/left the group in September of 2009: Can the girl group made up of three girls that were never part of the original line-up really still call themselves the Sugababes? The answer: Sorry, no can do!

Founding member Mutya Buena has just won a lawsuit against the troupe for legal rights to the band’s original name. From the NME article:

The singer then announced she would be pursuing legal action to win the rights to the name Sugababes and announced yesterday that she had succeeded.

She wrote on her Facebook page of the news: “I won the official name of the Sugababes now!!! I deserve this! I’m over the moon!”. She is also listed as the owner of the name Sugababes on the official EU trademark website.

The decision not only means current members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen will potentially have to tour and record under a new name, but that Buena and original members Keisha Buchanan and Siobahn Donaghy will be able to reunite under the name Sugababes if they wish.

So, um…now what? The ‘Babes have a brand new single due out at the start of September (“Freedom”) and an album launch on the horizon. Coupled with dwindling support from the group’s original fan-base, is this the sound of goodbye?

Will Jade Ewen finally get to realize her dreams as a perfectly good solo artist in her own right? Will Amelle Berrabah start up a bad ass bitch duo with Alesha Dixon? Will Heidi Range launch a high street collection of tea cozies? Only one thing’s for sure: The Sugababes are officially no more.

…That is, unless the original group reforms. SHIVERS.

In all seriousness though, this is incredibly sad news: It’s officially the end of an era (for now). RIP Sugababes!

EDIT: Orrrrr not so fast!

NME has provided a quick update to their original story to clarify that Mutya has only won some rights to the Sugababes name, including “paper, cardboard and goods; namely stationery, paper gift wrap and paper gift wrapping ribbons.”

The Sugas live to fight another day! BUT YOU’LL NEVER WRAP A GIFT IN THIS TOWN AGAIN, AMELLE.

$UCCE$$!

As you might have heard, the UK’s most successful girl group of the 21st century, The Sugababes, have got a fantastic new single coming out on September 25: “Freedom.”

So what better way for the girls to celebrate the song’s running theme than to liberate themselves of some extra fabric?

The ‘Babes (Version 4.0) will be featured within the glossy pages of next month’s of Loaded Magazine, baring their assets in a men’s mag for the first time ever in the group’s decade-long history. “I think this is the sexiest set of Sugababes, which is why we’re doing our first sexy shoot,” Amelle Berrabah explained to the magazine. (Click here for the full set.)

Sexy? YES, YES, YE–wait. Wrong group. But will it work to sell the single? Time will soon tell.

The boys will be raising more than just one fist in the air for free-e-e-dom-dom-dom, that’s for damn sure.

“Freedom” will be released on September 25. (Pre-Order on iTunes UK)

Okay–new post idea!

This is Muusical Chairs, or essentially the “6 Degrees of Separation/Kevin Bacon” game. The idea is to take one pop star, connect the musical dots to another, and maybe share some previously unknown pop tidbits in the process!

This one’s an easy start, but I’m sure I can dream up more complex connections in the future. Let me know what you think!

Volume 1: Siobhan Donaghy to BoA

Siobhan Donaghy is a talented UK indie-pop songstress responsible for releasing two albums: 2004′s Revolution In Me and 2007′s Ghosts, a gorgeous, electro-tinged smart pop record that spawned two singles (“Don’t Give It Up” and “So You Say”) and remains an absolutely essential addition to any pop lover’s collection. Donaghy first rose to fame…

As one of the three founding members of the Sugababes, the massively successful UK girl group famous for both their soulful smashes–including “Freak Like Me,” “Round Round” and “Hole In The Head”–and their ever-changing line-up.

In 2007, the groups third incarnation (Keisha Buchanan, Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah) recorded a cover of Aerosmith‘s “Walk This Way” as a charity single for Comic Relief with another another UK girl group…

Girls Aloud, the power pop fivesome originally formed through the reality series, Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. The girl group ruled the UK charts for over 7 years until late 2009, when they chose to go on hiatus to pursue personal projects, including solo albums by Nadine Coyle and the group’s breakaway star and current X Factor UK judge, Cheryl Cole.

During the group’s majorly successful Out Of Control Tour in 2009, Girls Aloud performed a cover of “Womanizer” by…

Britney Spears, the legendary icon who requires no formal introduction. (Plus, if you’ve hung around this site long enough, you’d already know every minor detail about her life.) The superstar’s fifth studio album, 2007′s critically acclaimed Blackout–featured production by several high profile acts including Danja, Bloodshy & Avant and…

Sean Garrett, who worked on Britney’s “Toy Soldier.” Along with writing the follow-up to his 2008 debut, Turbo 919, the rapidly rising producer has busied himself with several major productions including Beyoncé‘s “Diva” and “Video Phone” as a writing duo with producer Swizz Beatz, Nicki Minaj‘s “Massive Attack,” and…

BoA‘s “I Did It For Love,” the second single off of the international superstar’s 2009 English self-titled debut album (which allows for some truly sick choreography–check that Joseph Kahn-directed video, stat!) The single went on to peak at #19 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play in May of 2009.

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT: Siobhan, meet BoA!

The full video for the Sugababes‘ third single off of their upcoming album Sweet 7 has now arrived. There are so many questions to be asked, but perhaps above all: How’d you get your ponytail like that, Jade?

Even more importantly: Does anyone notice the fact that there are LARGE SCALE VERSIONS of the objects they’re singing about in the background, including diamonds and shoes?

Here we have an example: a large CGI tie sitting in the background as Amelle sings “I’m like the tie around your neck.” OR DID I JUST META-BLOW YOUR FUCKING MIND?

“Wear My Kiss” will be released on February 22, just two weeks before the long-awaited release of the ‘Babes seventh studio album, Sweet 7.

When I saw the first candids of Jade Ewen on-set for the “About a Girl,”  I thought to myself “WOW, self…she’s a sassy minx.”

Who would have thought this girl and the one featured above would be one and the same? She looks like she’s just sat down for her first day of school! The nervous side-glances to Amelle and Heidi, the awkward posture and nervous giggles…it’s precious!

Even if the new line-up may seem a little strange at the moment, it seems to me that the three ‘Babes are getting along better than any previous configuration. There’s a much lighter tone in the interview. It’s almost as though they…like each other?

On a side note, what was with that answer to the dreaded Keisha question? Did Amelle and Heidi really oust her? Maybe it wasn’t the label’s decision after all…

What, what…WHAT?! I KNOW.

The Sugababes 4.0 have just covered Florence and the Machine‘s “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)” for Radio 1′s Live Lounge…for the first time live under their new formation, no less!

I need to know who made this happen. Was it Jade?

EDIT: I got so excited, I forgot to actually REVIEW the damn song. This is probably one of my favorite covers of the year…I’m absolutely blown away.

Amelle‘s lower register is chilling, Jade’s voice is more powerful and controlled than I expected, and Heidi? Well, those sugary sweet vocals are the icing on the cake here. I just can’t stop playing the song!

Is this the best Sugababes line-up yet?

Thank you to Matt for bringing this to my attention, as well as blowing my mind.

Today I received a press release in my inbox regarding the November 9 release of the Sugababes‘ second single off of Sweet 7, “About A Girl.”

Since suspending my disbelief was simply not an option about halfway through reading, I decided to share some of the many moments throughout that made me…reflect on the situation.

2009 sees a new chapter in the Sugababes’ incredible history with the exciting introduction of stunning new member Jade Ewen, who joins Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah following the departure of Keisha Buchanan, who left to pursue a solo career.

Oh really, she just left then? I believe it. NOTHING FISHY TO SEE HERE. LET US MOVE ON.

For their 7th longplayer aptly titled ‘Sweet 7’, the girls decided to retool the Sugababes magic. “It was about remembering what we are,” says Amelle, “and thinking about what we can be. We love this band. We love what we do. And we love the fact that every album is different from the last.” Three albums into her tenure as a ‘babe’ she can say this stuff.

This is almost unfair. Amelle, discussing who ‘we’ are as the Sugababes? Before you even have the option of slowly leaning back and thinking, “That’s a bit silly. She’s not really a Sugababe,” they’ve ALREADY read our minds: “NO. She can say this stuff…SHE’S BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST FOREVER.” They’re quite literally justifying her ‘Babe-ness!

Rihanna herself was working in the same studio as the Babes and after they finished recording tracks, the girls would ask their first producers Stargate what she thought of the material. The thumbs were up. Something was immediately beginning to catch fire.

And now, the actual dialogue from what actually transpired that night:

Amelle: Oi, thanks Sean Kingston!
Heidi: Slamming track. God, I’m just so excited about this!
Jade: Me too!
Heidi: WHO THE FUCK ARE YO–oh, right. Hey look, it’s Rihanna recording next door to us!
Amelle: Wow! Let’s ask her what she thinks.
Sugababes: RIHANNA.
Rihanna: ~You can see my heartttttt, beating….~
Sugabaes: RIHANNA.
Rihanna: ~Know that I must pass this test…~
Sugababes: RIHANNA.
Rihanna: ~So just pull th–~ WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT. WHO? WHAT.
Amelle: Do you like this?
Rihanna: HUH?
Heidi: OUR SONG?
Rihanna: HUH?
Jade: It’s with Sean Kingston!
Rihanna: ….*Thumbs up.*
Sugababes: *Gleeful celebration.*
Rihanna: *Middle finger.*
Soundboard Technician: Who the fuck ah’ they?
Rihanna: I don’t know. I think they’re, like, Diddy‘s new Making the Band group or some shit. SOMEONE GET ME SOME DARKER SUNGLASSES.

They were hob-nobbing with those that have shaped the sound of Beyonce and Lady Gaga and finding something with them that was distinctly their own.

Editor’s note: Not their own.

The girls Twittered the results as they were happening to their loyal fanbase in the UK, lending the whole thing an extra layer of dynamically modern instant returns. “We wanted to make the album as Sugababes as possible and wave the British flag, we‘ve pushed ourselves and stepped it up” says Amelle.

Yes, if any of the ‘Babes tweeted about the recording process, it was…well, it was Keisha who did that. How the hell does one ‘wave the British flag’ when you enlist American producers that make you sound serviceable to American radio anyway? And WHY is Amelle the only one contributing quotes to this thing? ISN’T SHE THE ONE IN THE CRAZY HOUSE RIGHT NOW?!

The new record is marked by a glistening neon sheen. It sits ahead of the contemporary curve of welterweight R&B with an endless succession of tracks to choose as singles. They say that this is the Sugababes record they are proudest of.

Some of them might even say, “This is the first Sugababes album I’ve ever recorded.”

If you can feel the confidence bouncing out of the girls in their shiny new form right now, you wouldn’t be wrong. “We’re having fun. We’re so excited to have Jade in the band and embracing the next chapter. This is us. And we want to be Sugababes as badly as ever.”

Yes, I’d have to say if there were any quality I’d pick out as eminating from the current line-up of the ‘Babes, it’s confidence.

Eesh.