[Z]

Not really surprising. It's hard to know why they failed - lack of confidence is the main factor more than anything I think, either the girls themselves or their management/label or perhaps both. You do need to remember that despite the line-up change; they managed to score top ten hits with About A Girl and Wear My Kiss. The album tanked but that wasn't necessarily anything to do with the girls themselves; it had been leaked months before it was released and the sampler with Keisha's vocals were already on it. It was the same situation as Amelle's version of Taller In More Ways not being popular because Mutya's version had already been released.

I think if they'd had more faith in Freedom and actually released it, they could have slugged it out. Radio didn't get behind the release but I think that was probably down to politics more than anything, the actual song itself was pretty good and it fitted in with what was on the radio at the time; radio snubbing them was a huge blow but they should have persevered instead of putting out as a limp free download and letting what little momentum they had left fizzle out. It's a shame for Jade Ewen - she's a very talented singer, beautiful and she's been reduced to a punchline in a long running joke about the tainted Sugababes name. I think if she'd replaced Heidi; the Sugababes would have gone in a very interesting new direction that could have worked extremely well, but obviously that was never going to happen; it was Amelle or Keisha who had to go and Heidi made her choice.

I like all three of them as people and the thing you can't deny about each of the six people who have been in that band is that they are all phenomenal singers. It's just a shame it all ended in this way. I wanted MKS to get the name Sugababes back for a while, but now I think even if they were offered it, they'd be better off staying clear of it. It's been ruined by politics and bad attitudes.