[xDramatick]

HEIDI RANGE and Amelle Berrabah have - for the first time - revealed the unbearable demands of Keisha Buchanan, which led to her being ousted from the Sugababes.

Speaking openly for the first time about their decision to carry on with new member Jade Ewen, the pair claim Buchanan's constant putdowns made them dread being in her company.

The bullying left Amelle so stressed she checked into rehab to try to rebuild her self-esteem.

Though they stop just short of using the B-word, Heidi, 26, and Amelle, 25, paint a picture of life in the Sugababes which explains their decision to risk their careers rather than continue as they were.

Amelle admits: "Bullying is a strong word. It sounds bad. But no one likes to be treated horribly. I was being singled out every day and I didn't like the way I was being treated. I dreaded going in to work even though I had worked so hard to get here.

"I didn't have a voice, Heidi didn't have a voice and the people who worked around her didn't have a voice. Even people who worked with us threatened to quit because they couldn't take it. I took a lot of s*** from her as did Heidi and the rest of the team.

"Morally, you can only allow youself to be treated a certain way for so long. It got to a point where we couldn't do it anymore. I still respect Keisha. I would never speak badly about her or go into detail but we tried for a long time to make things work and it just got worse and worse.

"Me and Heidi were struggling for a year and trying our best to make things work. But it was so negative on a daily basis, it upset me. It affected my health. The stress got to me."

Amelle adds: "I didn't know what I wanted any more. I was lost. I didn't feel like myself. Heidi said I was like a shadow. I kept asking myself why it was happening. I can take a lot and don't hold grudges. Sometimes that gets abused. I felt like I was being used and spoken to a certain way.

"I used to be bubbly and outgoing but I became quiet. People told me I would never speak in interviews. I was paranoid that I would get the eye. I would let her carry on and live my life quietly.

"There is only so much you can take. It came to a point that I wasn't going to let that happen to me any more. It was the same with Heidi.

"I didn't want to lose what I had spent my whole life trying to get. I wanted to believe I could handle it. But I couldn't. It got to the point where I decided, no, I'm not going to allow it to happen anymore."

The first hint that the Sugababes were set for yet another line-up change came when Heidi and Keisha turned up without Amelle for an anti-racism concert in Glasgow.

At the time, the pair claimed Amelle had discovered a friend had been in a car accident and was too shocked to join them on the road. But quickly the truth emerged.

Amelle had checked into rehab suffering from stress, just days before the group were due to fly to Los Angeles for a video shoot.

Heidi recalls: "We were told her friend had been in a car accident but she had gone away for a week because she couldn't take any more. The day before we flew to LA, it came to a head. I couldn't take it any more and neither could Amelle. How we allowed ourselves to be treated had gone on too long.

"It was pretty bad the last year of the previous line-up. I respect Keisha for the eight and a half years we have been together so I wouldn't want to tell tales. But we had to make a decision whether to work in that environment. This job is our life and it wasn't a nice atmosphere. It wasn't a happy environment."

Amelle picks up: "The story came out that I had disappeared and there were even rumours that I had been kidnapped. But the truth is I had just had enough. I didn't want to go to LA. I was willing to throw away my dreams because I had to think of my mental health. By then, every day was a struggle.

"My head was so full of s*** that I had to go somewhere different. I went off to a centre to relax. For the first time in my life I went somewhere for me. I was healing.

"It is not in me to be nasty. I hope Keisha has a great career ahead of her. She is a very talented lady. But I know I made the right decision staying with Heidi."

That Heidi had sided with the newest member of the Sugababes, rather than founding member Keisha Buchanan, came as a shock to many who had seen a revolving door policy with the group's other founding members Siobhán Donaghy and Mutya Buena departing in 2001 and 2005 respectively.

Buchanan had been the one constant and was widely seen as the driving force behind the Sugababes.

The penultimate twist came when Heidi got a call from the record label two days after the split, asking if she would consider carrying on with Amelle if the label could find a new member to replace Buchanan.

Heidi reveals: "I landed at LAX and me and Amelle made the decision that it wasn't working anymore so we left the Sugababes. As much as I knew I had made the right decision it was still heartbreaking to come to the end of a relationship.

"I thought the Sugababes were over but I wasn't even thinking about that. We had another four days before we were due to fly home. It was during that time the label phoned and said they wanted us to carry on with someone else. Even that was a scary thing to think about.

"They told us they had someone in mind and that they would fly this person out. By this point the video had been shot with three body doubles. There was no band on the day of the shoot.

"They made the video without us because they'd paid for the director. They told us if we got on with the new girl we could be part of that video. That's when they flew Jade over. We met on the Sunday and shot the video on the Tuesday."

Amelle adds: "We got a phone call from the record label saying they wanted to keep us on with another girl. I was emotionally drained at that point. I was shocked. However, it was Keisha's turn to get a shock but I hope she can be happy and do her solo stuff. At the time, me and Heidi had left the band and we thought that was it. But it also felt like a release. I had put my career on the line not to work with Keisha."

Former Eurovision Song Contestant Jade Ewan, 22, flew to Los Angeles straight away to meet the girls and took part in the video shoot. It was Keisha's turn to be left out in the cold.

"Now Jade is on board we are really happy and it is nice coming into work," Amelle admits. "Jade is a breath of fresh air and a nice girl. We are so looking forward to the future. I am the happiest person ever."

Initially, set for release last November, the group's latest album Sweet 7 is out on March 15 - with Keisha's vocal wiped and Jade's vocals added to the songs.

Heidi explains: "Jade went in and re-recorded the parts that Keisha had done. We also recorded a brand new track with Jade. She sounds amazing and has made the parts her own. She has been incredible recording it after being put under so much pressure.

"Things are so much better with Jade. We are really enjoying working together. It is like a fresh start. I'm not going to say we are best friends because we are still getting to know Jade but she is a lovely girl."

Source

Keisha's even admitted to bullying Heidi:

She admitted: 'I was a bitch to Heidi at first because I couldn't get over the fact that we'd worked since we were 12 and this beautiful girl from stage school had it all handed to her on a plate. I made her life hell. That's when I said to myself: This is stupid.'

Source

SO glad they've explained their side.
How anyone could like Keisha is a question to me :/
4.0 <3

[Shaun]

Meh. They're all pathetic and bitchy - what was the worst move however was going behind Keisha's back and ousting her from the band. Absolutely shocking behaviour, and she's better off without them.

Mutya, Siobhan and Keisha are above them <3

I feel sorry for Jade, she doesn't know what she's got herself into and she's much more talented than that **** Amelle.

[MarkWaldorf]

i really hope jade is happy there.

[xDramatick]

Originally Posted by MarkWaldorf

i really hope jade is happy there.

All 3 seem happier tbh.
They've posted lots of pics of themselves on twitter staying over each other's houses, they also seem happier in interviews+performances.

[GypsyGoth]

I think the originals and the new sugababes should have a dance off.

[xDramatick]

Originally Posted by GypsyGoth

I think the originals and the new sugababes should have a dance off.

LMFAO.
the new ones would win.. I don't think the originals ever danced.
they sat on stools, looking moody.

[GhettoSuperstar]

Originally Posted by GypsyGoth

I think the originals and the new sugababes should have a dance off.

With Jade being able to do that leg movement in the AAG video, no contest.

Being a bully > going behind her back (to get rid of the bullying).

The prior is not justified whatsoever. End of.

[Ross]

Team Keisha, always!

I really like Jade and I think she adds alot to the group. I don't like Amelle, if anything she comes across as the bitch to me.

[Tom4784]

Meh they lose respect from me for bitching about it to the newspapers, they're just as bad as Keisha.

[MarkWaldorf]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

Meh they lose respect from me for bitching about it to the newspapers, they're just as bad as Keisha.

Well they didn't exactly. It's not like Amelle said: "She called me a pathetic dog with a **** voice", or Heidi said: "She kicked me in the face and spat on me repeatedly!" I think they're trying to keep some dignity by not completely outsting Keisha for what she is. There's been reports for years of in-fighting and bullying anyway, so they're not saying anything that hasn't been said before. There's probably going to be journalists who want to grate them for information. For all we know this interview could have been for album promotion, but they edited it down to Keisha chat.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by GypsyGoth

I think the originals and the new sugababes should have a dance off.

I think keisha had one with Jay Z and against the girls & JLS at an aftershow party at the brits.
And keisha won

[Adamw92]

And here they go again, talking about it though they've repeated again and again how they want to "forget" about all this drama and move on, yet who keeps bringing it up? Is it Keisha? no! I really can't stand Amelle lately, Jade is the only tolerable one in the group now, Heidi is on the fence for me.

[Tom]

Heidi, in my eyes, is an original. She is the second longest serving member. If it wasn't for her they would have faded away after their first album.

I hate how people have turned on her and suddenly overlook her just because she wasn't there from day 1.

[Ross]

I like Heidi but she needs a backbone. It's obvious now that Amelle calls the shot. Jade is new and fresh I hope she can give the group the success they once have and deserve.

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by MarkWaldorf

Well they didn't exactly. It's not like Amelle said: "She called me a pathetic dog with a **** voice", or Heidi said: "She kicked me in the face and spat on me repeatedly!" I think they're trying to keep some dignity by not completely outsting Keisha for what she is. There's been reports for years of in-fighting and bullying anyway, so they're not saying anything that hasn't been said before. There's probably going to be journalists who want to grate them for information. For all we know this interview could have been for album promotion, but they edited it down to Keisha chat.

possibly but chances are they wanted to stick the knife in and come off looking like saints at the same time, They'll want to demonize Keisha so they've gone to the papers made her out to be a supreme bitch in order to make their ousting her less scummy. They're all bitches i just can't stand it when they try to come of like butter wouldn't melt.

[MrGaryy]

Mutya, Heidi and Jade. now THAT would be one serious Sugababes.

Keisha is a bitch and I do wish people would stop saying they ousted her. They quit and their label asked them to come back, as far as they new it was over for them. The label ousted Keisha not Amelle and Heidi. Though Amelle does seem like a total bitch as well.

[M X]

I used to hate the new line-up, now I love it. The new album is epic<3 and you can tell they are now really enjoying themselves. That was missing on Catfights & Spotlights.

[Patrick]

Idc, I dont even know their names anymore!

They arent even fit, the only fit one in is that one that is usually on the left I think with the longer hair.


Bring back the originals!

Mutya

Ugly, Push the button, About you now etc

Good songs.

Their new songs are ****, the sooner this band call it a day and let the originals reform then the better.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by Patrick

Idc, I dont even know their names anymore!

They arent even fit, the only fit one in is that one that is usually on the left I think with the longer hair.


Bring back the originals!

Mutya

Ugly, Push the button, About you now etc

Good songs.

Their new songs are ****, the sooner this band call it a day and let the originals reform then the better.

Mutya????
She the biggest Dog of the lot of em

[LemonJam]

Am I alone in not giving a **** about who's having a bitch about who?

[andybigbro]

New Sugababes> Old Sugababes.


NEWBIES ARE BETTER!

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by andybigbro

New Sugababes> Old Sugababes.


NEWBIES ARE BETTER!

Newbies make me through up, Newbies are just knobs in everything.

[Billy]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

Meh they lose respect from me for bitching about it to the newspapers, they're just as bad as Keisha.

LOL what? How is being bullied and speaking about it just as abd as being the bully? Literally makes no sense at all.

[Billy]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

possibly but chances are they wanted to stick the knife in and come off looking like saints at the same time, They'll want to demonize Keisha so they've gone to the papers made her out to be a supreme bitch in order to make their ousting her less scummy. They're all bitches i just can't stand it when they try to come of like butter wouldn't melt.

They aren't sticking the knife in at all. They've barely gone into detail about what happened, when they could. It'd be easy for them to demonise Keisha but they haven't, they've only said that they couldn't work with her anymore. They aren't the bitches it's Keisha. Even some of their team wanted to quit because of her.

[Billy]

Originally Posted by Patrick

Idc, I dont even know their names anymore!

They arent even fit, the only fit one in is that one that is usually on the left I think with the longer hair.


Bring back the originals!

Mutya

Ugly, Push the button, About you now etc

Good songs.

Their new songs are ****, the sooner this band call it a day and let the originals reform then the better.

None of the songs you mention feature the originals..