Sugababes

Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhán Donaghy introduced Sugababes with “Overload” in 2000. Its bass line and patient groove left room for the singers, making the debut album One Touch feel unusually self-possessed. The record moved through R&B, soul and pop without the oversized presentation common to many of its contemporaries. “Run for Cover” and “New Year” reward the same close attention as the lead single.

After Donaghy’s departure, Heidi Range joined for the next phase. Angels with Dirty Faces in 2002 brought a more overt electronic edge. “Freak Like Me”, made with Richard X, turned a Gary Numan riff into something both abrasive and beautifully controlled. “Round Round” found a different kind of tension in its rolling rhythm. The group sounded ready for bigger rooms without losing the personality in the singing.

Three and Taller in More Ways continued the run, with “Hole in the Head”, “Too Lost in You”, “Push the Button” and “Ugly” covering a wide emotional distance. Further membership changes became a large part of the public story, but they can obscure how strong the records were as records: precise arrangements, clear vocal identities and choruses built to last beyond a chart week.

The original trio later reunited and returned to the Sugababes name. One Touch received an expanded anniversary edition through London Records in 2021, opening up the early sessions alongside the familiar album. For a new listener, that debut and the sharper electronics of the next era make a useful pair. They show a group able to sound understated and forceful without treating those qualities as opposites.