Reunited trio make their live comeback with a secret set at a London New Year's Eve party
The original Sugababes played their first gig since reforming as Mutya Keisha Siobhan last night (December 31).
Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy - the founding members of Sugababes - reunited last year (2012) to record a new album as Mutya Keisha Siobhan. The trio no longer own the rights to the Sugababes name, which is now used by a group consisting of three non-original members.
The reunited trio took to the stage shortly after midnight at an intimate New Year's Eve party hosted by Ponystep magazine in east London. Their performance had not been announced in advance, but some fans had guessed that Mutya Keisha Siobhan would be the event's "Special Guests" because they appear on the cover of the magazine's latest edition.
The group began their secret set with a rendition of 'Overload', Sugababes' debut single from 2000. The group were not backed by a live band at the low-key show, but they showed off their trademark vocal harmonies over a backing track.
After they finished the song, Buchanan noted that tonight's show was the first time the original Sugababes had sung live together "since we were about 15". The trio, now in their late twenties, followed 'Overload' by performing another favourite from the first Sugababes album, the seasonally appropriate 'New Year'.
The group then surprised the crowd by covering Rihanna's 'Diamonds', a song that Buchanan called "one of the highlights of 2012". Mutya Keisha Siobhan wrapped up their four-song set by performing a bass-heavy version of Sugababes' 2002 chart-topper 'Freak Like Me' - which was actually recorded after Donaghy had left the group.
Although the group played no new material, they left the stage promising that the Mutya Keisha Siobhan album will be coming out in 2013. According to Buchanan, it contains "some sick shit".
Mutya Keisha Siobhan played:
'Overload'
'New Year'
'Diamonds'
'Freak Like Me'
Overload:
Freak Like Me:
Diamonds:
New Year:
sources: 1, 2, 3, 4