Another group who started out when they were teenagers crossed MNEK’s path when he was 17. Sugababes formed when they were just 13, and also experienced a very different adolescence to that of their peers.

 

With the original lineup back together in 2012, Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan set about creating new music, bringing in MNEK to work on tracks for what would go on to become The Lost Tapes album, including co-writing and producing standout album track, Today.

 

“I've always loved Today in particular,” he nods. “I always thought it should have been the first single from the project…” he pauses, changes tact – “We did it literally 10 years ago. I was 17 when we wrote Today and Drum, and I worked on Boys as well. I was a kid, so it's funny to hear the music back now and hear where my brain was at back then. It's a time capsule. It's nice that that's just there – there's no changing that and there's no tweaking it.

 

“We just mastered the demos, because we were like, ‘Why not?’ Of course, I would have loved to have had the stems, but I can't worry about that now because it is what it is and that magic was captured. I'm pretty proud of it. And I looooved working with them,” he purrs. “I think they're so great.”

 

 

Despite capturing an album’s worth of tracks showcasing the group’s close knit harmonies and songs that harken back to their 2000 debut, One Touch, the record wouldn’t see the light of day – officially – until the tail end of 2022 – “Labels, labelled – as they do!”

 

After a revolving door of interchangeable group members, the OG Sugababes’ highly anticipated comeback project was leaked a while back – “Not the leaks! No more leaks!” MNEK exclaims, holding up his hands. The girls have been professionally (and likely, legally) tight-lipped about what happened, although understandably, are not impressed with how it all went down.

 

“You would be though, right? Because we loved the songs when we wrote them, and we really wanted them to come out.

 

"Unfortunately, because of certain powers – that are still, as we speak…” he trails off suggestively, then decides against it. “They just weren't able to.”

 

All’s well that ends well though. Once officially released, The Lost Tapes debuted at number two on the UK Album Downloads Chart and at number 13 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. “I am happy the songs belong to the people now,” MNEK smiles.

 

 

 

Source: https://headlinermagazine.net/mnek-16-again...ng-is-king.html

“We just mastered the demos, because we were like, ‘Why not?’ Of course, I would have loved to have had the stems, but I can't worry about that now because it is what it is and that magic was captured. I'm pretty proud of it. And I looooved working with them,” he purrs. “I think they're so great.”

 

What does he mean? Why did he master the demos? Why does he not have the stems?

Imma guess that they’re either locked in the polydor vault still or they got lost as part of the decade long wait

I am hoping they have done more songs together.