Posted August 16, 200915 yr POP GO THE DIVAS With more attitude than Girls Aloud and more staying power than the Spice Girls, the Sugababes are still reigning supreme in the pop world. Now with a new style – and sound – they’re sassier and sexier than ever. So why the change? Here, the trio talk boys, break-ups and bouncing back... http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00052/sugagbabes_52813a.jpg She's gained 11lb and shaved off half of her hair, but Amelle Berrabah isn't going through a Britney-esque meltdown. Far from it. The Amelle we meet today is stronger and more confident than ever. In January, Amelle, 25, ended her turbulent six-year relationship with Freddie Fuller, 26, and since then she's embarked on a physical and mental transformation. "I feel like I can finally breathe," she says. "I'm me again - free and totally happy." The highs and lows of their relationship were scrutinised under the showbiz spotlight. And there were many lows. There was the violent machete attack on Christmas Eve 2007, which left Freddie fighting for his life, and the false allegations earlier that year that Freddie raped Amelle's younger sister. It would have put a strain on any relationship but Amelle insists these events had no part to play in their break-up. "There were loads of incidents that no one knows about that made me realise it wasn't right," Amelle explains. "We weren't getting along and eventually I was so drained, I couldn't be bothered to argue any more. "I also found out a lot of other stuff about Freddie towards the end." Ask Amelle just what she discovered and the 100-word-a-minute chatterbox goes suddenly silent. "Erm, I'm not going to answer that," she eventually says. After struggling to find the words, she settles on: "A good way of saying what happened is I felt betrayed." Quite what Amelle means isn't clear, but she obviously felt very let down and her emotions come tumbling out. "I also felt humiliated, an idiot and a bit silly because of all the things I found out. I felt stupid for not seeing it myself." She adds: "Freddie broke my heart, but not in a love way. He's destroyed my faith in men." After ending things Amelle switched to autopilot. She stuffed his belongings into bags and couriered them from the flat they shared to his friend's house. "I was surprised how strong I was," she says. "Even though my friends thought I'd go back to him, I was adamant. It was the first break-up I'd ever experienced, so I just went with my heart and did what I thought was the right thing - and that was to act quickly." It might have been their first proper break-up, but it wasn't their first separation. During the final rocky three years, the couple parted lots of times, for lots of reasons. One occasion was in February 2007 after Amelle's sister Samiya, then 20, alleged that Freddie had raped her. The investigation was dropped and eventually Amelle and Freddie reunited - but it rocked their relationship. Why did she try to save it? "I knew our relationship wasn't right for either of us, but I'm very traditional," she says. "Freddie's the only man I've ever been out with, the only man I've ever had a physical relationship with, so I wanted it to work. I wanted to believe it would get back to the way it was at the start." Although friends and family were trying to persuade her to leave, Amelle admits only one person could do that - herself. "Nobody could tell me to leave Freddie until I sorted it in my own head," she says. "Seeing my band mate Heidi excited about meeting her boyfriend for dinner made me realise I didn't have the same feelings for Freddie. It was time to call it quits." Since that day, Amelle has never looked back, although, initially, she admits it was tough. "For the first three weeks it was weird going home to my empty flat. I wasn't missing Freddie, it was more of a realisation that I was on my own and I didn't know what to do with myself," she explains. Amelle has now changed her number and broken all ties with her ex. It's been three weeks since they last spoke. "Freddie was texting and ringing for a long time, begging me to take him back, but I've stopped communication so I can make a fresh start," she says. And last month, after a year of not speaking to her sister over the false allegations, Amelle healed the rift with Samiya. "There was a lot of water under the bridge and it's still hard to get my head around it. But it doesn't matter any more. When I saw her for the first time, I was crying my eyes out," she says. "I've always loved Samiya and I know she's so sorry. I've decided to bury what happened and get on with life." And that's exactly what Amelle's doing. First came the new-look hair, then the much-needed weight gain, which boosted her from a scrawny size zero to a size 8. "I've put on 11lb," the 5ft 2in star explains. "Thank God, because I looked like an anorexic rat before!" Amelle says she hasn't changed her diet but thinks the stress of her relationship kept her painfully thin, despite her huge appetite. Now she's eating what she likes but going to the gym and training for a 10km race to keep her body in shape. When it comes to love, Amelle's already enjoyed nights out with singer Kanye West, 32, and had dates with model Jake Davies, 27, but she's not looking for another long-term romance just yet. "I'm definitely celibate," she insists. "I've been out with Jake a few times, but nothing more. I physically can't do it. A snog is fine with me but nothing more... not yet." SO AMELLE, HAVE YOU EVER... Googled yourself? No, I'd rather not know. I can't be arsed with that. Been arrested? Yes, for fighting. It was in a club, but it wasn't my fault. These girls jumped me and I had to protect myself. It was reported that I'd started a big fight, but I'm not like that. Feigned illness to avoid a party? Years ago before I joined the band - never recently. Told a friend she looks good in a bad outfit? Never in my life. Taken something back to a shop after wearing it? Yes. A top. I wore it, but realised I didn't like it. I was 16. Pulled a sickie from work? About twice since I've been in the band. Me and the girls work it out between us. I'll say: 'I'm going to pull a sickie next week, is that OK with you?' Pretended to remember someone when they say hi? All the time. I usually muffle my voice to cover myself. Lied about a terrible gift? Loads of times. But I'm never fussed about what I receive - I'm just pleased they bothered in the first place. Used fame in a bad way? No, that's so embarrassing. Read something about yourself and thought 'I wish!'? Yes, that I've got massive boobs. Mine are average for my size. Looked up your ex on Facebook:? No, I'm not interested. I don't want to fill my head with all that stuff. While Amelle's love life has been like a roller-coaster ride, for Heidi Range it's been more like a blissful carousel. She's clocked up six years with her TV and radio presenter boyfriend Dave Berry, 30. So with clashing work schedules and lots of time apart, what's their secret to keeping a relationship rock solid? "Any couple who says you don't need to make an effort is lying," says Heidi, 26. "I leave love notes in Dave's diary and he'll lay my PJs out on the bed when I get in late." Lucky for Heidi, her man's a true romantic. Just three months after he asked her out, Dave arrived at her London home with a message board, Love Actually-style. "He had a sign saying: 'Can I take you to the Big Apple?' and had booked our first holiday there," recalls Heidi. However, anyone expecting Dave to conjure up a romantic proposal will be waiting a while. "He'll do it when I least expect it, like when we just get up in the morning, when I'm not thinking about it," she laughs. "Who's to say I'll be the first Sugababe to get married anyway? Keisha and even Amelle could do it spontaneously. We're always having that discussion - which one will get married or have a baby first." While two of her closest friends - TV presenters Holly Willoughby and Emma Willis - have recently become mums, Heidi admits she's happy to wait - even though she's picked out names already. "I'm broody - we've talked about having children," says Heidi, who lives with Dave in south-west London. "We've got names for the three we've planned - two boys and a girl - but I'm keeping those a secret. "It's lovely to see Holly and Emma's babies but my main thing is being in the Sugababes. I want a family, but it's not ¿the right time at the moment." With the band in mind, 5ft 2in Heidi has been upping the exercise to perfect her size-10 body for their sexy new look. And with a combination of gym workouts, spinning and body-combat classes, she's lost over 7lb, taking her to a tight and toned 8st 2lb. And what's Dave's verdict on her new figure? "He's seen me all sorts of sizes and makes me feel nice however I am," she smiles. Now that's what we call Mr Perfect. SO HEIDI, HAVE YOU EVER... Checked the messages on a lover's phone? Never. And I never would. Googled yourself? No. I actually I get Google alerts, but I've never typed my name into Google. Lied about your age? Only when I was younger to get into clubs. Blamed something bad on someone else? Probably as a kid. Been arrested? No. Pretended to be someone else to avoid someone? Yes, loads of times. Feigned illness to avoid a social situation? Probably. I hated school. I used to pretend to be ill all the time, so I didn't have to go in. Stolen something? When I was little I stole a teddy at a summer fair, but I felt really guilty and took it back. Told a friend she looked lovely in an outfit that she looked awful in? Yes. Me and my sister are really close and I'd tell her if something didn't look right. Everyone has fashion disasters. I've had loads. Secretly fancied a friend's boyfriend? Me and my best friend Natalie fell out all through the second year juniors over a boy we both went out with. Forgotten your boyfriend's birthday? No. I love birthdays, so I plan in advance. I get more excited than Dave does. Said: 'Do you know who I am?' I will not walk to the front of the queue. I've been in a queue with people who have told me to go to the front, but I won't. Been mistaken for another celebrity? No, not for another celebrity, but people have been confused with bands and called us Girls Aloud. Pretended to cook something when it was secretly a packet mix? No, I like cooking. Last year, when the Sugababes' album Catfights And Spotlights bombed, the band had to do some serious soul-searching. And the one member who knew exactly what to do was Keisha Buchanan. At 24, Keisha's the only original member of the group. She joined as a 15 year old and has grown into the feisty, fearless frontwoman. She knew that if the Sugababes wanted to continue, they had to work at it. "Being in a band is a bit like being in a relationship - you can't get complacent and when you do you have to know when to spice it up. The industry's changed so much - it's not only about singing, but the entire package now," she says. So the band headed off to America to record their seventh album - and have bounced back with a new style, sound and saucy dance routines. "I'll admit we'd got set in our ways," Keisha explains. "We weren't pushing ourselves, so now we're putting the vocals first and we're working with a few choreographers on dancing." With newcomers like The Saturdays making waves, you'd think Keisha would be worried about what the future holds. "It's nice to have new bands coming out but, and I'm not saying this arrogantly, I don't see them as competition," she says. "I'll sit up and take notice if I see or hear them in five years. It's a hard industry to be in and hard to hold on for such a long time." Keeping a relationship on track is just as tough, but Keisha's got it sussed. She lives in Hertfordshire with her boyfriend of two years, actor Dean Thomas. "He told me he'd have married me on our second date but wants to pay for everything himself, get me the perfect ring. It matters to him," she says. "I want to be married before I have kids and I'd like them by the time I'm 30. I'm rolling with it because I don't want to put too much pressure on myself." Neither is 5ft 3in Keisha putting pressure on herself in the gym. "I like being a role model for curvy girls. I'd be lying if I said there weren't days when I read negative comments about myself and get a bit down. But there's never been a day when I've not liked my body." SO KEISHA, HAVE YOU EVER... Checked the messages on a lover's phone? Yes, I have. This was years ago, but I did find some stuff I didn't know about. Googled yourself? No. Never, ever. Lied about your age? Yes, I still do that now. I pretend to be 23 when I'm 24. When I was younger, I used to lie quite a bit to get into clubs. Been arrested? I've been cautioned. When I was 15, our neighbours moved out, so me and my friends went in their house to hang out. One night the police came, but we ignored them. The next thing we knew, the house was surrounded by police with dogs. They kicked the door down and we all got dragged out, told off and sent home. Pretended to be someone else to avoid someone? I'm always polite to everyone, but on some occasions they'll draw more attention to you by being really loud. So, in those situations, I pretend not to be me. Feigned illness to avoid a social situation? Oh yeah. Loads of times. Stolen something? Never. Even at the gym, I'd feel bad about taking the towel home. Told a friend she looked lovely in an outfit that she looked awful in? No. If they're looking really confident in it and I didn't like it, I might suggest different earrings to go with it. Taken something back to a shop after wearing it? No, not intentionally. Secretly fancied a friend's boyfriend? Me and Mutya used to like the same guys all the time. There were occasions when her boyfriend would come into work and he'd be looking at me, or my boyfriend would come in and he'd be looking at her. We had really similar taste. Pretended to remember someone when they come over to say hi? That happens all the time. I say: 'Kick me in the leg if I don't remember you next time.' Forgotten your boyfriend's birthday? Never. Lied about lovely a terrible gift? Dean got me an Aston Villa mug, hat and even a shirt with my name on the back. I'm not saying it's awful but... Dean Ever said: 'Do you know who I am?' No, I always find it really embarrassing. Instead, I just send my friends up to the front of the queue at clubs to ask if it's ok if we can push in. Been mistaken for another celebrity? Yes. On The London Eye, this guy thought I was Samantha Mumba. So I had to say, I'm Keisha from the Sugababes. And I hate having to say that. Lied to your boyfriend about how much something costs? No. Read something about yourself and thought: 'I wish!'? Not really. In the early days, I used to be plagued with stories that I'd had breast surgery, but I've always had big boobs. Had an inappropriate dream about a colleague or anyone? Probably, but not that I can remember. The Sugababes' new single Get Sexy is out August 31. Source: News of The World http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00052/amelle280_52900a.jpghttp://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00052/heidi_52812a.jpghttp://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00052/keisha_52811a.jpg
August 16, 200915 yr POP GO THE DIVAS With more attitude than Girls Aloud and more staying power than the Spice Girls, the Sugababes are still reigning supreme in the pop world. More "attitude" than GA ? Oh yeah ..... GET SEXY RIGHT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOW ! How classy, and what a "cool" attitude :) And the Spice Girls comment is funny too, considering that two thirds of the Sugababes are added bits, but still the journalist try to imply they're bigger than the Spice Girls somehow, LOLZ ! I hate this kind of press, why the need to introduce an article with such useless and cliché sentences ? Edited August 16, 200915 yr by Bert for Lashes
