Amelle Berrabah
| Amelle Berrabah | |
|---|---|
 Amelle Berrabah performing live in 2011. |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 22 April 1984 |
| Origin | Aldershot, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | Island, RCA |
| Associated acts | Sugababes |
Amelle Berrabah (born 22 April, 1984) is a British singer, songwriter and member of pop girl group the Sugababes. Since replacing founding member Mutya Buena in the group in December 2005. She achieved a solo number one single in 2009 after collaborating with Tinchy Stryder on their single "Never Leave You", making her the first and to date only member of the Sugababes to achieve a number one single outside of the group.
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[edit] Life and career
Berrabah was born in Aldershot, Hampshire to Moroccan parents. She has four sisters, younger sisters Samiya and Laila, older sisters Zakiya and Nora and a brother Khaled.[1][2][3][4] Her family owned a kebab shop in Aldershot.[5] Berrabah's father died of cancer in 2002.[6]
[edit] 2005-2011: Sugababes
Berrabah attended Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford on the merit of a scholarship. It was then that she met her managers and formed the band Boo2, with her sister, Samiya and began looking for record contract opportunities.[7] She won Top of the Pops magazine’s Star Search in 2003 that gave her the chance to be the lead singer of a new band and had performed at Party in the Park as well.[1][7] Following Mutya Buena's departure from Sugababes, Berrabah was roped in as a replacement by the group's management. Their manager had seen Boo2 perform at an American showcase a few years prior and Berrabah had impressed him. As soon as Buena left, he gave Berrabah a call about the opportunity and got her to record three songs to audition for remaining members Keisha Buchanan and Heidi Range. They liked the demos and Berrabah was then announced as the newest member of the band.[1][7]
The first single to feature Berrabah's vocals, "Red Dress", entered the UK Singles Chart at number four.[2] Taller in More Ways was re-released in early 2006 with re-recorded vocals by Berrabah. Because of the hastiness of the replacement, she could only re-record vocals for half the album.[7] She also contributed the song, "Now You're Gone" to the new tracklisting. Theyperformed the 2007 Comic Relief single with fellow girlband, Girls Aloud, "Walk This Way",[8] which went to number one.[9] The first single from their album Change, the Dr. Luke produced "About You Now", topped the UK singles chart for four weeks. In October 2007, Change became the group's second UK Albums Chart number one, giving the group the top positions on the singles and albums charts simultaneously.[3] Berrabah was credited with co-writing five songs on the album. Despite announcing a break after the Change tour, the group quickly began working on Catfights and Spotlights, which was released in late 2008 and became their lowest charting album at the time. After the commercial disappointment of Catfights and Spotlights, the group began working on a new album, Sweet 7, signing with Roc Nation and working with their in-house producers in the US.[10] Berrabah was also featured on "Never Leave You" by Tinchy Stryder in 2009, the single debuted at number one in the UK.[11]
Prior to shooting the video for the second single, RedOne production "About a Girl", Berrabah was rumoured to have left the group. She had missed two engagements promoting the album. It was later revealed that in fact Buchanan had been booted and replaced by Britain's Eurovision entry that year, Jade Ewen. Berrabah and Range had earlier quit the band claiming that they could not work with Buchanan any more, their management then retained them and removed Buchanan instead.[12][13] Following these events, Berrabah checked into a European health clinic for a three week stay, citing "severe nervous exhaustion".[14] Sweet 7 was released in early 2010 after multiple delays from late 2009. It charted at number 14 on the UK Albums Chart.[15] The Sugababes began recording a new studio album soon after.[16] In mid-2011, they left Island Records for a distribution deal with RCA Records,[17] releasing the planned first single, "Freedom" for free in August after it failed to gain any traction in airplay. A few months after the release, Heidi Range explained that the Sugababes were taking a break while they pursued individual endeavors.[18]
[edit] 2012-present
Berrabah began working on solo material in 2011 with producer Pete Kirtley, who had previously produced her co-writing contribition, "Now You're Gone" from Taller in More Ways.[19]
[edit] Personal life
On 28 April 2007, Berrabah was arrested over allegations that she had assaulted a girl on the dancefloor in a club.[2][3] No charges were brought.[5] Berrabah was arrested again on 10 January 2008 on suspicion of causing criminal damage and a public order offence. The arrest was made in connection with an alleged attack on a car in her hometown of Aldershot on 9 January 2008.[3] The charges were quickly dropped when it was revealed that she was not even in town at the time.[5] On 23 September 2010, Berrabah was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving after neighbours alerted the police. After pleading guilty in court, she received a 14 month driving ban and a £2000 fine.[20] On 2 September 2011, she was convicted of common assault due to an incident immediately prior to her arrest for drink-driving. She was given conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 to her victim.[21]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
- As featured artist
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [11] |
IRE [11] |
EU [22] |
|||
| 2009 | "Never Leave You" (Tinchy Stryder featuring Amelle) | 1 | 2 | 5 | Catch 22 |
- Collaborations
| Title | Year | Other performer(s) | Album | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Til the End" | 2010 | Tinchy Stryder | Third Strike | [23] |
[edit] Music videos
| Title | Year | Director(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Never Leave You" (Tinchy Stryder featuring Amelle) |
2009 | Emil Nava | [24] |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Aldershot’s Amelle is the new Sugababe, S&B media, 29 December 2005, http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/27086_aldershots_amelle_is_the_new_sugababe, retrieved 5 November 2009
- ^ a b c Swash, Rosie (30 April 2007), Sugababes star arrested on assault charge, Guardian News and Media Limited, http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/apr/30/news.rosieswash, retrieved 5 November 2009
- ^ a b c d Silverstein, Adam (11 January 2008), Sugababe Amelle Berrabah arrested, Guardian News and Media Limited, http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jan/11/urban.ukcrime, retrieved 5 November 2009
- ^ "Amelle Berrabah in the spotlight". gulfnews. 7 May 2008. http://gulfnews.com/about-gulf-news/al-nisr-portfolio/tabloid/articles/amelle-berrabah-in-the-spotlight-1.17172. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
- ^ a b c Salmon, Chris (17 March 2008), 'We're the biggest ... ', Guardian News and Media Limited, http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/mar/17/popandrock.girlsaloud, retrieved 5 November 2009
- ^ Bowdler, Neil (30 March 2010), Sugababe Amelle talks of cancer loss, BBC, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8587411.stm, retrieved 3 April 2010
- ^ a b c d Williams, Andrew (6 March 2006), 60 SECONDS: Amelle Berrabah, Associated Newspapers Limited, http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/interviews/article.html?in_article_id=10618, retrieved 5 November 2009
- ^ Girl groups get red noses rolling, BBC, 31 January 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6317377.stm, retrieved 5 November 2009
- ^ Sugababes vs Girls Aloud – Walk This Way, The Official UK Charts Company, http://theofficialcharts.com/all_singles_song.php?id=1062, retrieved 29 November 2009[dead link]
- ^ "Music - News - Sugababes 'sign up to Jay-Z label' - Digital Spy". Digital Spy<!. 2009-04-27. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a154140/sugababes-sign-up-to-jay-z-label.html. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ a b c Tinchy Stryder and Amelle Berrabah – Never Leave You, αCharts.us, http://acharts.us/song/47180, retrieved 28 January 2010
- ^ Dee, Johnny (22 September 2009), Sugababes: so do they still exist or not?, Guardian News and Media Limited, http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/22/sugababes-split-up-keisha, retrieved 5 November 2009
- ^ Michaels, Sean (22 September 2009), Sugababes' Keisha sacked from band, Guardian News and Media Limited, http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/22/sugababes-keisha-sacked, retrieved 5 November 2009
- ^ Jonze, Tim (16 October 2009), Sugababes' Amelle suffering from 'severe nervous exhaustion', Guardian News and Media Limited, http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/oct/16/sugababes-amelle, retrieved 5 November 2009
- ^ "Music - News - Lady GaGa reclaims UK album top spot". Digital Spy. 2010-03-21. http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a209894/lady-gaga-reclaims-uk-album-top-spot.html. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ^ "Music - News - Sugababes begin work on new album". Digital Spy. 2010-04-21. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a215683/sugababes-begin-work-on-new-album.html. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ^ "Sugababes Sign To Sony RCA". Media Essentials. 2011-06-07. http://www.mediaessentials.co.uk/2011/07/media-essentials-sugababes-sign-to-sony-rca/. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
- ^ http://www.itn.co.uk/home/36182/Heidi+Range+27Sugababes+have+not+split27
- ^ "4Music - News - General - Has Sugababes' Amelle gone solo?". 4Music. 2012-01-13. http://www.4music.com/news/news/2697/Has-Sugababes-Amelle-gone-solo. Retrieved 2012-01-18.
- ^ "Sugababe Singer Amelle Berrabah Banned From Driving For 14 Months after Admitting Drink-Driving". Sky News. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Showbiz-News/Sugababe-Singer-Amelle-Berrabah-Banned-From-Driving-For-14-Months-after-Admitting-Drink-Driving/Article/201010215754630. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- ^ Sugababes Amelle Berrabah convicted of assault. Heat (magazine).
- ^ "Amelle Berrabah > Album & Song Chart History > European Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Company. http://www.billboard.com/search/?keyword=the+saturdays&x=0&y=0#/artist/the-saturdays/chart-history/771626. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ "iTunes Preview > "Til the End" - Third Strike > Tinchy Stryder & Amelle". iTunes. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/third-strike/id402165959. Retrieved Wednesday, October 19, 2011.
- ^ Tinchy Stryder feat Amelle’s Never Leave You by Emil Nava. www.promonews.tv. Wednesday, July 22, 2009. Retrieved Wednesday, November 2, 2011.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amelle Berrabah |
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