Pod Of The Pops (The Girlband Popcast)

The end of second series showcasing the Sugababes solo careers and we have come full circle. Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan have got back together.    We cover the whole messy reunion with their single, Flatline, and the would be album (of course we havent listened to the leak, of course not!). We've dodged it all series but we finally dived into the legal battle.... who owns the Sugababes name?!

Not since Michelle Williams has the phrase 'Poor' been needed than Poor Jade Ewen.  Despite hustling at Eurovision Russia, Girlband Trinity Stone and starring in a Busted video - Jade Ewen never got the appreciation she deserved... until now!  We celebrate Jade Ewens solo career pre and post Sugababes from Splash! to Aladdin. You could say its.... My Time (well, her time - shut up, it worked in our heads) www.podofthepops.co.uk 

With Keisha kicked out, the Sugababes quickly (like, 48 hours quick) draft in Eurovision contestant, Jade Ewen, to film the About A Girl video and re-record their final album, Sweet 7.  We cover the release of the album and the slow breakdown of the best selling girlband of the 00s via promo release, Freedom, and a hilarious sponsorship deal with Microsoft Windows

Final original Sugababe Keisha Buchanan unfairly booted from the band in the middle of promotion for Get Sexy.  Maybe you think she didn't do anything solo..... let us prove you wrong. Unreleased demos, youtube and property. We deep dive into the longest lasting Sugababe.

Its the big one - the sweet (7) story -final original member Keisha Buchanan kicked out by management in just days before shooting a video!  We discuss the beginnings of the of the Sweet 7 era with the Bruno Mars penned 'Get Sexy' on Roc Nation (Jay-Zs record label). This is less than a year after the motown vibe album, Catfights and Spotlights.  If you thought the Sugababes were over once Mutya left.... you need to think again. We get albums, tours, dramas and - of course - slapping it onto soundtracks.

Who is the only Sugababe to get a solo number one single? Its your girl Amelle! We break down that and all her 'would be, could be' singles. Not to mention a short actress stint, tumbling around in BBC Ones celebrity circus show and more than one controversial court case.

Amelle joins the Sugababes and, baby, is she put to work. She re-records an album, pushes out their greatest hits and goes on two tours within 18 months. What a ride. In our 4th suga-story episode we go from the Greatest Hits to the number 1 Changes album. And on the way we pass the GREATEST video known to Babes: Easy. Filmed in a toilet in Romford complete with cubicles, toilet roll holders and red wigs.  Oh, and did you know there was a Sugababes Barbie? There was a Sugababes Barbie and we're going to break it down for you

The Real Girl herself, Mutya Buena, after leaving Sugababes she went onto a short pop career, a lifetime of one off singles and a lot of reality tv   Its just Tattoo and us on a journey through the social career of Mutua Buena

The Sugababes are riding high in 2005 with a number one album and a number one single but things aren't so rosy for the group as motherhood and personal difficulties mean Mutya needs to leave We look at the highs and lows of their career covering Dallas Austin, Hair extensions and motherhood

Whos got the Range? Heidi Range Its time to dig deep into the solo career of the REAL original Sugababe (please dont cancel us!). There may not be a music career but we get masterchef, dancing on ice and WINE. Plus, we rewind time and look at her start in life.... in Atomic Kitten!   Listen to our Heidi playlist on Spotify including the discussed previously unreleased Heidi solo tracks: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2KmIDLa8mS3eiR5Lt2IJ13?si=YN9E4QC7TTyF_Svs0TvB1w 

See what we did there... its the second episode of our Sugababes deep dive and we recap Heidi joining the group for their first number one single, Freak Like Me, and then another number one.... and anoth- You get the picture. They just kept getting bigger as they release their most commercially successful albums - 'Angels with dirty faces' and 'Three' But where there is spotlights, there is catfights (we got caught in a moment there).  Deep dive with us and recap the music, the fashion and the backstage dramas. Including THAT Britney Toxic argument. 

You know we love deep dives on the forgotten solo careers. This week its the turn of Siobhan Donaghy, the original flame haired irish Sugababe. Leaving after the mixed success of the debut Sugababe album, One Touch, Siobhan fires off with two albums of her own: Revolution in me and Ghosts.  Aside from music theres some surprises along the way including musicals and fashion.

Pod of the Pops: The Girlband Podcast and in series 2 we are deep diving into The Sugababes. We're covering the biggest pop singles of the 00s and deep diving into the solo careers.  This week its the Sugababes debut album One Touch, including the era defining debut single Overload which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2020.  Find out how Mutya Keisha Siobhan went from Sugababies to Sugababes after being discovered by All Saints manager Ron Tom and why they were dropped by London Records   Listen on Spotify to top tracks from this era: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0lzKaM9tcfG5BRHeQHDGnH?si=3nTdiP3jQv2_9mS3UCA5JA 

Did you miss us like a hole in the head? Because we did, babes, and it ain't cool babes. We know we took a minute to get back to you but we're coming right back at ya (this time) with a brand new series. We've done the best selling girlband of the 90s and now its the best selling girlband of the 00s.  Before we dive in, we're catching you up on in everything in our pop bubbles. We're SO glad to be back. Pod of the pops, Series 2. The Sugababes podcast

Final bonus episode of series 1 celebrating the solo careers of the Spice Girls and we have been inspired by the letter Victoria Beckham wrote in Vogue magazine.  We have written a letter to our pre podcast selves (yes its only been 9 months, but we're very self indulgent). We cover EVERYTHING - from Aarons stint on Britains Got Talent, to Laurens sex life (be safe guys), to Karens anxiety.  We hope you have loved listening as much as we have loved recording. We'll be back in Autumn for series 2.... in the meantime, we'll be chatting all things Spice on social media

Spice Girls reunion tour 2019 brings Spiceworld to a new generation (next!). Baby Spice, Scary Spice, Sporty Spice, Ginger Spice (not Posh) are back together and singing all their hits, from Wannabe to Let Love Lead the Way (yes they did). Join us as we dissect the set list, the costumes, the merchandise, the stadium and, of course, the opening act (Poor Jess Glynne). Whether you saw them in Wembley, Bristol, Sunderland or Dublin (we saw them in Edinburgh and it was fire) this will help you Never Give Up On The Good Times and answer the all important question..... Why was Geri so cold?

In this episode we celebrate the legacy of once of Britains most enduring fashion icons: Me, Victoria Beckham. We follow her journey from the first collection of dresses, through her many vogue appearances, to being an award winning UK fashion label. This is more than Posh Spice, this is more than girl power - this is fashion, darling. Along the way we cover her many TV spots including stints on American Idol, Ugly Betty and her own reality show. 

The solo career of Scary Spice, Melanie Brown, becomes quite difficult after the 2007 Spice Girls reunion. Despite proving herself as a successful TV talent judge, on formats such as X Factor and Americas Got Talent, Mel B has struggled in her personal life with accusations of Domestic Abuse and Drug addiction. Mostly connected to her marriage with Stephen Belafonte. Although Pod of the Pops is a light hearted podcast, and we are reloving these popculture moments, it would be amiss of us not to cover this indepth. As such, this episode does come with a trigger warning.  Mostly, we are proud the Mel B found the courage to leave a situation that was clearly distressing and problematic for many involved. We think this can be a beacon of light for many people who feel trapped in their own situations and hope we can make a new episode, in many years time, that shows her going from strength to strength.  Before this, we chat about the Spice Girls solo career including: Dancing with the Stars. Takes part in series 5 of Dancing with the Stars with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. She comes in second Her Las Vegas Revue: Peepshow. A burlesque show created by Jerry Mitchell and the longest-running live show at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.   Fitness Spice. A DVD, a playstation game and the face of Jenny Craig.  Her TV show, Dance your ass off Her reality show, Its a scary scary world. Including celeb special guests and its own theme tune.  Her many many MANY reality tv judging stints. Including X Factor Australia, X Factor UK, Voice Kids and Americas Got Talent  Her solo single. The dance record, For Once in My Life, and its crazy music video.  Rumours around her leaked third album, including collaborations with Danja Acting roles, including Chocolate City 2, Twelve Trees of Christmas, Killing Hasselhoff, Chicago on Broadway and Secret Diary of a call girl  Presenting role on LipSync Battle UK alongside Professor Green  Her second autobiography, Brutally Honest, which details the bitter divorce from her husband, rumoured sex tapes, domestic abuse, custody battles and money problems  

Baby Spice Emma Bunton may not have released much music but she was busy having babies, designing childrens clothing, nappy and products as well as hosting popular reality programmes in the UK and US. All whilst maintaining a steady radio presenting career on Heart FM.   It’s an exciting start to this era for Baby – because she has a baby. Her first, Beau, born in 2007.   2009 – Emma starts her stint on Heart FM. She covers a couple of shifts and is rewarded with her on Saturday drive time slot. She pre-records because Baby has better places to be than a stuffy studio on a Saturday evening.   2010 – She joins the judging panel of Dancing On Ice. She did 2 series. It was a little controversial at the time. People wondered, with no ice skating background, what she could possibly provide as a judge. But she was praised for locking horns with chief judge Jason Gardiner and not being afraid to make unpopular comments. She said it helped her shed her Baby Spice tag…. Because she became Sassy Spice. Here are some of her best put downs: She sure has. On the third show she told GMTV's Dr Hilary Jones: "I literally couldn't breathe through the whole dance and when you lifted her I felt physically sick, I was so nervous for you both. "I just didn't enjoy it and I'm glad you were smiling because I wasn't." The next week she said of Emily Atack's performance: "I just thought it looked messy, unsteady. I felt like you were being dragged around. You are improving but very little." Then, in show seven, she told Sharron Davies: "It's a little bit like déjà vu for me, with a different outfit each week." 2011 – Baby Tate. To celebrate she launched her own baby range with reputable fashion retailer, Argos. Much bigger than the capsule Geri knocked out with Next….. this was a 99 piece collection. Her eldest Beau was modelling the collection – following in his Mamas footsteps, because one of her first jobs was a child model in the argos catalogue. I bet she was a proper cherubic little model. All blonde ringlets and chubby cheeks. 2011 – She really commits to Heart FM. Covers maternity leave for Harriet Scott on Breakfast, hosting alongside her old sparring partner – Jamie Theakston. Breakfast is a big shift. It’s a high profile position, a lot of responsibility and hardwork. Its all early mornings and beaming smiles. But Baby does a good job; she ends up taking over the spot permanently and doing it for 5 years. Until 2018. 2012 – She did the previously mentioned Mel C duet, I know him so well….. Which I think is just lovely of them to work together. The video is beautiful, if a little boring, of them just hugging. Interview quotes they described the song as “having the spirit of spice”. 2013  was a big year for Emma Bunton – not only did she win Foxy Bingo Celebrity Mother of the Year award she had a new tv show. “Your face sounds familiar” – it’s a bit Stars in their eyes. 6 celebrities portray famous singers, chosen at random, to win £10,000 for their chosen charity. They’re trained by Yvie Burnett – who is the second best vocal coach in the world. After Carrie from Fame Academy. Its all very Saturday night cringe – filing the spots between X Factor and Ant&Dec. 2014 - Jade Jones appears on “Big Reunion”. Baby named as ‘Lead Singer’ of the group. Link for the image: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S4opaSrTHI 2017 – She appeared on the judging panel of new American reality show, BoyBand, which sought to find the new big BoyBand. She appeared alongside Nick Carter, Timbaland. Hosted by Rita Ora.             Best bit was towards the end they did a judges medley, with the contestants. Emma completes a flawless rendition of Say You’ll Be There. Of course she does. If only Rita were so lucky. She tries to join Timbaland for “Way I Are” and it is car crash.             They create the band “In Real Life”….. who have released 6 singles since in the past 18 months. One charting. It’s a start.  2018 – She becomes the host of American version of Great British Bake Off. Guardian had a great tagline: Contesants will have to dust it, make it, proof it, bake it – show her how good they are   We find her back recording, Studio Spice. More than a decade after her previous effort. Signed a deal with BMG records – who tend to focus on publishing rights and legacy artists. She is a songwriter with a legacy…. What a home.   Does mean her time is short. She has to say goodbye to Heart Breakfast. 5 year stint, successfully so. Award winning stint. Including “Radio presenter of the year” and “digital radio programme” at the TRIC awards. But they do give her a Sunday night slot (bet that is a pre-record). She knows how to keep a foot in the door (must be easy to work with if they keep you on that long).   Which makes room for her to finally get married! After 8 years of being engaged.

She gave you the finger, you took her to dinner, and you made her laugh. Its time to respect the painfully derailed second solo career of Geraldine Estelle Halliwell. --------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome back to Pod of the Pops. Just like an apple, cut down the middle, she only has one matching half…….. If you don’t know the lyrics I’m referencing then THIS podcast is going to be an EYEOPENER for you. The second Geri Halliwell career is really a long road of threats to release an album. She hits more road bumps than Rita Ora. Start the podcast in true Geri style….. an interview in The Guardian where she denounces herself as a feminist: “For me, feminism is bra-burning lesbianism. It's very unglamorous...We need to see a celebration of our femininity and softness” Constantly comes back to her not knowing what her greatest assets are. I used to picture her as a great speaker, politically engaging but actually – she is a monkey at a typewriter. If you type a thousand scripts, eventually one will say SpiceWorld. Example: I'm learning every day as a mother. I'm learning that she's like a flower that thrives when it gets sunlight, and the sunlight is confidence, and I feel that when I'm confident it gives her self-esteem. And that gives me motivation to go on and be the best.……I, I, I, i…. iSpice On 12 April 2007, it was announced that Halliwell had signed a six-book deal with Macmillan Childrens Books. The books follow the adventures of nine-year-old Ugenia, a character based on Halliwell,  alongside her friends Bronte, Rudy, and Trevor. Each title feature a newsletter from Ugenia highlighting lessons she has learned, along with quizzes, riddles and crosswords, and available in an audio book edition read by Halliwell. Geri described it as “The rebith of girl power. Handing on the baton through a different medium. (If she has handed on the baton it would explain the next 7 years) There were rumours Geri had based one of the characters, Princess Posh Vattoria on her fellow bandmate, Mrs Victoria Beckham. Another character is called David Bockham. Not the most cunning disguise, it is. She loves an obvious dance move; she loves an obvious character name. She appeared in early drafts but removed.  According to the official site, the book sold more than 250,000 copies in its first 5 months, making Halliwell 2008s most successful female celebrity childrens author. In September 2009, Halliwell, in her role as a Goodwill Ambassador of UNFPA, visited Nepal to help launch a national campaign to stop violence against women In 2009, she also makes a movie cameo. In the Jason Statham action comedy, Crank: High Voltage. It’s a sequel in which Chev Chelios must electrocute himself regularly to stay alive – whilst a group of assassins take out hits on his life. Geri appears in a flashback; as the role of Jason Stathams mother. (I am assuming they used the scene from SpiceWorld where they play mothers as their inspiration). Clip. Clip. Now – I know this is just a bit of fun BUT can we discuss, for a moment, the role Geri played in early feminism. And the irony then, that in 2009 she would appear in a film the Guardian accussed of “extreme misogyny and racism” and “although nothing should be off limits in comedy” it amounts to “flashy, arrogant, emptiness”. Now, I haven’t seen 2010 had the makings of a big year for Geri. She has put wheels in motion; Scream if you wanna go faster. We start getting a lot of “Geri is coming back to music”. This is 5 years after her last album (2005 Passion). March: Vocal coach Carrie Grant, famous as one half of the husband-wife team that coached contestants on reality TV show Fame Academy is being interviewed on The Alan Titchmarsh show (all big names) and she says Geri is working on a return to music. We also cover: - Her episode of Piers Morgans: Life Stories - Fashion Spice: she releases 3 collections with Next. A beach wear collection, a red carpet ready gown collection and a very patriotic Olympics range - Judge Spice: X factor UK and Australias got talent - Her foray into sitcom, with Trollied and the pilot of her own show, Life Sucks. - Her wedding to Christian Horner. With only one Spice Girl in attendance - "Other half of me" her Australian only single with some, ummm, questionable dance moves and lyrics - Her leaked country album, Man on the Mountain - Presenter Spice, hosting the One Show and her own driving show: My Drive to Freedom - George Michael charity single, Angels in chains, raising money for Childline - BBC talent show, All Together Now. Where Geri is blostered by 99 other panelists.