Sugababes’ Keisha Buchanan recalls being branded a ‘bully’ over songwriting disputes in past line-ups

Sugababes singer Keisha Buchanan has recalled how she was branded a ‘bully’ for speaking up about songwriting credits in past line-ups of the group.

The About You Now singers have seen various reincarnations of the Sugababes over the years, with Keisha, Mutya Buena and Siobhan Donaghy the original members, and Heidi Range, Jade Ewen and Amelle Berrahbah joining in later years. 

Keisha, Mutya and Siobhan have reclaimed the group and have opened up about racism has tarnished some of their memories in their early days. 

Speaking to NME, Keisha said: ‘What did a lot of damage to me mentally and the things I still have to deal with to this day is that perception led into the way I dealt with business and people as I got older, and I became a complete walkover. 

‘I never talked about my experiences of being surrounded in toilets by girls who just wanted to fight me.’ 

Sharing an insight into the past versions of Sugababes, Keisha added: ‘Or how – in other Sugababes’ line-ups, not this one – writing-splits were an issue and when I said: “But I wrote more on this song’, I’d be accused of being a bully. That was hard for me”.’ 

Siobhan admitted that she noticed that Keisha was ‘treated differently’ than other group members whenever they travelled abroad, and puts it down to racism. 

Keisha will discuss her experience with racism in the music industry more in-depth in Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s upcoming documentary about race and colourism. 

It’s not the first time Keisha has spoken out about racial abuse, as she released a lengthy video at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests last year. 

The Push The Button hitmaker said at the time: ‘I used to think racism was when someone directly looked at you and called you a racist word. I didn’t realise that there are so many different ways that a person or people can be racist or prejudice. 

‘I never felt for one second that my skin was a hinderance. The Sugababes were never put together, nothing was ever pushed or forced, I never felt like I’m here because I’m a black girl. I never thought in a million years that by pursuing my dreams it would ultimately change who I was as a person.’

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