The Sugababes Paradox

The Sugababes are a pop conundrum. As I'm sure you've heard, the last original member of the three-piece, Keisha Buchanan, has left the group. She was allegedly forced out by management and awarded a six-figure pay-off, who were in turn advised by band-mate Heidi that her prickly relationship with newest recruit Amelle was heading for a bust-up during their all-important attempt to crack America.

Whatever the reason, Keisha's been kicked out and this year's Eurovision entrant, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's protégé Jade Ewen, was immediately hired to replace her. The new lineup (photo above) are busily re-recording their new album, due for release late-November, which is an exhausting and expensive thing to be doing at the eleventh hour.

And it's amusing to argue whether or not this means the Sugababes are effectively over, now that there are no original members left. It's the Ship of Theseus paradox, given a pop twist. Even weirder, ex-member Mutya Buena (whom Amella replaced) has claimed it's possible she could reunite with the ousted Keisha and original songstress Siobhán Donaghy, to resurrect the original Sugababes ensemble. Therefore, wouldn't Keisha-Mutya-Siobhán be THE Sugababes, and Heidi-Amelle-Jade just the replacements the group gathered like moss along the way?

It's very confusing. Maybe the original trio would have to legally call themselves "The Real Sugababes or "The Original Sugababes"? A perverse part of me hopes this happens, and that the rival 'babes have competing singles in the chart one week. My head hurts.