The group was formed in 1998 with original members Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan & Siobhán Donaghy, who were introduced to each other by manager Ron Tom. After some initial success, Donaghy departed and the introduction of Heidi Range (formerly of Atomic Kitten) in 2001 was met with the commercial breakthrough of the group's first number-one single "Freak Like Me" and parent album Angels with Dirty Faces in 2002. The group survived a second line-up change in 2005, when Mutya Buena left and was replaced by Amelle Berrabah. In September 2009, it was announced that after eleven years in the Sugababes, Keisha Buchanan was no longer a part of the group and had been replaced by Jade Ewen.
Sugababes have released twenty five singles, six of which have reached number-one in the UK and twenty have reached the top 20 in the UK, seven studio albums that have reached top 40 charts worldwide with success around Europe and Asia having number-one singles in fifteen countries. With seventeen of their twenty five single releases achieving top ten chart success in the UK, Brit Award winners, the trio have been named the UK's most successful female act of the 21st century. Upon the release of "About You Now" (2007), the Sugababes became the only female act to have topped the single, album, and download charts simultaneously twice, having previously achieved the same feat in 2005 with "Push the Button". They have attained at least platinum certification for five of their albums in the UK.
Their most recent release 'Sweet 7' saw them scoring yet another 3 Top 10 hits in the UK charts, with also being Sugababes' first studio album to be recorded with new member Jade Ewen. In September 2013, Ewen stated that the Sugababes officially split in 2011. Ewen claimed that the band "fizzled out" two years ago and are "pretty much done", saying: "I don't feel comfortable lying", but Berrabah claimed afterwards that they will all be "getting back together at the end of next year". Meanwhile, the three original band members got back together and went on to form Mutya Keisha Siobhan, releasing one single, 'Flatline', in 2013. A full album was recorded but never released, with the majority of tracks recorded leaking from Christmas 2016.
In July 2019, the original line-up of the band confirmed they were back in the studio making music - with a cover of Sweet Female Attitude's 'Flowers' set to appear on the compilation album 'DJ Spoony Presents Garage Classical'. In September 2019, the pre-order for the compilation album confirmed the original trio had regained the name Sugababes.
Look At Me
Sugababes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With your life experience
But I gotta learn from my mistakes - not yours
Let me fly to my own fate a little please
Wrap me up and guard no more
And I'll never learn
Look at me
Look at me
The center of your world (your world, your world)
You know you are my friend
But you got to understand
That if you stop me you'll only end up alone
Let me use what you gave me
Always listening to me
And put to use what I have learnt
So I can't return
[Chorus:]
Look at me
(look at me, look at me, look at me, look at me)
I'm still your little girl
(look at me, look at me, look at me, look at me)
Look at me
(look at me, look at me, look at me, look at me)
The center of your world
I'm still your little girl
(I'm still your little girl)
You know just what it meant to me
The way you have protected me
But now it's time for me to leave
To find my own destiny hey
I'll always belong to you
You taught me how to find my through
To keep my feelings straight and true
Most of what I am I owe it all to you
[Chorus: Repeat 3X]
Look at me
I'm still your little girl
(little girl, little girl)
In Sugababes's song Look at Me, the lyrics convey the message of a young girl who yearns for her independence and wants to learn things on her own instead of being restricted and smothered by her well-meaning guardian. She acknowledges the fact that her guardian has amassed a wealth of life experience, but at the same time, she wants to experience and learn things on her own, and from her own errors instead of relying solely on the guidance of her older counterpart. This song is about striking a balance between what a guardian can teach you and what the experience of living can teach you.
The first verse begins with the girl acknowledging her youth and the life experience of her guardian. She says that she needs to learn from her own mistakes, rather than being dependent on the wisdom of others. The girl implores her guardian to let her soar with her own wings, no more hovering, and no more wrapping her in cotton wool, but learning things independently so that she may be able to make informed life choices in the future.
In the chorus, the girl appeals to her guardian to look at her as an individual, rather than a little girl. She asserts her own autonomy and separateness from her guardian, reminding them that there are certain things that she can only learn for herself even if it means risking making mistakes. However, she still maintains her close bond with her guardian, and her love and respect for them is clear.
Overall, Sugababes's Look at Me is a song that highlights the balance between the guidance of a mentor or guardian and the lessons learned exclusively through life experience. It highlights the push and pull between the desire to establish oneself and the need to maintain ties with those who have taught and nurtured you.
Line by Line Meaning
I know I'm still young
Despite my youth and inexperience, I acknowledge that I have a lot to learn.
With your life experience
I appreciate your life experiences and the wisdom you have gained from them.
But I gotta learn from my mistakes - not yours
I understand that I need to make my own mistakes and learn from them, rather than simply following your advice.
Let me fly to my own fate a little please
I request that you allow me to make my own choices and take risks in shaping my future.
Wrap me up and guard no more
I don't want to be sheltered from the outside world and protected from every potential harm anymore.
And I'll never learn
If you continue to overly protect me and make all my decisions for me, I won't grow and mature as an individual.
Look at me
Notice how I have grown and changed over time.
I'm still your little girl
Despite any changes or challenges, I will always have a sentimental connection to you.
The center of your world (your world, your world)
I understand that you have always had a strong affection for me, and that I have been the primary focus of your attention.
You know you are my friend
I value our relationship and appreciate all that you have done for me.
But you got to understand
I need you to realize that I am growing up, and I won't always agree with your opinions and decisions.
That if you stop me you'll only end up alone
If you prevent me from making my own choices and exploring my independence, you will ultimately drive me away.
Let me use what you gave me
Allow me to make use of the skills and guidance you have provided me over the years.
Always listening to me
I appreciate how you have always been willing to listen to my thoughts and ideas.
And put to use what I have learnt
I want to take what I have learned from you and apply it to my own life experiences.
So I can't return
I can't continue to rely on you to make decisions for me; I have to grow and learn on my own.
You know just what it meant to me
I recognize and appreciate the many ways you have helped me and supported me throughout my life.
The way you have protected me
I value the protection you have provided me as a parent or guardian.
But now it's time for me to leave
However, now that I am older, it's important for me to begin taking on more responsibility and independence.
To find my own destiny hey
I want to discover my own path in life and make my mark on the world.
I'll always belong to you
Even as I become more independent, I will always have a connection to you and the values you have instilled in me.
You taught me how to find my through
Your guidance and support have helped me navigate challenging situations and find my way.
To keep my feelings straight and true
You have helped me to stay true to my values and emotions, even in difficult circumstances.
Most of what I am I owe it all to you
The person I have become is largely a result of your influence and support throughout my life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAMERON MCVEY, FELIX HOWARD, JONY (ROCKSTAR JONY) LIPSEY, KEISHA BUCHANAN, MUTYA BUENA, PAUL SIMM, SIOBHAN DONAGHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@xxxTIN0xxx
Siobhan's line " the center of your world " is my favourite and of course Mutya's solo too. I adore this song.
@andrewturvill7145
Nothing but love for this album
@ladytee2017
Lovely song