| Amelle Berrabah | |
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 Berrabah at Vodafone TBA, 1 June 2008
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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, Roc Nation |
| Associated acts | Sugababes |
Amelle Berrabah (born 22 April 1984) is a British Morrocan singer and a member of girl group, Sugababes. Since she replaced Mutya Buena in December 2005, the group has attained two UK number one singles, "About You Now" and "Walk This Way", and a number one album, Change, during Berrabah's tenure. Berrabah also achieved a solo number one in 2009 after featuring on Tinchy Stryder's single "Never Leave You".
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Berrabah was born in Aldershot, Hampshire to Moroccan migrant parents and was brought up as a Muslim.[1] She has four sisters, younger sisters Samiya[2] and Laila,[3][4] older sisters Zakiya[2] and Nora[5] and a brother Khaled.[citation needed] Her family owned a kebab shop in Aldershot.[6] She attended Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford on the merit of a scholarship because her family could not afford to send her.
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 had also won Top of the Pops magazine’s Star Search in 2003 that would have given her chance to be the lead singer of a new band.[2] and had performed at Party in the Park as well.[7]
Following Mutya Buena's departure, Berrabah was roped in as a replacement by the Sugababes' management. Their manager had seen Boo2 perform at an American showcase a few years prior and Amelle 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.[2][7] The first single to feature Berrabah's vocals, "Red Dress", gave the Sugababes a third consecutive top five UK hit from the album, entering the chart at number four.[3]
Taller in More Ways was re-released on 27 February 2006 with re-recorded vocals by Berrabah. Because of the hastiness of the replacement, Berrabah could only re-record vocals for half the album.[7] The Sugababes were also a supporting act for Take That on the boyband's summer 2006 stadium dates. The Sugababes' greatest hits collection, Overloaded: The Singles Collection was released on 25 November 2006. They were also involved in the 2007 Comic Relief single with Girls Aloud, "Walk This Way",[8] which went to number one.[9]
With the release of first single from their album "Change", "About You Now", the Sugababes became the first girl group to top the UK Singles Chart on downloads alone,[10] the song remained at number one for four weeks. In October 2007, Change became the group's second UK number-one album, giving the group the top positions on the singles and albums charts simultaneously.[4] Catfights and Spotlights was released on 17 October 2008.
Berrabah was featured on "Never Leave You" by Tinchy Stryder in 2009, the single debuted at number one.[11]
The Sugababes signed with Roc Nation for the release of their seventh studio album, Sweet 7.[12] Prior to shooting the video for the second single, "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 Jade Ewen.[1][12] Following the string of events, Berrabah checked into a European health clinic for a three week stay, citing "severe nervous exhaustion".[13]
On 28 April 2007, Berrabah was arrested over allegations that she had assaulted an eighteen year-old girl on the dancefloor in the Bar Med club in Surrey.[3][4] No charges were brought.[6]
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.[4] The charges were quickly dropped when it was revealed that she was not even in town at the time.[6]
"Never Leave You"[11] (Tinchy Stryder featuring Amelle) - from the album, Catch 22
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   | Sugababes.com (official site) - Sugababes - Get Sexy - Coming 31st August |
| | Amelle interview on I Like Music (ilikemusic.com) - Sugababes Amelle chats to I Like Music | interviews | ilikemusic.com |
| | Academy of Contemporary Music - Welcome to The Academy of Contemporary Music |
| | Amelle Berrabah's Sugababe vow - Amelle Berrabah's Sugababe vow |
| | SugababesUK.com (fan site) - Sugababes UK.com |
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