Stooshe |
|
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Band name |
Stooshe |
| Origin |
South East London, England |
| Genre |
R&B, soul, motown, pop |
| Years active |
2010-present |
| Label |
Warners (2011-2014) Trilogy Records (2015-) |
Stooshe are an English girl group from London, consisting of members Alexandra Buggs, Karis Anderson and Courtney Rumbold. They were signed to Warner Music in August 2011 and they released their first promotional single, "Betty Woz Gone", in October 2011. It was announced on 5 December that Stooshe had been nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll.
Their official debut single, "Love Me" featuring American rapper Travie McCoy, saw the group attain chart success, with the single peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart. They released "Black Heart" in June 2012, which peaked at number three after a month in the top ten. A cover of TLC's "Waterfalls" was released as a single in November 2012. "Slip" was released as the third single from their forthcoming debut album on 12 May 2013, it was a number 12 hit in the UK. Their debut album London With The Lights On debuted at number 8 in the UK Albums Chart on 2 June 2013. "My Man Music" was released 28 June 2013.
Stooshe's first single from their Sophomore album, "Lock Down" was released on 15 January 2016. Stooshe announced "Let It Go" as the second official single and was released 1 July 2016. As of 2024, the album was never released.
Stooshe's fan-base is called "Squad" or "#Squad".
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History[]
2010-2011: Formation[]
Stooshe was formed in May 2010 and signed to Warner Music in August 2011. The original concept was to create an urban and soulful Spice Girls. Alexandra Buggs, Karis Anderson and Courtney Rumbold formed following a series of auditions and scouting in Topshop stores over a nine-month period.
Using tracks from writing/production duo Future Cut, the group spent the next twelve months developing their look and sound. Anderson said the band's name originates from the word 'stoosh', which is urban slang for something expensive, "a girl who thinks she's nicer than she is", or being stoned or stashed away. They then added 'she' on the end to represent female empowerment. The resulting name is pronounced like the Scottish word "stooshie".
2011–13: Commercial breakthrough and London with the Lights On[]
The group released their first song, "Love Me", on YouTube on 14 March 2011, which was accompanied by the release of a music video; originally featuring rapper Suave Debonair. The release was met with mixed reviews, with The Guardian's Paul Lester reporting, "You can tell there's a proper grown-up, soul-infused girl-pop group waiting to come out", despite the music video proving an internet hit - surpassing 100,000 views. The group also recorded a music video for "Hot Stepper", a cover of the 1994 hit "Here Comes the Hotstepper" by Ini Kamoze at Hyde Park's Wireless Festival in July 2011, following their appearance on the Barclaycard Unwind Stage.
The second single, "Betty Woz Gone", was released onto iTunes on 28 October 2011, earning placement on BBC Radio 1's In New Music We Trust playlist. An official lyric video accompanied the release, following the story of Betty as told by cartoon versions of the group. It was revealed in November 2011 that the group would re-record and release "Fuck Me" as "Love Me" on 4 March 2012 as their first official single, with US rapper Travie McCoy as the featured artist. Having been produced by Future Cut, the re-recorded track was posted online on 4 January 2012 and served as the lead single from their forthcoming album, Stooshe. The track marked the group's first chart appearance, debuting at number five on the UK Singles Chart - having sold 37,789 copies, also peaking at number seven on the Scottish Singles Chart for the week ending 17 March 2012.
Stooshe released their second single, "Black Heart", on 15 June 2012—becoming the group's second top five single when it peaked at number three on the UK chart and becoming one of the largest selling and airplay records of 2012. It was awarded gold certification status in September 2012 selling over 400,000 copies, it has sold over 800,000 copied total, spending 6 weeks in the UK Chart top 5, over 16 weeks in the top 40 and received a nomination for “Best British single” at the 2013 Brit Awards, up against some of the biggest names in the industry. It was announced in June 2012 that the group would be supporting American rapper Nicki Minaj on the UK leg of the Pink Friday Tour. Stooshe performed a brief set on the Bingley Music Live main stage on 31 August 2012. It was announced in October 2012 that the group would be supporting Jennifer Lopez on a part of the European leg of the Dance Again World Tour.
On 15 November, it was reported that the album's release would be delayed until March 2013 after their cover of TLC classic nineties track "Waterfalls" missed the Top 20. A statement from the group explained "Following a late rush of creativity which has seen them write some of the best songs of their career, Stooshe have decided to delay the release of their debut album until March 2013 so they have time to record these songs for inclusion on the album." Stooshe added that they would be going back to the studio soon to record the new songs. Stooshe's debut album was released on 27 May 2013, under the title London With The Lights On. Their performed "Slip" on Britain's Got More Talent TV show on 1 June 2013. London With The Lights On entered the UK albums chart at Number 8 giving the group their first top 10 album. "My Man Music" was announced as the fourth single from the album. The video was released on 23 of June 2013.
2014-2016: Label and manager split, unreleased second album, and disbandment.[]
In Autumn 2013, the band split from their record label (Warners) due to alleged disagreements over London With The Lights On. However, in April 2024, band member Anderson revealed that they were in LA pitching to Sony BMG after London With The Lights On was released in summer 2013, their manager asked them to change into different outfits for the pitch, which the band said aloud in the pitch when asked why they had changed into what they were wearing; feeling "embarrassed" the manager left the band in LA, cancelled said record deal, cancelled Dr Dre meetings, and sent a lawyer's letter explaining that they would no longer manage the band[1].
They worked independently on their sophomore album, and signed under Trilogy Records; however, as of 2024, the album was never released.
The single "Lock Down" was released on 15 January 2016 from their Sophomore album. The video to "Lock Down" was shot in L.A, and at HM Kingston Prison, Portsmouth, UK; the lyrics deal with the aftermath of the aforementioned label and manager split. Stooshe announced "Let It Go" as the second single and released on 1 July 2016. The music video was shot in Italy by Damien Sandoval, whom also filmed "Lock Down".
The sophomore album hosts an array of talent including Carla Marie Wiliams (Beyoncé), Grammy winner Keith Harris (Black Eyed Peas) and hit producer Dr. Vades. The album has some great collaborations including Beenie Man, and promises to represent the journey Stooshe have embarked on over the past 18 months. It draws on inspiration from Destiny’s Child and SWV, fused with strong beats, thick synths and live instruments. The sound is a natural evolution of the group, but remains true to their pop, RnB and soulful melody. Stooshe commented: ‘"The new album represents freedom and choice, a snapshot of the journey we have been on so far. We can’t wait to share it, learn from it and grow with it’". The girls were brand ambassadors for FILA UK which saw them showcase the A/W collection, and designed a special range released in 2016.
Since mid-2016 Stooshe have not released any new music and have moved on with their lives onto other projects, though occasionally perform at festivals and Pride events in the UK.
Gallery[]
