# Amelle Berrabah
**Amelle Berrabah** (born 1984) is an English singer, songwriter, and performer, best known as a member of the British girl group the [Sugababes](https://www.edgepedia.org/sugababes) from December 2005 to 2011, during which she replaced founding member [Mutya Buena](https://www.edgepedia.org/mutya-buena).[1](https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/amelle-berrabah) In 2009 she became the only Sugababes member to reach number one on the UK Singles Chart outside the group, through her collaboration with [Tinchy Stryder](https://www.edgepedia.org/tinchy-stryder) on "Never Leave You".[2](https://www.bold-management.com/clients/amelle-berrabah)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1984, Aldershot, Hampshire, England[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2184377/) |
| Sugababes tenure | December 2005 to 2011, the group's third line-up, replacing Mutya Buena[1](https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/amelle-berrabah) |
| Solo chart peak | "Never Leave You" with Tinchy Stryder, UK number one for one week in 2009, 40 weeks on the chart[4](https://acharts.co/artist/amelle_berrabah) |
| Sugababes albums featuring her vocals | Taller in More Ways (re-release), Change (2007), Catfights and Spotlights (2008), Sweet 7 (2010)[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000922398/biography) |
| Awards with the group | MOBO Award for Best UK Act (2008)[6](https://www.acm.ac.uk/alumni/amelle-berrabah/) • [17](https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/brit-awards-2007-the-full-list-of-winners-and-nominees__18129/) |
| Later work | Musical theater (Club Tropicana, Soul Sisters), MKFM evening radio show since 2021, UK pride and festival performances[7](https://www.indiependent.co.uk/i-have-the-best-of-both-worlds-sugababe-amelle-berrabah-on-balancing-her-new-show-soul-sisters-with-motherhood/) • [2](https://www.bold-management.com/clients/amelle-berrabah) |
## Early life and Boo2
Berrabah was born in [Aldershot](https://www.edgepedia.org/aldershot), Hampshire, to Moroccan parents, and grew up above the family kebab shop in the town.[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) • [9](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-sugababes-the-new-babe-on-the-block-480657.html) Her father died of cancer in 2002.[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) She attended The Connaught School in Aldershot and won a scholarship to the Academy of Contemporary Music in [Guildford](https://www.edgepedia.org/guildford), where she crossed paths with the songwriting and production team Jiant and caught the attention of the Sugababes' management.[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) • [6](https://www.acm.ac.uk/alumni/amelle-berrabah/)
Before joining the Sugababes she performed with her sister Samiya as the duo Boo2, and in 2003 she won [Top of the Pops](https://www.edgepedia.org/top-of-the-pops) magazine's [Star Search](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-search), which gave her the chance to be the lead singer of a new group.[1](https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/amelle-berrabah) • [8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah)
## Sugababes, 2005 to 2011
Mutya Buena left the Sugababes in December 2005, and Berrabah was brought in as her replacement within two weeks.[9](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-sugababes-the-new-babe-on-the-block-480657.html) The group's manager had seen her perform at an American showcase in 2003, and she recorded three demo songs that convinced remaining members [Keisha Buchanan](https://www.edgepedia.org/keisha-buchanan) and [Heidi Range](https://www.edgepedia.org/heidi-range).[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) Because of the speed of the change, she could re-record vocals for only three tracks on the fourth album, *Taller in More Ways*, which was re-released in early 2006 with her voice replacing Buena's on those songs; she also contributed the new track "Now You're Gone".[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000922398/biography) • [8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) The first single to feature her vocals, "Red Dress", entered the UK Singles Chart at number four.[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah)
The Buchanan, Range, and Berrabah line-up produced the albums *Change* (2007), which gave the group a simultaneous number-one single and album with "About You Now", and *Catfights and Spotlights* (2008).[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000922398/biography) With Berrabah in the line-up the group won the 2008 MOBO Award for Best UK Act.[6](https://www.acm.ac.uk/alumni/amelle-berrabah/) • [17](https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/brit-awards-2007-the-full-list-of-winners-and-nominees__18129/)
**2009 turmoil.** While recording the seventh album, *Sweet 7*, with [Roc Nation](https://www.edgepedia.org/roc-nation) in the United States, Berrabah featured on Tinchy Stryder's "Never Leave You", which debuted at number one in the UK in 2009.[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) • [4](https://acharts.co/artist/amelle_berrabah) Shortly before shooting the video for "About a Girl", she was rumored to have left the group after missing two promotional engagements; it emerged instead that Buchanan had been removed following disagreements with Berrabah and Range, and was replaced by [Jade Ewen](https://www.edgepedia.org/jade-ewen).[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) After these events Berrabah spent three weeks in a European health clinic, citing "severe nervous exhaustion".[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) • [10](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/oct/16/sugababes-amelle) *Sweet 7* was released in early 2010 after delays and reached number 14 on the [UK Albums Chart](https://www.edgepedia.org/uk-albums-chart).[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) The group moved to an RCA distribution deal in 2011, released the single "Freedom" as a free download, and then went on hiatus as the members pursued individual projects.[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) • [5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000922398/biography)
## Solo career
Berrabah began working on solo material in 2011 with producer Pete Kirtley.[8](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah) In a 2013 interview she described an album in progress that ranged from quirky songs and dance and club tracks to mid-tempo ballads and one stripped-back voice-and-piano piece, and she released the single "Love Is All We Need" that year.[11](https://thatgrapejuice.net/2013/09/exclusive-amelle-berrbah-talks-single-sugababes-albumand-mks-flatline/) She later revealed that she scrapped the entire finished album, saying she "didn't even like" the dance-pop material she had recorded over two years after listening to too many outside voices, and started again.[12](https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/film-tv/sugababes-amelle-i-scrapped-a-whole-solo-album-281386/)
Her released solo and featured recordings have been mainly dance-oriented collaborations: "Testify" (2016), the remixes "Temptation" and "Heartless", and other tracks on the compilation *Journey* (2014 to 2018).[13](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/amelle-berrabah/124499386) She has continued to perform live, including regular appearances at UK pride events and pop festivals in Manchester, Birmingham, and [Nottingham](https://www.edgepedia.org/nottingham) from 2024 onward.[14](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/amelle-berrabah/2026/gay-village-birmingham-england-7b4c46b8.html)
## Theatre, radio, and later work
Berrabah moved into musical theater in 2019, starring alongside [Joe McElderry](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-mcelderry) in the touring 80s musical *Club Tropicana*.[7](https://www.indiependent.co.uk/i-have-the-best-of-both-worlds-sugababe-amelle-berrabah-on-balancing-her-new-show-soul-sisters-with-motherhood/) In 2022 she played Dionne, a former member of a fictional 80s girl band, in the original soul musical *Soul Sisters*, touring the UK with Nicole Faraday and Wendi Harriott; audience reviews singled out the vocals as the show's highlight.[7](https://www.indiependent.co.uk/i-have-the-best-of-both-worlds-sugababe-amelle-berrabah-on-balancing-her-new-show-soul-sisters-with-motherhood/)
Since 2021 she has presented an evening show on the radio station MKFM, and she has also worked in pantomime, joining *Cinderella* in Rhyl in December 2024 and another Enchanted Entertainment pantomime in December 2025.[2](https://www.bold-management.com/clients/amelle-berrabah) In 2024 she joined an acting agency, and in 2025 she appeared in the BBC2 documentary *Girlbands Forever* about 90s pop girl groups.[2](https://www.bold-management.com/clients/amelle-berrabah) She appeared in the 2014 film *Plastic* as Fiona.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2184377/)
## Personal life
Berrabah married Marcio Sousa Rosa in a low-key ceremony in [Mauritius](https://www.edgepedia.org/mauritius) in October 2014, six days after he proposed; the couple divorced in 2020.[15](https://kuwaittimes.com/uploads/imported_images/pdf/2017/jan/03/kt.pdf) • [7](https://www.indiependent.co.uk/i-have-the-best-of-both-worlds-sugababe-amelle-berrabah-on-balancing-her-new-show-soul-sisters-with-motherhood/) She has a daughter, Amirah, born around 2019.[7](https://www.indiependent.co.uk/i-have-the-best-of-both-worlds-sugababe-amelle-berrabah-on-balancing-her-new-show-soul-sisters-with-motherhood/) In October 2010 she was banned from driving for 14 months and fined £2,000 at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court in London after admitting drink-driving.[16](https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/amelle-berrabah-banned-from-driving/26687791.html) In early 2020, alongside her divorce, she lost her mother.[7](https://www.indiependent.co.uk/i-have-the-best-of-both-worlds-sugababe-amelle-berrabah-on-balancing-her-new-show-soul-sisters-with-motherhood/)
## References
1. [Amelle Berrabah Concert History, Concert Archives](https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/amelle-berrabah)
2. [Amelle Berrabah, Bold Management](https://www.bold-management.com/clients/amelle-berrabah)
3. [Amelle, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2184377/)
4. [Amelle Berrabah, Music Charts, aCharts](https://acharts.co/artist/amelle_berrabah)
5. [Sugababes Biography by Andy Kellman, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000922398/biography)
6. [Amelle Berrabah, ACM Alumni](https://www.acm.ac.uk/alumni/amelle-berrabah/)
7. [Marcus Wratten (2022). 'I Have The Best Of Both Worlds': Sugababe Amelle Berrabah On Balancing Her New Show 'Soul Sisters' With Motherhood, The Indiependent](https://www.indiependent.co.uk/i-have-the-best-of-both-worlds-sugababe-amelle-berrabah-on-balancing-her-new-show-soul-sisters-with-motherhood/)
8. [Amelle Berrabah, Sugababes Wiki](https://sugababes.fandom.com/wiki/Amelle_Berrabah)
9. [The Sugababes: The new babe on the block, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-sugababes-the-new-babe-on-the-block-480657.html)
10. [Sugababes' Amelle suffering from 'severe nervous exhaustion', The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/oct/16/sugababes-amelle)
11. [Exclusive: Amelle Berrabah Talks New Single, New Sugababes Album....And MKS' Flatline, That Grape Juice](https://thatgrapejuice.net/2013/09/exclusive-amelle-berrbah-talks-single-sugababes-albumand-mks-flatline/)
12. [Sugababes' Amelle: 'I scrapped a whole solo album', Attitude](https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/film-tv/sugababes-amelle-i-scrapped-a-whole-solo-album-281386/)
13. [Amelle Berrabah, Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/amelle-berrabah/124499386)
14. [Amelle Berrabah Setlist at Birmingham Pride 2026, setlist.fm](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/amelle-berrabah/2026/gay-village-birmingham-england-7b4c46b8.html)
15. [Kuwait Times, 3 January 2017](https://kuwaittimes.com/uploads/imported_images/pdf/2017/jan/03/kt.pdf)
16. [Amelle Berrabah banned from driving, Irish Independent](https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/amelle-berrabah-banned-from-driving/26687791.html)
17. [BRIT Awards 2007: The full list of winners and nominees](https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/brit-awards-2007-the-full-list-of-winners-and-nominees__18129/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Pop and R&B singer-songwriters › Pop singers, 2000s to present › Mainstream pop singers, 2000s–2010s › Surnames A to H*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license