"Soul Sound" is a song by British girl groupSugababes from their debut studio album One Touch (2000). It was written by Charlotte Gordon Cumming during a trip to Kenya, Africa, where she was inspired to compose it based on her experiences there. Produced by Ron Tom, "Soul Sound" is a pop song featuring guitar and bass instrumentation. It was released in the United Kingdom on 16 July 2001 as the album's fourth and final single. Critics praised the song for the group's demeanour although some regarded it as inferior in comparison to the album's other tracks.
To promote the song, a music video was directed by Max & Dania; it features the Sugababes in an apartment where their souls are released by the music. The trio performed "Soul Sound" at Manchester Ampersand and at the London Notre Dame Hall. The song became the group's lowest-charting single at the time, peaking at number thirty on the UK Singles Chart, and remains one of their lowest-selling singles to date. It was the final single that they released through London Records. It was also their last single to feature original member Siobhán Donaghy, who left the group shortly after the song's release, until the original group members reformed as Mutya Keisha Siobhan (later regaining the Sugababes name) in 2011.[1]
"I hung out with the girls for a year while they recorded their album. I was shocked by how young they were. But they were lovely and it was really interesting for me to watch them grow and develop as artists. I am so pleased and proud to be able to say I was a part of that. Ideally that's what I want to be able to do. I like performing but what would please me more is just to write songs and see other people covering them."
"Soul Sound" was written by the Scottish musician Charlotte Gordon Cumming during her trip to Kenya.[3][4] Her inspiration to write the song stemmed from Africa, a continent which she visited frequently with her family as a child.[4] According to Cumming, "In Africa I feel extremely alive, but also very small. The song was the essence of how I felt: seeing the beauty and horror of a place, and going into a heightened state."[4] She elaborated, "My songs are all about who I am and what I am feeling, which is why they can take so much out of me to perform—and I always feel a lot when I go to Africa".[2]
Cumming had spent a year with the Sugababes while they recorded their debut studio album One Touch (2000); according to the Daily Record, the trio's management were desperate for them to sing "Soul Sound".[2] The song was produced by Ron Tom, who mixed and programmed it in collaboration with Mark Frank.[5] Individuals who provide backing vocals on the song include Xavier Barnet and the Kenyan-born British singer Lamya.[5] "Soul Sound" was recorded at the Matrix Recording Studios in London, England.[5]
"Soul Sound" is a pop record that experiments with pop-rockballadry.[6][7] The song features guitar and bass instrumentation.[5] John Mulvey of NME characteristed the song as having "tasteful slippery beats, tasteful acoustic guitars, [and] the usual indolent harmonies".[8] The song's lyrics immediately begin with a sense of decision through the line "I Touch the sky", and largely focus on the enjoyment of life.[8]
Reception
Critical
"Soul Sound" received mixed to positive reviews from critics. The Sunday Mirror's Ian Hyland rated the song nine out of ten stars and described it as "[p]ure class from the ever-smiling teens".[9] According to AllMusic's Dean Carlson, "Soul Sound" is a representation that "the jitters of youth are [on One Touch] though tempered by shrewd ambition and a clever and unpredictable production aesthetic".[10] John Mulvey of NME stated that while the song lacked the quality of the trio's debut single "Overload", it "is pretty good nevertheless".[8] He elaborated, "the best thing about Sugababes is how they sound like they really can't be arsed with anything, let alone any of this pop star business [...] Enough with the dance routines and shit-eating grins—does this mean total lack of enthusiasm's the way forward for teen pop?"[8]Stylus Magazine writer Scott Plagenhoef described the single as "marvelous lilting [and] hopeful",[11] while Stephen Robinson from Hot Press was less favourable and criticised the song's pop-rock experimentation, which according to him "doesn't work quite so well".[7] Neil Western of the South China Morning Post felt that "Soul Sound", along with the album's title track, "lack sparkle".[12]
Commercial
The song was released in the United Kingdom on 16 July 2001 as the fourth and final single from One Touch. Upon release, it debuted and peaked at number thirty on the UK Singles Chart, the group's lowest-charting single in the United Kingdom at the time.[13] In the UK, "Soul Sound" is one of the group's lowest-selling singles to date.[14] Unlike the previous singles from One Touch, "Soul Sound" failed to make an impact on the Irish Singles Chart.[15] The song earned the Sugababes a 2001 MTV Awards nomination for Best European Single.[16]
Promotion
Shortly following the release of "Soul Sound", Donaghy left the group, which was later dropped by London Records.
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Soul Sound" was directed by Max & Dania and filmed in London.[17] Band member Siobhán Donaghy stated that around the time of the video's filming, her and the other group members were not performing as a group frequently: "It's been fairly quiet recently, but it usually is between singles. The other two have been doing their exams, and I have been doing some interviews for newspapers and magazines abroad. Apart from the video for 'Soul Sound' we have not been doing too much together."[18] During the video, the group's members are featured in an apartment and are seated on couches and chairs.[19] The plot involves their inner souls being released by the music, while outside in the neighbourhood the music takes control of other people's lives and causes their souls to be lifted too.[19] The video was included on the CD release of "Soul Sound".[20]
In a 2020 interview on Clara Amfo's "This City" podcast, Keisha recalled that during the filming of the video, the group had their first true "music industry" moment, where she felt the record label executives were trying to mould the group into something it wasn't. "We were told, you've got to smile, you've got to be more smiley [in this video]. When I look at that moment, that was the start of trying to be controlled. Whereas, up until that point, we were... just being ourselves. I remember them saying, you guys need to be more approachable. The more voices that were coming in, the more it was about needing to smile more." Siobhan chimed in: "I didn't love the Soul Sound video, probably for that very reason."[21]
Live performances
The Sugababes played "Soul Sound" on 27 March 2001 at Manchester Ampersand, in conjunction with many of the album's tracks such as "Overload" and "Run for Cover".[22] This was their second-ever live performance, which was sponsored by NME. Donaghy commented,
We were very lucky that the tour was done in conjunction with NME, and it meant that we were playing to an older audience. We never set out to appeal to under-10s, because of the kind of stuff we listened to ourselves. If we manage to incorporate even a hint of that in our own music, we should appeal to quite an adult audience. We were all very nervous at all the gigs, but that was just because we were so worried about it going well.[22]
According to Kitty Empire of NME, during the performance, "'Soul Sound' [grew] lovelier with every croon of its chorus".[22] Later that month, the trio performed the song at London's Notre Dame Hall as part of a set list.[23]The Guardian's John Aizlewood commented that during its performance, the group "[created] a tidal wave of melody".[23]
Impact
The group's members were dissatisfied with the release of "Soul Sound" as a single, because they wanted to venture into an R&B sound whereas their record label London Records pushed them into a more pop direction.[24] Soon after the song's release, Donaghy left the group and was replaced by former Atomic Kitten member Heidi Range, making it the last Sugababes single to feature her vocals.[25] Further, the sales of One Touch and its last three singles, "New Year", "Run for Cover" and "Soul Sound", failed to meet the expectations of London Records and the group was subsequently dropped.[26][27] Band member Keisha Buchanan has stated that the song's release and subsequent commercial underperformance was a positive experience because, saying: "Everything happens for a reason and it looks like it has all worked out".[24] "Soul Sound" was featured in the 2001 film Summer Catch, which stars such actors as Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jessica Biel.[6]
^"Original Sugababes reclaim name and release new music".
^ abcBooth, Samantha (28 April 2006). "I'll keep writing my songs for Art's sake". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2013. (subscription required)
^"Charlotte Gordon Cumming survives poisonous mushrooms, releases new album". STV. STV Group. 25 February 2011. from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
^ abcSwarbrick, Susan (18 March 2006). "Life lines She's stepping into the limelight after years of toiling for others, but Charlotte Gordon Cumming is sure to adapt swiftly". The Herald. Newsquest. from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
^ abPaoletta, Michael (23 June 2001). "London/Sire Sweetens Up Roster With Pop/R&B Trio The Sugababes". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 25. Prometheus Global Media. p. 13. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
^ abRobinson, Stephen (7 December 2000). . Hot Press. Niall Stokes. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
^ abcdMulvey, John (16 July 2001). . NME. IPC Media. Archived from the original on 20 December 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
^Hyland, Ian (15 July 2001). . Sunday Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2013. (subscription required)
^Carlson, Dean. "One Touch – Sugababes". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
^Plagenhoef, Scott (1 September 2003). . Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 November 2006. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
^ ab. Amazon UK. 2001-07-16. Archived from the original on 7 January 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
^"This City with Clara Amfo: Sugababes. March 9, 2020". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
^ abcEmpire, Kitty (28 March 2001). "Sugababes: Manchester Ampersand". NME. IPC Media. from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
^ abAizlewood, John (31 March 2001). "Sugababes prove they can sing". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media. from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
^ abGould, Phil (26 April 2002). "The Kitten who then became a Sugababe". Liverpool Daily Post. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
soul, sound, other, uses, song, british, girl, group, sugababes, from, their, debut, studio, album, touch, 2000, written, charlotte, gordon, cumming, during, trip, kenya, africa, where, inspired, compose, based, experiences, there, produced, song, featuring, g. For other uses see Soul Sounds Soul Sound is a song by British girl group Sugababes from their debut studio album One Touch 2000 It was written by Charlotte Gordon Cumming during a trip to Kenya Africa where she was inspired to compose it based on her experiences there Produced by Ron Tom Soul Sound is a pop song featuring guitar and bass instrumentation It was released in the United Kingdom on 16 July 2001 as the album s fourth and final single Critics praised the song for the group s demeanour although some regarded it as inferior in comparison to the album s other tracks Soul Sound Single by Sugababesfrom the album One TouchReleased16 July 2001RecordedMatrix Recording Studios London UK GenrePop rockR amp BLength4 30LabelLondonSongwriter s Charlotte EdwardsProducer s Ron TomSugababes singles chronology Run for Cover 2001 Soul Sound 2001 Freak like Me 2002 To promote the song a music video was directed by Max amp Dania it features the Sugababes in an apartment where their souls are released by the music The trio performed Soul Sound at Manchester Ampersand and at the London Notre Dame Hall The song became the group s lowest charting single at the time peaking at number thirty on the UK Singles Chart and remains one of their lowest selling singles to date It was the final single that they released through London Records It was also their last single to feature original member Siobhan Donaghy who left the group shortly after the song s release until the original group members reformed as Mutya Keisha Siobhan later regaining the Sugababes name in 2011 1 Contents 1 Background and composition 2 Reception 2 1 Critical 2 2 Commercial 3 Promotion 3 1 Music video 3 2 Live performances 4 Impact 5 Track listings 6 Credits and personnel 7 Charts 8 ReferencesBackground and composition Edit I hung out with the girls for a year while they recorded their album I was shocked by how young they were But they were lovely and it was really interesting for me to watch them grow and develop as artists I am so pleased and proud to be able to say I was a part of that Ideally that s what I want to be able to do I like performing but what would please me more is just to write songs and see other people covering them Charlotte Gordon Cumming 2 Soul Sound was written by the Scottish musician Charlotte Gordon Cumming during her trip to Kenya 3 4 Her inspiration to write the song stemmed from Africa a continent which she visited frequently with her family as a child 4 According to Cumming In Africa I feel extremely alive but also very small The song was the essence of how I felt seeing the beauty and horror of a place and going into a heightened state 4 She elaborated My songs are all about who I am and what I am feeling which is why they can take so much out of me to perform and I always feel a lot when I go to Africa 2 Cumming had spent a year with the Sugababes while they recorded their debut studio album One Touch 2000 according to the Daily Record the trio s management were desperate for them to sing Soul Sound 2 The song was produced by Ron Tom who mixed and programmed it in collaboration with Mark Frank 5 Individuals who provide backing vocals on the song include Xavier Barnet and the Kenyan born British singer Lamya 5 Soul Sound was recorded at the Matrix Recording Studios in London England 5 Soul Sound is a pop record that experiments with pop rock balladry 6 7 The song features guitar and bass instrumentation 5 John Mulvey of NME characteristed the song as having tasteful slippery beats tasteful acoustic guitars and the usual indolent harmonies 8 The song s lyrics immediately begin with a sense of decision through the line I Touch the sky and largely focus on the enjoyment of life 8 Reception EditCritical Edit Soul Sound received mixed to positive reviews from critics The Sunday Mirror s Ian Hyland rated the song nine out of ten stars and described it as p ure class from the ever smiling teens 9 According to AllMusic s Dean Carlson Soul Sound is a representation that the jitters of youth are on One Touch though tempered by shrewd ambition and a clever and unpredictable production aesthetic 10 John Mulvey of NME stated that while the song lacked the quality of the trio s debut single Overload it is pretty good nevertheless 8 He elaborated the best thing about Sugababes is how they sound like they really can t be arsed with anything let alone any of this pop star business Enough with the dance routines and shit eating grins does this mean total lack of enthusiasm s the way forward for teen pop 8 Stylus Magazine writer Scott Plagenhoef described the single as marvelous lilting and hopeful 11 while Stephen Robinson from Hot Press was less favourable and criticised the song s pop rock experimentation which according to him doesn t work quite so well 7 Neil Western of the South China Morning Post felt that Soul Sound along with the album s title track lack sparkle 12 Commercial Edit The song was released in the United Kingdom on 16 July 2001 as the fourth and final single from One Touch Upon release it debuted and peaked at number thirty on the UK Singles Chart the group s lowest charting single in the United Kingdom at the time 13 In the UK Soul Sound is one of the group s lowest selling singles to date 14 Unlike the previous singles from One Touch Soul Sound failed to make an impact on the Irish Singles Chart 15 The song earned the Sugababes a 2001 MTV Awards nomination for Best European Single 16 Promotion Edit Shortly following the release of Soul Sound Donaghy left the group which was later dropped by London Records Music video Edit The accompanying music video for Soul Sound was directed by Max amp Dania and filmed in London 17 Band member Siobhan Donaghy stated that around the time of the video s filming her and the other group members were not performing as a group frequently It s been fairly quiet recently but it usually is between singles The other two have been doing their exams and I have been doing some interviews for newspapers and magazines abroad Apart from the video for Soul Sound we have not been doing too much together 18 During the video the group s members are featured in an apartment and are seated on couches and chairs 19 The plot involves their inner souls being released by the music while outside in the neighbourhood the music takes control of other people s lives and causes their souls to be lifted too 19 The video was included on the CD release of Soul Sound 20 In a 2020 interview on Clara Amfo s This City podcast Keisha recalled that during the filming of the video the group had their first true music industry moment where she felt the record label executives were trying to mould the group into something it wasn t We were told you ve got to smile you ve got to be more smiley in this video When I look at that moment that was the start of trying to be controlled Whereas up until that point we were just being ourselves I remember them saying you guys need to be more approachable The more voices that were coming in the more it was about needing to smile more Siobhan chimed in I didn t love the Soul Sound video probably for that very reason 21 Live performances Edit The Sugababes played Soul Sound on 27 March 2001 at Manchester Ampersand in conjunction with many of the album s tracks such as Overload and Run for Cover 22 This was their second ever live performance which was sponsored by NME Donaghy commented We were very lucky that the tour was done in conjunction with NME and it meant that we were playing to an older audience We never set out to appeal to under 10s because of the kind of stuff we listened to ourselves If we manage to incorporate even a hint of that in our own music we should appeal to quite an adult audience We were all very nervous at all the gigs but that was just because we were so worried about it going well 22 According to Kitty Empire of NME during the performance Soul Sound grew lovelier with every croon of its chorus 22 Later that month the trio performed the song at London s Notre Dame Hall as part of a set list 23 The Guardian s John Aizlewood commented that during its performance the group created a tidal wave of melody 23 Impact EditThe group s members were dissatisfied with the release of Soul Sound as a single because they wanted to venture into an R amp B sound whereas their record label London Records pushed them into a more pop direction 24 Soon after the song s release Donaghy left the group and was replaced by former Atomic Kitten member Heidi Range making it the last Sugababes single to feature her vocals 25 Further the sales of One Touch and its last three singles New Year Run for Cover and Soul Sound failed to meet the expectations of London Records and the group was subsequently dropped 26 27 Band member Keisha Buchanan has stated that the song s release and subsequent commercial underperformance was a positive experience because saying Everything happens for a reason and it looks like it has all worked out 24 Soul Sound was featured in the 2001 film Summer Catch which stars such actors as Freddie Prinze Jr and Jessica Biel 6 Track listings EditCD1 single 20 No TitleWriter s Producer s Length1 Soul Sound Charlotte EdwardsSam HarleyRon Tom3 532 Run for Cover Acoustic Radio One Session Cameron McVeyPaul SimmJonathan LipseyKeisha BuchananMutya BuenaSiobhan DonaghyJohn Pearson3 343 Soul Sound Acoustic Radio One Session EdwardsHarleyPearson4 354 Soul Sound Video CD2 single 28 No TitleWriter s Producer s Length1 Soul Sound Soulchild Remix EdwardsHarleyTomDamien Mendis a Stuart Bradbury a 5 002 Soul Sound Medway City Heights Mix EdwardsHarleyTomMedway City Heights a 7 293 Soul Sound Joey Negro Club Mix EdwardsHarleyTomDave Lee a 7 02Cassette single 29 No TitleWriter s Producer s Length1 Soul Sound Soulchild Remix EdwardsHarleyTomMendis a Bradbury a 5 002 Soul Sound Medway City Heights Mix EdwardsHarleyTomMedway City Heights a 7 29 Notes a denotes additional producer s Credits and personnel EditRecordingRecorded at Matrix Recording Studios London EnglandPersonnelSongwriting Charlotte Edwards Production Ron Tom Mixing Mark Frank Ron Tom Guitar Andrew Smith Lead guitar Ron Tom Bass Pino Palladino Backing vocals Lamya Xavier Barnet Programming Ron Tom Additional programming Mark FrankCredits are taken from the liner notes of One Touch courtesy of London Records 5 Charts EditChart 2001 PeakpositionUK Singles Official Charts Company 13 30References Edit Original Sugababes reclaim name and release new music a b c Booth Samantha 28 April 2006 I ll keep writing my songs for Art s sake Daily Record Trinity Mirror Retrieved 15 May 2013 subscription required Charlotte Gordon Cumming survives poisonous mushrooms releases new album STV STV Group 25 February 2011 Archived from the original on 15 May 2013 Retrieved 15 May 2013 a b c Swarbrick Susan 18 March 2006 Life lines She s stepping into the limelight after years of toiling for others but Charlotte Gordon Cumming is sure to adapt swiftly The Herald Newsquest Archived from the original on 15 September 2014 Retrieved 15 May 2013 a b c d e One Touch album Sugababes Universal Island Records 2000 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b Paoletta Michael 23 June 2001 London Sire Sweetens Up Roster With Pop R amp B Trio The Sugababes Billboard Vol 113 no 25 Prometheus Global Media p 13 Retrieved 12 May 2013 a b Robinson Stephen 7 December 2000 One Touch Hot Press Niall Stokes Archived from the original on 26 March 2013 Retrieved 11 May 2013 a b c d Mulvey John 16 July 2001 Sugababes Soul Sound NME IPC Media Archived from the original on 20 December 2010 Retrieved 15 May 2013 Hyland Ian 15 July 2001 Singles of the week Sunday Mirror Trinity Mirror Archived from the original on 21 March 2016 Retrieved 15 May 2013 subscription required Carlson Dean One Touch Sugababes AllMusic Rovi Corporation Archived from the original on 15 May 2013 Retrieved 15 May 2013 Plagenhoef Scott 1 September 2003 Sugababes Angels with Dirty Faces Stylus Magazine Archived from the original on 12 November 2006 Retrieved 18 May 2013 Western Neil Sugababes South China Morning Post SCMP Group Archived from the original on 15 May 2013 Retrieved 15 May 2013 a b Sugababes Official Charts Company Archived from the original on 19 April 2012 Retrieved 7 August 2012 Sugababes Official Top 20 Best Selling Singles MTV UK MTV Networks Archived from the original on 13 October 2012 Retrieved 25 April 2012 Irish Charts Sugababes Irish charts com Hung Medien Archived from the original on 13 July 2011 Retrieved 19 January 2013 Swarbrick Susan 17 January 2011 Family meal nearly killed me says Charlotte Gordon Cumming The Herald Newsquest Archived from the original on 13 May 2013 Retrieved 13 May 2013 Overloaded The Singles Collection DVD liner notes Island Records November 2006 Williamson John 16 June 2001 John Williamson meets the Sugababes The Herald Newsquest Archived from the original on 28 March 2015 Retrieved 17 May 2013 subscription required a b Sugababes 2001 Soul Sound DVD London England London Records a b Soul Sound CD 1 Amazon UK 2001 07 16 Archived from the original on 7 January 2008 Retrieved 17 May 2013 This City with Clara Amfo Sugababes March 9 2020 YouTube Archived from the original on 2021 12 22 Retrieved April 15 2020 a b c Empire Kitty 28 March 2001 Sugababes Manchester Ampersand NME IPC Media Archived from the original on 16 May 2013 Retrieved 16 May 2013 a b Aizlewood John 31 March 2001 Sugababes prove they can sing The Guardian Guardian News amp Media Archived from the original on 16 May 2013 Retrieved 16 May 2013 a b Gould Phil 26 April 2002 The Kitten who then became a Sugababe Liverpool Daily Post Trinity Mirror Archived from the original on 16 May 2013 Retrieved 16 May 2013 Sheridan 2007 pp 81 82 Sweet as The Sydney Morning Herald Fairfax Media 28 April 2003 Archived from the original on 28 April 2003 Retrieved 17 May 2013 Colourful past of pop s Sugababes BBC News BBC 21 December 2005 Archived from the original on 26 December 2005 Retrieved 24 February 2013 Soul Sound CD 2 Amazon UK 2001 07 16 Archived from the original on 17 July 2007 Retrieved 17 May 2013 Sugababes Soul Sound Cassette at Discogs Discogs com 2001 07 16 Retrieved 2014 06 05 BooksSheridan Emily 2007 Sugababes The Story of Britain s Most Amazing Girl Band John Blake Publishing ISBN 9781844544219 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Soul Sound amp oldid 1122120154, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
