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Mutya Buena

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The Borderline
Orange Yard, Manette Street, W1D 4JB

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Description: The Sugababe with some R&B and pop.


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Buena's limited vista

By John Aizlewood, Evening Standard  05.04.07
 
Mutya ado about nothing: the former Sugababe seems to have learned little

Mutya ado about nothing: the former Sugababe seems to have learned little

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Despite some evidence to the contrary, George Michael is a most diligent curator of his own career. Post Andrew Ridgeley, he has chosen his collaborators carefully and one hardly has to be the unlikely offspring of William Hill and Paddy Power to wager that his interest in Mutya Buena is not especially sexual.

Therefore, Michael's summons to her, both in the studio on This Is Not Real Love and on stage during last year's British segment of his 25 tour, was born only of admiration for her vocal gifts.

Gallery: See more pictures from the gig

On the evidence of her first proper solo show since fleeing Britain's finest girl group, Sugababes, a second invitation may not be forthcoming.

Her latest album, Real Girl, suggests the Irish-Filipino 21-year-old mother of one is being marketed as an everywoman torch singer, a Matalan Mariah Carey.

Playing the cramped, earthy basement that is the Borderline was a foolish move for one supposed to be embracing sophistication, but it set the tone for a performance which came and went in under 45 minutes, including an encore.

Dressed as if fresh from an afternoon's gardening and emasculating herself by ditching the attitude and swagger which made her the most interesting Sugababe, Buena seemed to have learned nothing from all those years in a group.

Aloof and without any stagecraft to speak of (perhaps she felt that being seen to care or show a soupçon of enthusiasm was somehow uncool) and backed by a sulky, disinterested band, Beuna left the music to swim for itself.

Weighed down by hook-free MOR stodge such as Just A Little Bit or Suffer 4 Love, it sank.

Covering The Kooks' Naive was a silly idea (of course it was a silly idea, how could anyone have ever thought otherwise?), but it was a masterstroke in comparison with the toe-curlingly embarrassing B Boy Baby (on record a duet with Amy Winehouse, who last night elected to stay at home and watch Newsnight instead), which disastrously transformed The Ronettes' romantic symphony Be My Baby into a chav manifesto.

For the most part, Buena's voice was drowned out by the bar hubbub, but there was hope in Song 4 Mutya (Out Of Control), the strident collaboration with Groove Armada and the admirably fierce Strung Out, which hinted she has another place to go, aside from supper clubs and cruise ships.

It's not too late for a rethink.

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