2010: Formation Stooshe was formed in May 2010 by creative director Jo Perry, 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. The band members admitted that the group was "manufactured" but that their chemistry "did seem natural". 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. They then added 'she' on the end to represent female empowerment. The resulting name is pronounced like the Scottish word "
stooshie".
2011–2013: London with the Lights On The group released their first song, "
Fuck Me", on YouTube on 14 March 2011, originally featuring rapper Suave Debonair. This was subsequently re-recorded under the title
Love Me with Travie McCoy. The group also recorded a music video for "Hot Stepper", a cover of the 1994 track "
Here Comes the Hotstepper" by
Ini Kamoze at Hyde Park's
Wireless Festival in July 2011. 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. In March 2012 they re-released
Fuck Me under the new title of
Love Me., which served as the
lead single from their first 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, which peaked at number three on the UK chart. 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" failed to chart in the Top 20. Stooshe's debut album was released on 27 May 2013, under the title
London with the Lights On. They 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. "
My Man Music" was announced as the fourth single from the album. In July 2013, they performed at the Alton Towers Live concert.
2014–present: Unreleased second album and inactivity In autumn 2013, the group split from their record label due to disagreements over
London with the Lights On. They were to work (as of February 2014) independently on a second album, which has yet to be released. They said that they would eventually sign to a new label. They are now under Trilogy Records. Stooshe announced "
Lock Down" as the lead single from their upcoming untitled second album; the single was released on 15 January 2016. The video to "Lock Down" was shot in L.A., and at HM Kingston Prison, Portsmouth, England. The new single has two official remixes. Stooshe announced "Let It Go", released 1 July 2016, as the second single from the album. Like "Lock Down", the music video for "Let It Go" was filmed by Damien Sandoval, and shot in Italy. The group performed at
Chesterfield Pride on 22 August 2021. ==Discography==