Heidi Range
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Heidi India Partakis (' Range; born 23 May 1983) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as a former member of the girl group
Sugababes The Sugababes are an English girl group composed of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan, and Siobhán Donaghy. The lineup changed three times before returning to the original lineup in 2011. Formed in 1998 by Ron Tom, the manager of All Saints, ...
. She was an original member of girl group
Atomic Kitten Atomic Kitten were an English girl group formed in Liverpool in 1998, whose original lineup comprised Kerry Katona, Liz McClarnon, and Natasha Hamilton. The group was founded by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) members Andy McCluskey an ...
between 1998 and 1999, however she left the group before they released any material. In 2001, Range replaced original member Siobhán Donaghy in the Sugababes, after which the group enjoyed higher commercial success and accumulated six UK number-one singles as well as two number-one studio albums over the course of a decade, before the line-up at the time disbanded in 2011. Since departing the group, Range has taken part in reality television series, ''
Dancing on Ice ''Dancing on Ice'' is a British television series broadcast from 2006 to 2014 and then from 2018 to 2025. It was presented by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern. Other previous hosts include Phillip Schofield and Christine Lampard. The series ...
'' (2012) and '' Celebrity MasterChef'' (2013), as well as appearing in theatre shows, ''Happy Days'' (2014) and ''The War of the Worlds'' (2016).


Career


1997–1999: Atomic Kitten

In 1997, Range auditioned for a part in the group
Scooch Scooch is a British pop group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer. Scooch represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki with their song "Flying the Flag (For Y ...
, but was rejected as she was too young. Instead, she joined
Atomic Kitten Atomic Kitten were an English girl group formed in Liverpool in 1998, whose original lineup comprised Kerry Katona, Liz McClarnon, and Natasha Hamilton. The group was founded by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) members Andy McCluskey an ...
, a girl group founded by OMD frontman
Andy McCluskey George Andrew McCluskey (born 24 June 1959) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is best known as the lead singer and bass guitarist of the electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), which he founded ...
, along with
Liz McClarnon Elizabeth Margaret McClarnon-Cho (born 10 April 1981) is an English singer, songwriter and actress, who is the longest serving member of the girl group Atomic Kitten, with whom she has scored three number-one singles and two number-one albums. M ...
and Kerry Katona. She recorded several demos for the group's debut album. In 1999, after 8 months of recording with Atomic Kitten, Range decided to leave the group after being offered a solo deal by
Stock Aitken Waterman Stock Aitken Waterman (abbreviated as SAW and also known as the Hit Factory) are an English songwriting and record production trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman. The trio had great success from the mid-1980s throug ...
. Atomic Kitten therefore replaced Range with Natasha Hamilton.


2001–2011: Sugababes

In August 2001, Range was recruited to audition as a new member of the Sugababes. Having already started work on a second album with new member Range, Sugababes looked for a new record label, eventually signing to
Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in 1959, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, another ...
. Their first single on the new label " Freak like Me" scored the group their first UK number 1 single. Follow-up single " Round Round" also debuted on top of the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number 2 in Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Both singles were certified silver by the BPI.
On the back of the success of the singles, the group's second album, '' Angels with Dirty Faces (Sugababes album), Angels with Dirty Faces'', debuted at number 2 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...
and was later certified triple platinum, selling almost a million copies in the UK alone.Music Week, 1 November 2008; CHARTS ANALYSIS: AC/DC don't mind the gap after twenty eight years. Alan Jones. Pg. 37 It is to date their highest-selling album. In the UK, the third single from the album, a ballad titled " Stronger", gained the girls their third consecutive top ten hit in their native country. The track was released as a double-A side with " Angels with Dirty Faces" in the UK, the latter song chosen as the theme tune to '' The Powerpuff Girls Movie''. A fourth single, the Sting-sampling "
Shape A shape is a graphics, graphical representation of an object's form or its external boundary, outline, or external Surface (mathematics), surface. It is distinct from other object properties, such as color, Surface texture, texture, or material ...
", made the top ten in the Netherlands and Ireland in early 2003. After a hiatus, the Sugababes released their thirteenth single, " Push the Button" in October 2005. The song debuted at number 1 in the UK and remained in the position for three consecutive weeks. It also peaked at number one in Ireland, Austria and New Zealand, and reached the top three across Europe and in Australia. Certified silver in the UK, it was later nominated at the BRIT Awards for Best Single. Their fourth album ''
Taller in More Ways ''Taller in More Ways'' is the fourth studio album by British girl group Sugababes, released by Island Records on 10 October 2005. It was primarily produced by Dallas Austin and Jony Rockstar, with additional production from Cameron McVey, Xen ...
'' became the group's first UK number 1 album. The group was number 1 on the singles, album, airplay and download charts simultaneously, making them the first girl group to achieve such a feat. ''Taller in More Ways'' was certified double platinum in the UK. In December 2005, founding member
Mutya Buena Rosa Isabel Mutya Buena (; born 21 May 1985) is an English singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a member of girl group Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buena had four UK number-one singles, an additional six top-ten hits and three multi-plati ...
departed the Sugababes and was replaced by Amelle Berrabah. The third single from ''Taller in More Ways'' was a re-recorded version of " Red Dress", which was released in early 2006, and gave the Sugababes their third consecutive top five hit from the album, entering the UK Singles Chart at number 4. Berrabah re-recorded three of the album's twelve tracks and co-wrote a new song with Keisha Buchanan and Range named "Now You're Gone". The tracks appeared on a re-release of ''Taller in More Ways'' that reached number 18 on the UK Albums Chart. The fourth and final single from ''Taller in More Ways'' was " Follow Me Home", released only in the UK in June, where it charted at number 32. In the 2009 edition of the ''
Guinness Book of World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
'', "About You Now" was listed as the "first track by a British pop act to top the singles chart solely on downloads". The song was also named as the "biggest chart mover to the number one position in the UK". After the release of "No Can Do", the group announced that there would be no 2009 tour in support of ''Catfights and Spotlights'' so that they could focus on writing and recording material for their seventh studio album. The Sugababes travelled to the United States to work on their seventh studio album, '' Sweet 7''. In April 2009, the Sugababes signed a contract with Jay-Z's label
Roc Nation Roc Nation is an American entertainment company founded by Jay-Z in 2008. Headquartered in New York City, the company is a successor to his previous Roc-A-Fella Records label, with additional offices in Los Angeles and London. It serves as a re ...
, resulting in working with high-profile producers. The lead single from ''Sweet 7'', " Get Sexy", debuted at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart in September 2009. In September 2009, Berrabah was reported to have left the Sugababes. She had missed two engagements promoting ''Sweet 7''. However, on 21 September, it was revealed that Buchanan, the sole original member of the group, had left the Sugababes. Buchanan's place was filled by
Jade Ewen Jade Louise Ewen (born 24 January 1988) is a British singer, actress and a former member of the girl group Sugababes. She began her singing career in a girl group named Trinity Stone, which signed with Sony BMG in 2005 but disbanded in 2007 wit ...
, the UK's 2009
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...
entrant. Berrabah and Range admitted that they played no role in Buchanan's departure. Both women had attempted to quit the Sugababes themselves only to find that their group's management decided that they would follow them, rather than find two new members for Buchanan. The new member, Ewen, was flown to the United States to film the music video for single " About a Girl" mere days after it was announced that Buchanan had left the group. "About a Girl" reached number 8 in the UK, during a truncated promotion schedule due to Berrabah flying to Austria for treatment for nervous exhaustion resulting from the line-up change. In late 2009, " Wear My Kiss" was confirmed for release in February 2010 as the third single, with the album, originally set for a late November 2009 release, delayed until March 2010. "Wear My Kiss" debuted and peaked at number 7 in the UK, making ''Sweet 7'' the Sugababes' first album since ''Taller in More Ways'' to contain at least three top ten hits. The album debuted and peaked at number 14 in the UK. In March 2010, former group member
Mutya Buena Rosa Isabel Mutya Buena (; born 21 May 1985) is an English singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a member of girl group Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buena had four UK number-one singles, an additional six top-ten hits and three multi-plati ...
applied to the European Trademarks Authority for ownership of the group's name. The application was submitted amid the controversy of Buchanan's departure, in which Buena insisted that "the Sugababes have ended" without a founding member still in the group. It was confirmed that Buena had obtained rights to use the name on paper, cardboard and goods; namely stationery, paper gift wrap and paper gift wrapping ribbons. It was also revealed in the same month that they were dropped by
Roc Nation Roc Nation is an American entertainment company founded by Jay-Z in 2008. Headquartered in New York City, the company is a successor to his previous Roc-A-Fella Records label, with additional offices in Los Angeles and London. It serves as a re ...
, due to poor sales of ''Sweet 7''. On 1 July 2011, Buchanan approached the current line-up of Sugababes at the Barclaycard Wireless festival in London, where the girls were reported to have a "tear-eyed" reunion and put the past behind them. It was the first time in two years that Buchanan had seen former bandmates Range and Berrabah. In September 2011, the Sugababes released a new single, "
Freedom Freedom is the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving oneself one's own laws". In one definition, something is "free" i ...
", which was released as a free digital download. The group later began an indefinite hiatus. However, she later admitted in a June 2020 interview that the group had conceded in 2011.


2012–present: Solo projects

In 2012, Range revealed she had been considering recording a solo album. Range appeared on the 2012 series of ITV1's ''
Dancing on Ice ''Dancing on Ice'' is a British television series broadcast from 2006 to 2014 and then from 2018 to 2025. It was presented by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern. Other previous hosts include Phillip Schofield and Christine Lampard. The series ...
''. In 2013 Range took part in the 8th series of '' Celebrity MasterChef'', but was the first to be eliminated. In 2014 she appeared as the lead female role of Pinky Tuscadero in a ''Happy Days'' musical touring the UK. In 2016, she appeared in the West End musical ''The War of the Worlds'' as Beth. In 2023, Range was a member of the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
jury for the
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...
.


Personal life

Range was engaged to
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
and Capital London presenter Dave Berry, who proposed to her on New Year's Eve of 2003 while on holiday in India. Range had stated her intentions to marry in the winter of 2012, however in December 2011, Range stated that the couple had separated after eight years together. Range married Alex Partakis in
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
on 3 September 2016. Together they have two daughters, born in January 2018 and August 2021.


Filmography


Television


Stage


Discography


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Range, Heidi 1983 births Living people Sugababes members Atomic Kitten members Singers from Liverpool English women pop singers 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English singers