No one seems more astonished by news that Mis-Teeq’s Scandalous was a hit in America than vocalist Sabrina Washington.

“We were told the song was being played on the radio and we were like, yeah, right,” she tells Alexis Petridis of the Guardian.

“It was only when I got to New York and heard the song being played in a shop that I realized it really was. It’s pretty amazing.”After four weeks promoting the single across the country, she thinks she has worked out the secret of Mis-teeq’s sudden success. “They love the English accent,” she said.

“They’re kind of amazed when we sing. We don’t sound American.”

“Our sound is very, very British. We’re not going to go out to America and try and imitate what Americans do, because they do it the best.”

Sue Elise added “Originality is definitely the key. We want to keep sounding as British as we can.”

Mis-Teeq will be coming back to the UK to work on new songs for an upcoming new album which will be out by November, according to the Eye Candy girls.

Mis-Teeq, the exquisite trio who’ll be giving you a totally brand new number later in the middle of November, something entitled ‘Style’, have garnered themselves a new fan.

The fan comes in the form of R Kelly who told all who’d listen that he would want to work with Mis-Teeq and come up with a delicious joint. Apparently, an insider said “He saw Mis-Teeq on television the other day and was totally bowled away. He went out to purchase ‘Eye Candy’ and let’s just say right now it keeps getting heavy rotation on his players.”

“He finds them really talented and would love to work with the girls.”

Mis-Teeq’s spokesperson was not available for comments at this point. Personally, it would be a great way for Mis-Teeq to break into the American market since that’s on their agenda these days.

Fresh from the success of their hit single “Scandalous”, the gorgeous ladies of Mis-Teeq return with another surefire hit, ‘Can’t Get It Back’, released on 30th of June.

The much-raved about track by critics is the second single to be taken from the girl’s second Top Ten album ‘Eye Candy’ and has been remixed and reworked by UK R&B supremos Ignorants.

Here’s the remix below. It’s Latin-tinged a bit and apparently, you wouldn’t be able to find this anywhere else. Click here.

The gorgeous ladies of Mis-Teeq have announced that their brand new single will be one that’s entitled ‘Scandalous’ and the number can be found off a sophomore full-length release that they intend to name ‘Eye Candy’.

Alesha said “In essence, everything went good and so we definitely hope everybody love it. We are aiming for a March release so there’s going to be loads of work to be done.”

Meanwhile, Mis-Teeq have been nominated for the Best Urban Act at the upcoming Brit Awards 2003. You can vote for Mis-Teeq at the website www.brits.co.uk

Mis-Teeq’s Alesha Dixon has hit out at Nicole Appleton, following her revalation that she had aborted a child because of pressure from record bosses when she was in All Saints.

Alesha, who is engaged to MC Harvey of So Solid Crew, says she would never put her career before a child. “If something like that ever happened to one of the girls in our group well, it’s a life isn’t? It doesn’t mean the group has to end or your music career” she said.

“Come on, it’s only music. Some things are more important in life and having a child is one of the biggest things a woman can do.”

It’s you girl / You make me feel true girl/ I see you 10 years time / By my side/ Girl give me the key to your heart/ I’ll never tear it apart.

He likes to pretend he is a pop bad boy, but underneath the scowling exterior So Solid Crew’s Harvey is a big softie and the lines above are an excerpt from his new song.

The singer has written a love song for fiancee, the Miss India-pretty Aleesha of R&B/garage girlband Mis-Teeq. The sentimental ballad called ‘My Girl’ is also collaboration with boyband Blue.

Harvey, together with his Aleesha, are considered one of UK’s beautiful couples. He proposed to her earlier this year.

His debut single ‘Get Up And Move’ should be out in shops already.

Nice work Harvey. Way to score points.

The Sun has three sexy snaps of Mis-Teeq in lingerie and spoke with Alesha, who revealed plans for the trio to make a run at the US market.

“We’re working really hard on new material and hoping to get an American deal” she revealed. “We won’t be neglecting the UK, though, because this is our home.”

Just for the record, I think Mis-Teeq have what it takes to make it big in the US provided they stick to churning out UK garage sounding material and of course, working extremely hard like how Craig and Kylie did. It’s pointless heading down there and just being another R&B girlband.

Anyway, you can read more about the Miss India-pretty treasures and view some of the pictures here.

Mis-Teeq have lashed out at music industry bigwigs who they claim are standing in the way of developing an urban scene in the UK because they are ignorant of what’s going on out on the street.

“I think Britain is way back in time compared to all the other countries whether it’s Europe, South East Asia or Japan,” Sabrina told a webpage. “They’re so much more advanced because over here we’re great for what we do and we do pop. But in other countries they’re versatile and they do everything. They do hip hop and rap and reggae. People are ignorant and they don’t realise that there’s a bigger world out there besides their office. Because half of those people sitting in their office aren’t listening to the radio and picking up on what people are listening to.”

Despite the likes of Glamma Kid, Shola Ama, Honeyz, Damage and MOBO Unsigned winner, Cherise, having been dumped by their record labels after poor sales, Sabrina added that Mis-Teeq proves that UK R&B is worth taking a risk on.

“Over here people don’t have faith in UK urban music,” she observed. “But now that the likes of us and other groups have shown that we can sell platinum and are going on to sell double platinum. So hopefully the British will pick up on it. We’re playing on big shows like the Brits.”

Well said. Mis-Teeq are brilliant, aren’t they?

Mis-Teeq have slammed the state of female pop star football, dismissing their Soccer Six opponents as more interested in their nails than the beautiful game.

Celebrating their victory in the recent charity football fundraiser, the unstoppable girl group phenomenon complained that their female opponents were bad sports.

“That was the first year we were invited to put a team together and we went there and we just kicked butt. People had trouble handling that since we heard they called us dirty!”

Alesha explained that personal grooming seemed to be the priority of most of the players “We were playing girls that were very much, like, ‘Ooh, don’t break my nails’ kind of thing.”

Amongst players that included former Atomic Kitten’s Kerry Katona, Lisa Rogers, Suzanne from Hear’Say and Cat Deeley, Mis-Teeq didn’t have much trouble cruising their way through to win the finals.

“In every single game we played, nobody scored against us.”

The Mis-Teeq girls have told a webzine that there is absolutely no truth in the rumour that they are planning a triple wedding. It’s said that apparently the buzz was started somewhere in April by a tabloid newspaper that claimed the trio were set to marry their fiances at one big ceremony later next year.

Su Elise stated that the rumour had been blown out of all proportions by the media. “There’s a lot of different versions of this story going around at the moment” she explained. “We are all engaged but none of us are making wedding plans and we never have been. That’s just something that’s been blown up by the media and a rumour that’s going around at the moment.”

Sabrina added that the silly gossip was nonsense since she couldn’t imagine what kind of church would be able to fit in all of the girls’ families. “We’ve all got very large families so I’d like to know what kind of cathedral is going to fit all three Mis-Teeq girls in their huge dresses, with their partners and their folks. I really, really don’t think so.’

Anyway, Mis-Teeq would be releasing their next record, the double A side ‘Roll On / This Is How We Do It’, come the 17th of June.