The Sugababes said it was “an honour” to be on the “same stage” where Mariah Carey headlined on the previous night at Brighton Pride.
On Sunday, the English girl group closed the weekend of celebrations in Preston Park with a show full of throwbacks and synchronised dance moves.
After taking to the stage, they said “last night headlining was Mariah” before adding: “It’s a complete honour to be on the same stage.”
Just like Carey on Saturday, the group told the audience that the LGBT+ community has always been the “core” of their fanbase.
Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy had the whole crowd bouncing as they closed the show with About You Now, despite some microphone issues.
Buena seemed to struggle as she sang the introduction, with her vocals fading out, but the trio recovered well, bringing the curtain down on this year’s Preston Park performances.
The group referenced their “long journey”, having started when they were around 12 years old in 1998 before splitting and then regaining the name Sugababes in 2019.
Images of each of them as kids flickered up on screen accompanied by a voiceover describing their story so far. “We found our way back to each other,” Buchanan said.
They almost forgot to sing their 2025 single Shook, starting the intro for the next song before doubling back, admitting they are “not used” to having it in the set.
According to the BBC, roughly 300,000 people were in Brighton over the weekend.
Many of the acts across the weekend have made sure to remind their audience that Pride started as protest, with some making reference to Gaza and also transgender rights being rolled back in the UK.
Drag queen Tayris Mongardi, who performed at Brighton Pride this weekend, told the PA news agency that Pride is about being “present and vocal” while also having a “good bloody time”.
She said that while living and working in the UK is “privileged” compared to other countries, it is still important to remember “what we’re fighting for”.
The performer said: “Look, we’re so blessed in so many ways to have the privileges we do here versus other countries and whatnot but really like it is a protest and you do have to remember not only its roots and where it’s come from but what we’re fighting for.
“Yes I might be queer and of colour but I have so many trans brothers and sisters, siblings and we’re watching their rights actually being taken away – it’s about being present, being vocal.”
Ms Mongardi has performed at every Brighton Pride since 2017, excluding the pandemic year, and now feels like she is “part of the furniture” at the event, and said that Pride is about community.
She added: “Protect trans lives, protect black lives, and have a good bloody time you know, we’re all fighting, we’re all trying to get through the place but have a good time while you’re doing it right?”
