Releasing What About Us as their 1st US single is a big mistake. It won't do anything over there and it isn't going to make people sit up and take notice of them. I'm surprised Def Jam think it's the right song to debut with over there. It isn't defining or strong enough. Meh, they won't have much success out there now releasing it as their debut. It doesn't scream nor sound like it will be a global/international/American hit. It sounds weak, cheap and basic. I'm disappointed with the remixes... the vocals won't alter much in the studio version so I really don't like overproduction of their vocals, they sound too robotic and lifeless. There's no oomph or character... and the robotic 'na na na na' sound terrible compared to the live version. Hope they don't start getting their hopes up because I don't think it's going to work out now. Surely they know it won't do much?? It could be sung by anyone. It doesn't say anything about them or make a statement like Spice Girls' Wannabe etc. The video better be fantastic, although it probably will just be the same format as most of their previous' videos... pose/walk/pose/walk, without any interesting events or storylines. Horrible feeling this whole campaign will be a nightmare.
They've only got a certain amount of time before Little Mix are in the US (probably middle of next year) so they're buggered as they probably won't have a 2nd single out in the US by the time they go over, same with Stooshe... but even then you don't get many chances in the US and they're going to blow their biggest chance with What About Us. So frustrated by them and their team.
They really need to step it up with their new material now and be more creative or they really are finished because at the moment, they're really not standing up to the higher quality, more innovative and exciting music and image/style of Little Mix and Stooshe (and inevitably Girls Aloud and MKS). It's kind of embarrassing that Little Mix and Stooshe have only been around a year or so and already their music is on point, both have their own identity, they're consistent but good and they're hitting their stride whereas The Sats still haven't... after four//five years. The girls started off so well with Chasing Lights - it was different, it was intrinsically 'them' but still with a pop feel but since then they've just descended into generic, faceless stuff that doesn't say anything about them. It's a shame, they have so much potential but they never bloody realise it.
Diane Warren's written three songs for them... hopefully they're incredible. I hope they work with some other renowned producers/writers. They do need to do acoustic sets when doing promo out there to prove they can sing.