Real Girl

by Mutya Buena

Brought to you by Penguin.

“I’m not sure anyone knows who I really am. So here it is.”

The real highs.
The real lows.
The Real Girl.

Mutya Buena was only thirteen when she became one third of the original line-up of the iconic girl band Sugababes.

As she launched into fame, her life became unrecognizable overnight. Suddenly, she was going straight from school to the studio, rubbing shoulders with music royalty and hearing fans scream her name.

But with the dazzle of stardom came the darker those who would take advantage of her naivety and her kindness, the constant taunting by the press and the lingering regret of missing out on being a real teenager.

Unflinchingly honest, Real Girl takes us through the highs of a spectacular career and the lows that came with a life in the limelight. For the first time, Mutya opens up about the struggles she kept hidden from the public eye when her life began to spiral out of control.

This is the story of the girl the tabloids never saw.

'The odd, lurid life of a very young pop star...If confirmation were ever needed that the Naughties were a toxic time to be famous and female, Real Girl delivers it, vividly and colourfully.' The Times

Mutya Buena 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Music, Biography, Audiobook

Audible Audio

First published November 13, 2025

Reviews

[Philip Brian]

Not Ace Reject catching strays again 😭 Girl your opening verse is EVERYTHING!

Jokes aside, I binged this in 24hrs. I just loved listening to Mutya sharing her story like listening to a friend. Mutya, you're an icon, an inspiration and so strong 💪 I'm so pleased that 2025 was the year I finally saw you and the babes live!! Part of me would have liked a little more insight and detail into the music in places but that's only because I'm such a fan and I understand this book is about Mutya, not the Sugababes.

I loved that the mental health struggles were candid and the advice didn't veer into clichés. It felt practical and again, like a friend was supporting you.

THE real girl, you grew taller than them in more ways ❤️

[Gordon Ambos · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5*

Als riesiger Fan der originalen Sugababes musste ich Mutyas Biografie natürlich direkt hören und fand es richtig toll, ein wenig hinter die Kulissen der Songs blicken zu können, die ich seit Jahrzehnten liebe. Auch erzählt sie sehr offen über ihre Struggles mit Drogen, Alkohol, Männern und Schönheitsoperationen. Alles sehr authentisch und mit einem Hauch Humor erzählt.

[Daniel Roque · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mutya's charismatic, outspoken and chaotic persona is quite unmatched in the music scene but my second favourite character has to be her sister's ashes on the container over the kitchen table. We live in the real world but she's just the realest girl.

[Jack Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The audiobook was such an experience. Loved hearing her laugh at her own reminiscing about the happier times of her life.

[Swee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have been a huge fan of this lady for years, an absolute inspiration to me. As a mixed Asian girl myself she has always been someone I've looked up to and because of seeing another mixed Asian girl in a pop girl group while growing up was so amazing to me.

I met Mutya and her family a few years ago and they were so lovely to me which meant the world.

Inspirational is all I can say about her story, despite the highs and lows always kept true to herself and managed to stay strong.

[ZzZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guuuurl, this was a ride 🫨💖

I knew this was gonna be a good read 🤓 especially the audiobook version with mama’s 100% raw refined sugary sultry husky organic vocals… and it delivered 📦

(sidechick note: I dunno if it was down to poor editing or a conscious decision BUT I found the several mispronounced words and incoherent mumble-tumble moments pretty cute as fuck)

^ she wasn’t trying to be all proper, she spoke the way she usually speaks… 🥰🥰 and it was kinda a throwback to those Sugababes CD album booklet thankyou’s where they’d typ lyk dis… cuz Mutz woz ere 4ever … etc ♡

Content-wise: she really went further than surface level sharing some deeply personal memories and experiences 🙀😿😽 — (despite being relatively short for a 40+ Pop Superstar Icon of 25+ years, at under 6 hours it’s reasonable but of course I want more!!) ❤️‍🩹

I did get triggered… 🥴😵‍💫🤒 had to pause and rub my heart, my poor baby gurl was really going through it, privately🧘‍♀️ and killing it on the charts simultaneously 👸💝

The only thing that got on my tits was when she mentioned israhell (just very briefly, regarding a song recording process) …and, like.. considering the heavy presence of military/police 👮 and mentions of SOCIAL JUSTICE 🪧 and Cancel Culture and Censorship/Fake News 📰 etc …it was a sad realization, her *choice* not to mention Palestine 🕊️ (oh gawd is Mutz a crypto-zionista, please noooo) 🥲🥲🥲

(((even as a group I don’t think either of them has even said a word… 🤯 but when it was BLM everyone had the Black Squares on socials ▪️◾️◼️ …anywayzzz 🤓)))

So… I was gonna mark it down to 4… 😗 but fuck that (maybe she was discouraged by a trusted advisor 🫩), …And as overall it’s just so so so good, one of the very best memoirs I have ever listened to, it’s a full 5 Stars for my Queen 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[[[]P.S. I nearly died when she (almost) mentioned ME 😳…I’m not gonna say which event/place/scenario buuuut I met her…and we spoke one time, it was very special …and it was sooooo dream-sequence-y for me although I acted normal I think 😄😍😂]]]]

God Bless Mutya 😌🫶🍯💛

[Liam · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a big fan of the Sugababes, I was looking forward to reading this. I think she is the first member to put a book out so I was expecting to read a lot about the group from her point of view.

I enjoyed reading about her childhood, her family dynamics etc but when it came to the group stuff, it all was kind of glossed over. What was the relationship like with the label when Heidi joined? What was the process of recording like compared to the first album? What was the sudden huge success like? It’s all just kind of skipped over.

There’s also a lot of talk about drink, drugs, domestic abuse and mental health. It was quite hard to read at times so if you struggle with that, I wouldn’t recommend reading it.

Did I come away like Mutya more? No but then I already really liked her. Do I understand more about her as a person and the things she’s faced? Absolutely. I think if you’re someone who doesn’t really like her then you would come away from reading this seeing that she’s a really lovely person.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been a fan of Sugababes and Mutya Buena being my favourite and one of the originals in the band. Her book was a real eye opener and would never have believed that she had been going through so much pain in her life. She is a Real Girl and what you see is what you get with Mutya. Being an Asian mixed race woman myself, can relate to her story and been through similar experiences myself. I read the book within a week or whenever I could get through the harrowing journey that Mutya experienced in her life. Glad to hear her life has turned out for the better and she is much happier now than she was before. I recommend this book to Sugababes fans and anyone who has been in a dark place in their lives.

[Karim Zayn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps a bias review as I’ve been a big fan of the Sugababes for quite some time, but I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir from start to finish. It was interesting learning about Mutyas humble early beginnings, and how this led to pop stardom. However, looking behind the curtain behind the life of fame within the girl group was particularly interesting.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mutya will forever be an icon.

I throughly enjoyed listening to Mutya read Real Girl.

[Ja’mie King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book by one of my childhood icons! Always been a huge fan of the babes and it’s great to get Mutya’s recollection of the glory days. Bring on the new album !!

[livkf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! So insightful and Mutya really shows us all how we can relate to her life.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

So great on audio. I loved hearing her laugh reminiscing about the past and the 2000’s UK music scene.

[Chloe Henney · Rating 4 out of 5]

read the audiobook if you can!!