PopWatch: 6 acts gone or in trouble

With the year half over it felt like the right time to take a look and survey the pop scene. We have seen amazing triumphs for established artists like Kylie Minogue and Lady Gaga but the music arena hasn't been quite so kind to others. Here's a look at some acts we said goodbye to and a few others that may be on life support.














1.Girls Can't Catch (UK)
The plucky trio's debut single "Keep your head up" showed promise even if the video was laughably bad. Record label Fascination pushed on with second single "echo" but that track also failed to garner the girls much success. The plug was pulled on this act last week and Popjustice wrote a very passionate entry for them. Maybe the label should have named the group Girls Can't Catch On.
Status: GONE












2.MiniViva (UK)
Not since the stunning Deuce have I been so surprised by the lack of interest in an AMAZING pop act. Britt and Frankie seemed like a sure thing with their quirky style and the powerhouse production team Xenomania behind them. First single "left my heart in tokyo" was an immediate success but follow-ups "i wish" and "one touch" while also amazing tanked spectacularly in the charts. With no word on a new label I'd say this act has rode into the sunset.
Status: GONE














3.Sugababes (UK)
After the ousting of the last remainig founding member Keisha Buchanan this top UK girl group divided its fanbase with replacement member Jade Ewan. The act's RedOne produced jam "About a Girl" was suppossed to be a return to the top of the charts but after all the internal drama became a minor top ten hit. Parent album "Sweet 7" was delayed and ultimately flopped into the charts despiting yielding another top ten hit with 3rd single "wear my kiss". The group state they are recording a new album. Only time will tell what will happen to Sugababes 4.0.
Status: Unsure














4.Sophie Ellis-Bextor (UK)
The premiere queen of classy pop returned last year with the Freemason's on "heartbreak make me a dancer" which was a nice preview of her next album. First proper single "bittersweet" was released earlier this year and seemed to push all the right buttons with its big chorus and fantastic video but when released limped into the UK top forty. Sophie parted ways with label Fascination Records and is now looking to release her 4th album "Straight to the heart" on a different label in the fall. I have to wonder how much Sophie appeals to the UK record buying public.
Status: Unsure



















5.BWO (Sweden)
The Swedish trio who turned out such amazing electro-pop hits like "lay your love on me" and "temple of love" crashed and burned in 2009's Melodifestivalen with the snoozy "you're not alone". Things didn't improve when they delivered the classy but overlooked "big science" album afterwards. So, what's a pop act with a flop album to do? Something else. Alexander Bard is doing his Gravitonas project, Marina Schiptjenko reunited with her old synth-pop group Page and singer Martin is rumored working on a solo album. While many groups say they are just on hiatus I must say I feel BWO is over until something concrete surfaces.
Status: GONE

















6.Christina Aguilera (US)
Something tells me singer Aguilera wishes she had been herself on new album "bionic". First song "not myself tonight" pretty much flopped everywhere and the album definitely leaves a lot to be desired. "bionic" should have been to Xtina what "circus" was to Britney but alas the reality is that Brit brought the goods and so all we have from Xtina are some tuneless drag queen anthems (glam) and half baked ballads (you lost me). I think Aguilera will be back soon with another album but for now...
Status: On Life Support

UPDATE: According to website Teen Today MiniViva are very much still alive and working on a relaunch. Read the article here.