Atomic Kitten’s 2001 hit Whole Again was a massive success, but its creation involved a surprising influence: Kraftwerk. Andy McCluskey of OMD, who co-wrote the song, revealed that the German electronic band inspired him to form the girl group as a vehicle for his songs after his own music struggled in the Britpop era.
McCluskey recalled meeting Kerry Katona, who showed him topless photos during their first meeting. Despite not being the strongest singer, he admired her determination. Liz McClarnon arrived with blue contact lenses, while Natasha Hamilton impressed with her powerful voice. The song originally started as an electronic ballad but was transformed by drummer Stuart Kershaw into a modern gospel track inspired by the Fugees' Killing Me Softly.
The lyrics describe the emptiness after a relationship ends, with Hamilton leading the vocals in a resigned tone. McCluskey noted that Katona’s spoken verse required 39 takes over several months due to her tonsillectomy, which altered her voice. The song became a No 1 hit, but the intense promotion schedule took a toll on Katona, who had a breakdown before a TV appearance. Hamilton quickly called Jenny Frost to replace her, telling her to learn the middle-eight on the way.
McCluskey found it surreal when England fans adapted the song to chant “Southgate, you’re the one” at football tournaments. Hamilton, who joined the band later, described the audition as intimidating but eventually bonded with the others. She recalled recording her vocals in just 10 minutes amid a hectic schedule, and while she now thinks they sound like “chipmunks,” she believes the song has a soulful quality.
The band had to fight for the song’s release, facing industry snobbery as three working-class kids. But Hamilton always knew it would be big, noting the positive live reaction when they dropped the ballad amid their energetic performances.
