appleton
Twenty-three years after their last release as Appleton, Natalie and Nicole Appleton have found themselves exactly where they belong: side by side.
Following the release of Falling Into You — their first new music together in 23 years — and its follow-up Ready To Begin, the sisters will release their new EP, Side By Side, on 4 September 2026. The collection marks a new chapter for one of British pop’s most beloved sister acts, bringing together the warmth, honesty and unmistakable chemistry that first made Appleton such a distinctive voice in pop.
The duo’s reunion began with an unexpected suggestion from the next generation of the family.
“It was actually our kids Gene and Ace who suggested we reunite,” Nicole recalls. “Gene said out of the blue: ‘Why don’t you do something with Auntie Nat again?’ And as soon as the idea was out there, we both realised how much fun it could be. I’m just so excited to be singing with Nic again.”
In many ways, the foundations for this new chapter were laid in 2023, when Appleton revisited their beloved debut album Everything’s Eventual for a special reissue campaign. Originally released in 2003, the album debuted in the UK Top 10, achieved Gold certification and produced the hit singles Fantasy and Don’t Worry. Over time, it has become recognised as a genuine pop cult classic.
“It was really emotional revisiting those songs for the vinyl reissue,” Natalie says. “We wrote that album with some of our best friends and pretty much made it in its entirety before taking it to the label. When I listen to it now, I’m just so proud of what we made.”
The Appleton story is inseparable from the sisters’ remarkable career with All Saints, one of the defining British groups of their generation. Together they achieved five UK Number 1 singles, two BRIT Awards and global sales exceeding 12 million records. Yet Appleton has always occupied a unique place in their story: a more personal, intimate project built around family, friendship and their own songwriting voices.
“The entire music scene has changed since we put out the first Appleton album,” says Nicole. “We’re going into this with no expectations and enjoying the process of writing and performing again for the love of it.”
Their first new music together reflects exactly that spirit. Falling Into You reunited the sisters with Gareth Young, who co-wrote and produced Fantasy and worked extensively on Everything’s Eventual, alongside songwriter-producer Bnann.
“We hadn’t worked with Gareth since we made the Everything’s Eventual album, so we were amazed at how quickly everything clicked into place again,” Nicole says. “This song just flowed out of us because it’s very much the story of us.”
Recently. Appleton officially launched their live return with a standout performance at London’s Mighty Hoopla festival — their first show as Appleton in over twenty years. The set featured Appleton favourites, All Saints classics and a surprise guest appearance from Heidi Range, with performances of Round Round and Pure Shores becoming one of the most talked-about moments of the weekend.
The title Side By Side feels particularly fitting. More than two decades after first stepping out as Appleton, Natalie and Nicole have rediscovered the joy of making music together. As they sing on Falling Into You: “By my side, we’re living in the moment, we’re turning into something brand new.” It’s a reminder that if Everything’s Eventual, then family is forever.
And above all, that’s what this new chapter is about: celebrating a catalogue that has soundtracked generations of pop fans while creating something new together.
“People grew up with the songs we made together, so it’s a joy and a privilege to be singing them again now,” Nicole says. “We just can’t wait to get back on stage.”
In their solo endeavours, Nicole Appleton has been working as a regular presenter on Magic Radio since 2022, and has recently started presenting her own show taking listeners on a journey through the best tunes of the 90s every weekend.
Natalie Appleton has recently hosted Sound of the 90s on BBC Radio 2 and was a finalist on ITV’s ‘Masked Singer’ as Fawn.
APPLETON Management/Agent Details
Fascination Management
Tel: 0207 586 6457
Email: info@fascinationmanagement.com