Appleton Announces First New EP in Over 20 Years, Shares Uplifting New Single 'Ready To Begin'

Appleton officially entering a new chapter.

Just days after delivering one of the most talked about sets at London’s Mighty Hoopla festival, sisters Natalie and Nicole Appleton has returned with “Ready to Go”a bright, guitar-driven pop song that serves as a mission statement for their long-awaited comeback.

The new single comes alongside the announcement of ‘Side by side’the duo’s first collection of new material in more than two decades. Out September 4, the EP marks a major milestone for the sisters, whose last Appleton project came in the early 2000s before both moved on to other ventures.

Written by Natalie and Nicole along with the producer Shadowhands – who previously worked on the duo’s 2002 UK No.2 hit ‘Fantasy’ – “Ready to Go” captures the sense of optimism that has surrounded Apple’s return to music. Anchored by shimmering guitars and an uplifting chorus, the track reflects a reunion that seems to have developed organically rather than through a carefully orchestrated comeback campaign.

““Ready to Go” perfectly sums up how we feel right now,” Natalie said in a statement. “When we started writing together again, there was no grand plan. We just wanted to have fun and see where it took us. Suddenly we found ourselves making new music, performing live again and remembering why we loved doing this in the first place.”

The announcement follows a remarkable year for the sisters. Earlier this year, Appleton released “Falling Into You”their first new music together in 23 years. The single received support from BBC Radio 2where it was added to the station’s A-list playlist, and later performed during a Piano room session backed by BBC Concert Orchestra.

Momentum continued to build last weekend at Mighty Hoopla, where Appleton played his first major live show in more than two decades. Halfway through the set, the sisters surprised festival-goers by bringing out earlier Sugababes member Heidi Range for performances of ‘Round Round’ and “Pure Shores”. The unexpected collaboration quickly became one of the festival’s defining moments, generating massive attention across social media and reminding audiences why both groups remain beloved figures in British pop.

While nostalgia has inevitably played a role in the excitement surrounding the reunion, ‘Side by side’ seems determined to look forward rather than backward.

The four-track project combines the duo’s trademark harmonies and melodic pop sensibilities with a contemporary production style that reflects where the sisters are today.

The EP’s tracklist includes the new single “Ready to Go”next “Falling Into You”, “Strange Kinda Paradise”and ‘Monster’. A live Piano Room recording of Jimmy Webb’s “Wichita Lineman” will also be included as a digital exclusive bonus track.

“The reaction to “Falling Into You” and our first Appleton show in over twenty years has been incredible,” said Nicole. “We feel so grateful that people are still connecting with these songs and are excited about what we’re doing now. This EP feels like the natural next chapter.”

For Natalie and Nicole, that chapter seems rooted in the creative chemistry that first made Appleton a distinctive force in turn-of-the-millennium pop. More than twenty years after they last released a work together, ‘Side by side’ finds the sisters reconnecting with the partnership that launched their careers—not as an exercise in nostalgia, but as a genuine creative rebirth.

“We’ve always had a special connection when we sing together,” added Nicole. “Making these songs reminded us of that. It never feels forced – it just feels natural.”

If “Ready to Go” is any indication, Appleton’s comeback is less about returning to the past than embracing the possibilities of what’s next.