Real Girl (album)

Real Girl is the debut solo studio album by British singer Mutya Buena. It was released on 4 June 2007 through Island Records. For the album, Buena collaborated with several producers, including Eg White, Johnny Douglas, Dean Gillard, Guy Sigsworth, Salaam Remi, and Wayne Wilkins, among others. The album is primarily an R&B record, which incorporates sounds of dance and soul. Lyrically, the album explores Buena's new-found freedom as a solo artist, and touches on subjects including love and vulnerability.

Two singles preceded the release of Real Girl; Buena's collaboration with George Michael, "This Is Not Real Love" (2006), and the album's official lead single "Real Girl" (2007). The former reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart in November 2006, with the latter reaching number two, and the top ten in four other countries. The album's third single, the Groove Armada collaboration "Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)", was released on 23 July 2007, and reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart. In late 2007, the album's fourth and fifth singles were released, titled "Just a Little Bit" and "B Boy Baby", respectively, both reaching lower-tier positions on the UK charts.

Real Girl received mixed reviews from music critics upon release, with praise given for Buena's vocal performance, but criticism aimed at a perceived lack of sonic originality. Commercially, the album peaked at number ten on the UK Albums Chart, and appeared in the top 75 on the charts in Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. In December 2007, the album was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting sales of 100,000 copies in the country. To promote the album, Buena made multiple festival appearances, including at the iTunes Festival 2007, BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend, and the V Festival 2007, and performed on television shows including Popworld, The Friday Night Project, and Later... with Jools Holland.