Melanie Janine Brown,MBE (born 29 May 1975),[1] commonly known asMel B orMelanie B, is an English singer, songwriter, television personality, and actress. She rose to fame in the mid 1990s as a member of thepop group theSpice Girls, in which she was nicknamedScary Spice. With over 100 million records sold worldwide,[2] the Spice Girls are thebest-selling female group of all time.[3] The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2000, before reuniting fora greatest hits album (2007) and two concert tours:the Return of the Spice Girls (2007–2008) andSpice World (2019).
Melanie Janine Brown was born inHarehills,Leeds,[5] and grew up in theBurley area of the city, the daughter of Martin Brown and wife Andrea Dixon,[6] daughter of Stanley Dixon and wife Eileen Mary English.[7] Her father was fromSaint Kitts and Nevis and her mother is English. Through her mother, Mel B is a first cousin of actor and directorChristian Cooke; Cooke's mother Di and Mel B's mother Andrea are sisters.[5][8] Mel B studied performing arts atIntake High School in Rodley, Leeds before entering the entertainment industry.[9] For a time, she worked as a dancer inBlackpool,Lancashire.[10][11]
In 1994, Mel B, along withMelanie C,Geri Halliwell andVictoria Beckham responded to an advertisement inThe Stage magazine.[12] Around 400 women who answered the advertisement attended auditions at Danceworks Studios in Mayfair, London. Halliwell, Melanie C, Beckham, Mel B, andMichelle Stephenson were originally chosen as the members of the group which was known as Touch. Stephenson later left and was replaced byEmma Bunton.
The group were unsatisfied with their original management, Heart Management, and broke with them. In 1995, they toured record labels in London and Los Angeles. After teaming up with music managerSimon Fuller, they signed a deal withVirgin Records and the group name was changed to Spice Girls.[12] Their debut album,Spice, was a worldwide commercial success. The album peaked at number one in more than 17 countries and was certifiedmulti-platinum in 27 countries.[13] The group's massive and sudden popularity was compared toBeatlemania.[14] In total the album sold 30 million copies worldwide[15][16] and became the biggest-selling album in music history by agirl group and one of themost successful albums of all time.[17][18] The album's first single, "Wannabe", reached number one in 37 countries and all of the subsequent singles from the album – "Say You'll Be There", "2 Become 1", "Who Do You Think You Are" and "Mama" – also peaked at number one in United Kingdom.[19][20]
In 1997, they released their second album,Spiceworld. The album's first two singles "Spice Up Your Life" and "Too Much" reached number one in the UK, marking seven consecutive number one singles, an all-time record for a musical group.[21] The album was a global best seller, selling 20 million copies worldwide.[22] The group also starred in their own film,Spiceworld: The Movie, which grossed $100 million worldwide. The third single fromSpiceworld, "Stop", peaked at two, breaking the group's sequence of number ones. "Viva Forever" was released as the album's final single in July 1998. The single was another number one and was the group's first single released following Halliwell's departure from the group in May 1998.[23]
Mel B debuted as a solo artist in September 1998 with the release of "I Want You Back". The single charted at number 1 on theUK Singles Chart and also had success around the globe. The song was recorded for the soundtrack of the filmWhy Do Fools Fall in Love. The single sold 218,000 copies and became the 82nd Bestselling British Single of the year.[24] In late 1998, the Spice Girls released "Goodbye" as a four-piece. It topped the UK Singles Chart and became their third consecutiveChristmas number-one – equaling the record previously set by The Beatles.[25]
In 1999, Mel B began recording her debut album, working with producersSisqó,Teddy Riley, andJimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the latter of whom she was also working with on the Spice Girls' third album,Forever.[26] At the suggestion of her then-husband Jimmy Gulzar, Brown coveredCameo's 1986 hit "Word Up" as her next solo release.[26] The track was included on the soundtrack toAustin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. The song charted poorly, peaking at fourteen on the UK Singles Chart, making it the lowest-charting Spice Girls-related single of the '90s.[27] Turning to television work, she hostedPure Naughty, a weeklyBBC2 magazine show focusing on black music.[26] She hosted theMOBO Awards on two occasions, in 1998 withBill Bellamy and in 1999 withWyclef Jean, and took part in the BBC-funded short filmFish.[26] She hosted a number of TV shows such asThis Is My Moment (a talent show) forITV1 and shot a documentary calledVoodoo Princess forChannel 4.[28] She took part in smaller projects as a presenter such asTop of the Pops,Party in the Park forThe Prince's Trust andThe All Star Animal Awards. She appeared as herself in an advert for theYorkshire tourist board in a series which included contributions from other Yorkshire-born celebrities, and in the filmHappy Birthday Oscar Wilde.
Mel B's debut albumHot was released in October 2000, a month before the final Spice Girls albumForever was released. Following the release ofForever, which was far less successful than their previous two albums, the Spice Girls stopped recording and the members began investing more time into their solo careers.Hot was not a success and garnered mediocre reviews,[29] selling a disappointing 7,419 copies in its first week and charting at No. 28.Hot was preceded by the lead single "Tell Me" in September 2000. "Tell Me" debuted at No. 4 in the UK charts with about 40,000 copies sold in its first week of release.[26] It sold approximately 100,000 copies, making it the 158th "best seller" of 2000.[30] In February 2001, "Feels So Good" was released as the second single from the album and peaked at No. 5. It followed by "Lullaby" in June, a pop number dedicated to her daughter.[26] It was accompanied by a video shot in Morocco and featured Mel B with Phoenix Chi. The media criticised Mel B for using her child in the music video and single artwork, labeling her "Desperate Spice" and insinuating that she was exploiting her child as a marketing tool.[26] The single entered and peaked at No. 13. Mel B left Virgin records in July 2001.[31]
In 2002, Mel B released her autobiography,Catch a Fire, which reached No. 7 in the official books chart,[9] and saw her touring the UK to promote it with a run of book signings. In 2003 Mel B's first movie role came in the form of a British drama,Burn It.[9] She acted in a long run of shows as part of the cast forThe Vagina Monologues. She was in the movieThe Seat Filler, co-produced byWill Smith and starringDestiny's Child starKelly Rowland. In April 2004, Mel B took part in the musicalRent as Mimi Marquez inNetherlands.
2005–2008:L.A. State of Mind and Spice Girls reunion
AfterRent, Mel B began recording new songs and decided to release them through an independent label, Amber Café.[26][32] Mel B said that she was working onacoustic music in contrast with her previous releases.[33] The resulting album,LA State of Mind, was released on 27 June 2005.[34] It was released with a bonus DVD featuring an in-depth documentary filmed and directed by Mark McConnell.[35] In a scathing review,AllMusic stated that this album was one of the worst pop albums of the decade.[36] The only single from the album, "Today", saw a UK release in June 2005. "Today" entered the singles chart at No. 41, selling around 1,000 copies in its first week.[34] The same year, Mel B appeared in the filmsTelling Lies andLD 50 Lethal Dose.[37] In 2006, Mel B appeared in the short filmLove Thy Neighbor.
In September 2007, Mel B joined thefifth season of the US television dance competition,Dancing with the Stars with her partnerMaksim Chmerkovskiy. On 27 November 2007, they took second place in the show,[38] losing toHélio Castroneves and his partner,Julianne Hough. That year, the Spice Girls re-grouped and announced plans for areunion tour, from which they were said to have earned £10 million each (approximately $20 million).[39] The group releasedGreatest Hits in early November 2007 and the tour began on 2 December 2007. The Spice Girls appeared inTesco advertisements, for which they were paid £1 million each.[40]
In April 2009, Mel B joined actress and formerDancing with the Stars championKelly Monaco as original stars of a Las Vegas revue calledPeepshow at the Las VegasPlanet Hollywood Hotel and Casino.[41] In September 2009, Mel B appeared for a week of shows as a visiting panellist onITV1's daily lunchtime showLoose Women.[42] From June through August 2010, Mel B hosted theOxygen weight loss showDance Your Ass Off.[9] In September 2010, her own reality show aired on theStyle Network calledMel B: It's a Scary World.[9] In November 2010, the console gameGet Fit with Mel B was released in North America and Europe.[43] Mel B served as a celebrity mentor on thesecond season of the Australia show ofThe X Factor during the quarter-final of the live shows in 2010.[44] During the results show, she performed a duet with the remaining five acts singing "Stop" originally by the Spice Girls.
Mel B was featured as a judge for thethird series of the Australia show ofThe X Factor, which premiered in August 2011. She appeared alongsideRonan Keating,Guy Sebastian, andNatalie Bassingthwaighte. For her first series on the show, she was given the Girls category. In April 2012, Mel B appeared as co-host on twelfth season of the Australian version ofDancing with the Stars.[45] On 31 March, it was announced that Mel B signed a global partnership withEMI Music Australia for the release of her third studio album, but she later broke from the contract.[46]
Mel B returned for thefourth series ofThe X Factor Australia and mentored the Boys category. Her act Jason Owen reached the final, but finished in second place after losing out toSamantha Jade, mentored byGuy Sebastian. In June 2012, Mel B appeared as a guest judge for theManchester auditions ofThe X Factor UK.[47]
In July 2012, Mel B reunited with the Spice Girls for a one-off performance at the2012 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony in London, performing their hits "Wannabe" and "Spice Up Your Life". The performance was the most tweeted moment of the entire Olympics with over 116,000 tweets onTwitter per minute.[48] Later in the year, the Spice Girls reunited again to launch and attend the premiere of the musicalViva Forever!.[49] The group appeared in the documentarySpice Girls' Story: Viva Forever!, which aired on 24 December 2012 onITV1.[50]
In March 2013 it was confirmed that Mel B would judgeAustralia's Got Talent to replaceDannii Minogue and that she would not return as a judge for thefifth season ofThe X Factor Australia and was replaced by Minogue, due to her commitments withAustralia's Got Talent.[51] However,Seven, the Australian TV network that airsThe X Factor Australia, filed suit to prevent Mel B from appearing onAustralia's Got Talent and any rival networks.[52] The judge ruled that Mel B was still under contract with Seven until January 2014, which prevented her from appearing on a program aired by another network until after that date.[53]
Mel B at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards in October 2012.
In January 2016, Mel B began presentingLip Sync Battle UK alongsideProfessor Green. Later that year, Mel B guest judged thethirteenth series of The X Factor UK at theLondon auditions. In 2016 she announced that theSpice Girls – except forVictoria Beckham andMelanie C – were working on new material and a 20th anniversary tour for 2017.[62] Plans for a reunion were dropped when Halliwell announced she was expecting her second child. Mel B also confirmed her return toThe X Factor Australia after a three-year absence to replace Minogue. In 2017 she returned toBroadway to star in the musicalChicago as Roxie Hart.[63] The same year, she returned to acting in the movieChocolate City: Vegas Strip and made a cameo in the movieKilling Hasselhoff.[64][65] In late 2017, Mel B had a cameo appearance in the music video for "Spice Girl" byAminé.
2018–present: Second Spice Girls reunion and further television work
On 5 November 2018, Mel B announced the Spice Girls reunion tour on her Instagram profile.[66] It was confirmed that Mel B and ex-bandmates Melanie C, Bunton and Halliwell (but not Beckham) would return for a 13-date UK and Ireland stadium tourSpice World - 2019 Tour, their first in a decade.[67][68]
In November 2022, Mel B presented the BBC documentaryTrailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip alongsideRuby Wax andEmily Atack.[78] In December 2022, she starred in the Christmas TVA New Diva’s Christmas Carol, alongsideAshanti andVivica A. Fox.[79]
In 2023 Mel B appeared as a guest star in the French version ofThe Masked Singer and coveredKaty Perry's "Roar".[80] In June 2023, Mel B announced that she would appear as a judge on the second season of theParamount+ reality seriesQueen of the Universe.[81]
In 2025, Mel B was a contestant onNetflix's reality competition television series,Celebrity Bear Hunt.[83] On February 3, 2025, it was announced Mel B would return as a judge for the 20th season of the mainAmerica's Got Talent show after her last appearance in 2019.[84]
From 1996 to 1997, Mel B dated the Icelandic businessman Fjölnir Thorgeirsson.[85]
In March 1998, Mel B began a relationship with the Dutch dancer Jimmy Gulzar while on theSpiceworld Tour. They became engaged on 13 May 1998, Mel B became pregnant that June, and the couple were married inLittle Marlow,Buckinghamshire, on 13 September 1998.[86] Mel B changed her stage name to Melanie G while they were married.[87] Their daughter, Phoenix Chi Gulzar, was born on 19 February 1999.[87] Mel B filed for divorce in 2000, and the divorce was finalised later that year.[88] Mel B won custody, and paid a settlement of £1.25m to Gulzar.[89][90] Gulzar was prosecuted for threatening Mel B and attacking her sister, Danielle.[91] In August 2001, Gulzar was found guilty of the assault, but later cleared by the court.[92]
From 2000 to 2002, Mel B was in a relationship with actorMax Beesley.[93]
From 2002 to 2006, she was in a relationship with the film producer Christine Crokos.[94] Mel B and Crokos lived together in Los Angeles, California.[95] Speaking toGay Star News about the relationship, she said: 'It wasn't experimentation. I fell in love with a woman for five years. An experiment doesn't last five years.'[96] Asked about the relationship, Mel B said: "People call me lesbian, bisexual or heterosexual, but I know who's in my bed and that's it. I have a huge libido and a great sex life."[97] Brown and Crokos's relationship ended in 2006.[94] Brown said that she had had a four-year relationship with a woman when she was in her teens.[98] In a 2019 interview withPiers Morgan, Mel B was asked if she had slept with Halliwell in an intimate manner and she nodded yes.[99] Halliwell released a statement saying that the press reports following the interview had been "hurtful to her family".[100] Brown later said: "I just said it was like a little thing and we giggled about it the next day and that’s that. It's the press [who] have taken it onto a whole new level."[101]
Mel B became the subject of tabloid stories during her relationship with the Hollywood actorEddie Murphy,[102] who is the biological father of Mel B's second child, Angel Iris Murphy Brown,[103] born 3 April 2007.[104] By early December 2006, Mel B and Murphy had separated. Murphy told a journalist that the parentage of Mel B's then-unborn baby could not be proven until a paternity test was performed.[105] On 22 June 2007, a court-ordered DNA test confirmed that Murphy was the child's father. Murphy admitted paternity and indicated that he and Mel B had reached a paternity settlement of $7 million.[106]
In February 2007, Mel B began dating the film producer Stephen Belafonte.[107] They secretly married on 6 June 2007 in Las Vegas.[108][109] They renewed their vows in front of their families on 8 November 2008 inHurghada, Egypt.[110] On 1 September 2011, Mel B gave birth to her third daughter, Madison Brown Belafonte.[111] On 11 December 2014, she attempted suicide by taking nearly 200Aspirin pills.[112] Mel B and Belafonte separated in December 2016.[113][114][115] Mel B filed for divorce in March 2017, and accused Belafonte of emotional and physical abuse.[116] In court, Belafonte's representative said that due to the couple's "extravagant and affluent" lifestyle, Brown had "wiped out all her Spice Girls money – approximately $50 million (£38.3 million), if not more".[116] The divorce was finalised on 15 December 2017.[117] Mel B cited her divorce from Belafonte and her father's death as her reasons for seeking treatment forPTSD.[118] In November 2018, Brown became a patron of the domestic violence survivors' charityWomen's Aid.[119]
In December 2018, Mel B collapsed, breaking several of her ribs and suffering a serious cut to her hand, for which she underwent emergency surgery.[120][121] In 2019, Mel B revealed she has been diagnosed withanxiety,dyspraxia,dyslexia, andADHD.[11][122][123] In October 2022, Mel B announced she was engaged to Rory McPhee.[124][125] It is thought the pair have been in a relationship since 2018.[126] It was revealed in 2024 that Mel B's formerSpice Girls group member,Victoria Beckham, would be designing Mel B's wedding dress.[127]