Melanie C | |
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.jpg) Chisholm in 2019 | |
| Born | Melanie Jayne Chisholm (1974-01-12)12 January 1974 (age 52) Whiston,Lancashire, England |
| Other names |
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| Occupations |
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| Partner | Thomas Starr (2002–2012) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Paul O'Neill (half-brother) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels |
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| Member of | Spice Girls |
| Website | melaniec |
Musical artist | |
| Signature | |
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Melanie Jayne Chisholm (born 12 January 1974), commonly known asMelanie C orMel C, is an English singer and songwriter. She rose to fame in the mid-1990s as a member of the pop group theSpice Girls, in which she was nicknamedSporty Spice. With over 100 million records sold worldwide, the Spice Girls are thebest-selling female group of all time. 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). She is known for her unique and distinctive tone and her vocal ability.[1]
Chisholm began a solo career in late 1998 on the single "When You're Gone" with Canadian rock singerBryan Adams. She signed withVirgin Records to release her debut solo albumNorthern Star (1999).[2][3] After the release of her second album,Reason (2003), Chisholm parted ways with Virgin Records and founded her own record company, Red Girl Records. Her third album,Beautiful Intentions (2005), was a commercial success inEurope and spawned the singles "Next Best Superstar" and "First Day of My Life". Her fourth album,This Time (2007), saw huge success inPortugal, staying at number one for nine weeks. Her later albums consist ofThe Sea (2011),Stages (2012),Version of Me (2016), andMelanie C (2020). Her ninth solo studio album,Sweat will be released 1 May 2026.
Chisholm is the recipient of numerousaccolades, including threeWorld Music Awards, fiveBrit Awards, threeAmerican Music Awards, fourBillboard Music Awards, threeMTV Europe Music Awards, oneMTV Video Music Award, tenASCAP awards, and oneJuno Award. Her 2000 single "I Turn to You" won theGrammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical for theHex Hector's remix.[4] In 2009, Chisholm made her stage debut in theWest End musicalBlood Brothers, for which she was nominated for anLaurence Olivier Award.[5] She has sold over 130 million records in her career and has earned over335 worldwide certifications, including44 Silver, Gold, and Platinum certifications as a solo artist.
Melanie Jayne Chisholm[6] was born on 12 January 1974 inWhiston, Lancashire,[a][6][7][8] the daughter of singer Joan Tuffley Chisholm O'Neill (who also worked as a secretary and personal assistant),[9] andOtis Elevator Company fitter, Alan William Chisholm.[9] Her parents married in 1971 and separated in 1978, when Melanie was four years old.[9] Her mother remarried and had more children, one of whom is racing driverPaul O'Neill.[10] Melanie grew up inWidnes, Cheshire,[8] attending Brookvale Junior School in nearbyRuncorn[9] andFairfield High School in Widnes.[11] She studied for a diploma in singing, dancing, and musical theatre at theDoreen Bird College of Performing Arts in London, leaving just short of completing her three-year course[8] and later gaining teaching qualifications intap andmodern theatre dance with theImperial Society of Teachers of Dancing.[8]
In 1994, Chisholm (along withMelanie Brown,Geri Halliwell, andVictoria Adams) responded to an advertisement inThe Stage magazine placed by Chris and Bob Herbert, who were looking to form a new girl group which would later become theSpice Girls.[8][12] Around 400 women who answered the ad went to Dance Works studios. Chisholm, Brown, Halliwell, and Adams were originally chosen as the members of the group, which became a quintet with the addition ofEmma Bunton. Insecure about the lack of a contract and frustrated by the direction of Chris and Bob Herbert's Heart Management, the group severed ties with the Herberts. In 1995, they toured record labels in London and Los Angeles and finally signed a deal withVirgin. Their debut album,Spice, was a huge worldwide commercial success, peaked at number 1 in more than 17 countries across the world,[13] and was certifiedmulti-Platinum in 27 countries.[13] Conceptually, the album centred on the idea ofGirl Power, and during that time was compared toBeatlemania.[14] In total the album sold 30 million copies worldwide,[15][16][17] becomingthe biggest-selling album in music history by a girl group and one of themost successful albums of all time.[18][19] The first single, "Wannabe" reached number 1 in 37 countries,[20] and their subsequent singles – "Say You'll Be There", "2 Become 1", "Who Do You Think You Are" and "Mama" – all peaked at number 1 in the UK.[21][22]
In 1997, they released their second album,Spiceworld, with the two first singles "Spice Up Your Life" and "Too Much", that entered the UK Albums Chart at number 1, making it the group's all consecutive number 1 hit single, a record of musical groups all time.[23] The album was a global best seller, selling 20 million copies worldwide.[24] The group also starred in their own film,Spiceworld: The Movie, which grossed $100 million at the box office worldwide and became the second most watched movie of the year.[25] The next single, "Stop", peaked at two, breaking the sequence of number 1s, their only single to not reach the top of the charts. "Viva Forever", another number 1, was the last single before Halliwell's departure from the group in May 1998.[26] With four members, the group released "Goodbye", before Christmas in 1998 and when it topped the UK Singles Chart it became their third consecutivenumber 1 Christmas song – equalling the record previously set by the Beatles.[27] On 30 November, Canadian artistBryan Adams, released "When You're Gone" with featured vocals of Chisholm, her debut solo project.[28] The song peaked at number 3 on theUK Singles Chart, spent fifteen weeks in the Top 40 and received the Platinum certification.[29][30]
In 1999, Chisholm signed withVirgin and, during the summer, recorded the albumNorthern Star. She recorded "Ga Ga" from the soundtrack of the filmBig Daddy.[31] The song was released as promotional single on 25 June, only in the UK.[32] She also co-wrote and recorded the backing vocals for "(Hey You) Free Up Your Mind", sung byEmma Bunton from the film soundtrackPokémon: The First Movie.[33] On 27 September, Chisholm released her debut single, "Goin' Down" and peaked at number 4 in the UK and 25 in Australia.[34] The music video was shot in Los Angeles and directed by Giuseppi Capotondi.[35] Her debut album,Northern Star, was released on 18 October 1999, peaked at number 4 and sold four million copies worldwide, received triple Platinum in the UK,[2] and another seven certifications, including Platinum in Germany and Sweden.[36][37] "Northern Star" was released as a second single and also peaked at number 4.[34] To promote the album, Chisholm embarked on a tour called From Liverpool to Leicester Square, travelling to Australia, the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Netherlands and Denmark, between 27 September and 1 November.[38] In 2000, Chisholm had two songs in film soundtracks, "Suddenly Monday" inMaybe Baby and "Go!" inWhatever It Takes.[39]
Her next single, "Never Be the Same Again", was acontemporary R&B song.[40] The song, which featuresTLC memberLisa "Left Eye" Lopes, was released on 20 March 2000 and became Chisholm's first number 1 single. It received Gold certification in the UK[2] and also peaked at number 1 in Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland and Sweden.[41] The song was the eighteenth best-selling song of 2000 and sold more than a million copies across Europe.[42] After the success of "Never Be the Same Again", the label decided to release two more singles. On 7 August 2000, Virgin released a remix version of "I Turn to You" as the fourth single; the song became her second number 1 in the UK, Netherlands and Sweden.[34] "I Turn to You" also peaked at number 1 in Austria, Denmark andDance Club Songs of United States.[43] "If That Were Me" was released as the fifth and final single and peaked at number 18. The proceeds from its sale went to the Kandu Arts charity.[34][44] The North American version ofNorthern Star was released on 21 August 2000 and included the single versions of "Never Be The Same Again" and "I Turn To You".[45] In late 2000, after the first solo work of members, theSpice Girls released their third and final album,Forever, sporting a new edgierR&B sound.[46] "Holler" and "Let Love Lead the Way" were released as singles on 23 October 2000 and the songs reached number 1 in the UK.[47] The album sold 5 million copies.[48] The group announced that they were beginning an indefinite hiatus.[49] In the same year, the Chinese singerFanFan recorded a Chinese version of "Suddenly Monday" from her debut albumFanFan's World.[50]
Chisholm embarked in her first world tour, theNorthern Star Tour, between late 2000 and 26 August 2001, to promote her debut album. The tour travelled in 76 dates, 30 countries and 4 continents, just not going to Oceania and South America.[51] The Shepherd's Bush Empire concert was webcast on Chisholm's original website with a special appearance ofBryan Adams.[52] On 4 April 2001, The audio of the Anaheim concert also was webcast on House of Blues' website.[52] A remixed album, entitledRemix Collection, was released only in Japan.[53] In 2001, Chisholm collaborated in the live album ofRussell Watson,The Voice – Live, as featured vocals in the songs "Barcelona" and "Aren't You Kind of Glad We Did?".[54][55]
Chisholm began recording her second album in November 2001. She travelled to the United States to record some songs. During this time, she also recorded "Independence Day" from the film soundtrackBend It Like Beckham and wrote "Help Me Help You" forHolly Valance, included in her albumFootprints.[56] Chisholm, along withAnastacia made an appearance at the2002 MTV Europe Music Awards to present the award for "Best Song", which was given toP!nk.
Chisholm's second album was postponed to 10 March 2003. Chisholm also took time out due to struggles with clinical depression.[57] On 24 February 2003 the first single from her new album was released, "Here It Comes Again", which reached number 7 in the UK and peaked in the top 20 in Spain and Ireland.[34][58] She released her second studio album,Reason, on 10 March 2003 and it peaked at number 5,[59] received Gold certification in the UK.[2] The label sent Chisholm to promote the album, including several pocket shows.[60] On 24 April 2003, she embarked in theReason Tour, travelling only in Europe.[61] The second single, "On the Horizon", was released on 2 June 2003.[62] After the previous single, music critics[who?] were predicting that this single would redeem Chisholm's chart success, but the song peaked at number 14 and did not help sales.[34]
"Let's Love", was released as a single exclusively in Japan and used for aToyota Motor Corporationcommercial. Alongside promoting the album, Chisholm competed on the reality sports game showThe Games. On 11 September 2003, during a taping ofThe Games, Chisholm competed in a judo match with Turkish-Dutch actressAzra Akin, which resulted in Chisholm injuring her knee.[63] Because of this, the song "Yeh Yeh Yeh", which was planned to be released as the third and final single on 22 September 2003, had to be pushed back because she could not fully promote an upbeat song with an injury.[64] "Melt" was then chosen to be launched along with "Yeh Yeh Yeh" as a double A-side, because she could do a small number of performances.[64] The double single was released on 10 November 2003.[65] The song peaked at number 27.[34] In other countries of Europe, "Melt" wasn't released, only "Yeh Yeh Yeh" as a solo release.[66] After the release of "Melt/Yeh Yeh Yeh", Chisholm added some extra dates to the Reason Tour, and the Avo Session Basel concert was broadcast on3sat.
On 1 January 2004,Virgin Records dismissed Chisholm after the conflict in previous years about the direction in her solo career.[67] In April 2004, she founded her own label,Red Girl Records, to record and release her own projects. All of Chisholm's activities are decided upon and funded by herself. The label name was inspired by the colours of the football club Liverpool F.C., of which Chisholm is a supporter.[68] Nancy Phillips, who had been Chisholm's manager and business partner since the label's inception, retired in 2017.[69][70]
In June 2004, she embarked in a five-date concert tour, The Barfly Mini-Tour, performed inThe Barfly music halls, a series of venues dedicated toindependent music. In October 2004, Chisholm finished recording her third album.[71] In an interview, Chisholm said she wanted to create deeper songs using piano, violin and personal themes.[72] On 4 April 2005, Chisholm released "Next Best Superstar" as the lead single of her third album.[73] It was released in three formats: two singles with B-sides – the acoustic version or the B-side "Everything Must Change" – and a remixes EP.[74] The song peaked at number 10 in the UK.[34] On 11 April, she releasedBeautiful Intentions, her third album and first byRed Girl.[75] It was produced by Greg Haver,Guy Chambers, Paul Boddy. Eleven of the twelve songs were written by Chisholm.[75] The album peaked at number 24 in the UK, top 15 other Europeans countries,[76] and was certified Gold in Germany and Switzerland.[36][77]
In support of the album, she embarked on tke Beautiful Intentions Tour, starting on 16 April in theO2 Academy Birmingham, In London, and travelling for twenty-five dates across Europe and Asia.[78] On 1 August, "Better Alone" was released in the UK only as the second single, but it did not enter the charts due to the single being available online.[79] "First Day of My Life" was released as a single on 30 September in Australia and Europe – but not in the UK.[80] The song was not included in the original version of the album, only in the 2006 re-released version, becoming the second international single fromBeautiful Intentions.[81] It was originally to have been recorded by Italian tenorAndrea Bocelli, with lyrics (in Italian) as "Un Nuovo Giorno" for his 2004 eponymous albumAndrea. The song peaked at number 1 in Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Portugal, number 2 in Austria, and it was in the top 30 in Norway, France and Denmark.[36][77][82] On 24 February 2006, "Better Alone" was released in Australia and Europe as the third official single, after a limited release in the UK over the previous year.[83] The song entered the charts in some countries, peaked at thirty-six in Italy and thirty-three in Switzerland.[84][58] On 3 April, the album was re-released, including "First Day of My Life" and the music video.[85] In 2006, Chisholm released her first live DVD,Live Hits, recorded on 31 August 2006 at the Bridge in southeast London. The DVD peaked at number 10.[86]
In early 2007, Chisholm finished recording her next album and, in March, she released two singles simultaneously.[87] "The Moment You Believe" was released in Europe, except in the UK, and peaked at number 1 in Spain and Portugal, and in the top 20 in Switzerland, Sweden and Germany.[84][88] Produced and co-written byPeter Vettese, it has been soundbed for the spring advertising campaign for German television showNur die Liebe zählt [de].[89] "I Want Candy" was released only in the UK and Italy, peaking at number 24 and number 9, respectively,[34][58] and featured on the soundtrack to thefilm of the same name. The song was a cover version ofthe Strangeloves song.[90] On 30 March, she released her fourth album,This Time, with thirteen tracks – six written by Chisholm – and other two cover versions: "What If I Stay" and "Don't Let Me Go", by Jill Jackson, from her debut album.[91] The album peaked at number 57 in the UK and number 8 in Switzerland, which was certified Gold.[77] "Carolyna" was released as the third single on 8 June.[92] During an interview atLoose Women, Chisholm revealed that she wrote this song after watching a documentary about young adults and teenagers homeless, living in the streets inSeattle.[93] The song peaked at 49 in the UK, and in the top 50 in other countries.[34][84]
On 28 June 2007, theSpice Girls held a surprise press conference atThe O2 Arena announcing that they were reuniting to embark on a worldwide concert tour,The Return of the Spice Girls, starting in Vancouver on 2 December.[94] They received £10 million (approximately $20 million) each for the tour.[95] Filmmaker Bob Smeaton directed an official documentary on the reunion. It was entitledGiving You Everything.[96] At the same time, Chisholm released the fourth single of her album, "This Time", features theB-side "We Love to Entertain You", which was used for 2007'sPro7 Starforce campaign in Germany.[97] The song peaked at number 94 in the UK and 69 in Germany.[34][66] On 5 November, the Spice Girls released their return single, "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)", also announced as the officialChildren in Need charity single and performed atVictoria's Secret Fashion Show.[98] The song peaked at number 11, becoming the first song to not reach the top 10.[34] The music video was directed byAnthony Mandler and the girls used exclusive clothes designed byRoberto Cavalli.[99] They released acompilation album, theGreatest Hits in November, including the singles, the 1997Pepsi's theme "Move Over" and two new songs, "Voodoo" and "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)".[100] The compilation sold 6 million copies.[101]
They embarked on the tour on 2 December, travelling for 47 dates until 26 February 2008.[102] The tour is estimated to have grossed over US$70 million[103] and produced $107.2 million in ticket sales and merchandising.[104] The tour won the 2008Billboard Touring Award.[105] As well as their sell-out tour, the Spice Girls were contracted to appear inTesco advertisements, for which they were paid £1 million each.[106] After the end of the reunion with theSpice Girls, Chisholm embarked on her fifth tour, the This Time Canadian Tour, in May 2008, performing in nine Canadian cities.[107] On 25 July, "Understand" was released as fifth and final single fromThis Time only in Canada.[108]
In 2009, it was planned she would star in a sequel to the 1996 horror filmThe Craft, but the production was cancelled.[109] On 29 June, Chisholm released her second DVD concert,Live at the Hard Rock Cafe, including two previously unreleased songs, "Blue Skies All the Way" and "Paris Burning".[110] The DVD peaked at number 22 in the UK.[111]
In October 2009, she had her acting debut on stage as Mrs Johnstone in the musicalBlood Brothers, a new version of the 1983 original production. In an interview, Chisholm revealed that while she had been invited to star in movies and plays .[112] She starred onBlood Brothers until the end of 2010.[113] Chisholm was nominated for the 2010Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical[114] but she did not win.[112] In the same year she started working on her next album. On 24 June 2011, "Rock Me" was released as single only in Germany and peaked at number 33 in the country.[115] The song was served as the official theme of the2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.[116] "Think About It" was chosen as worldwide single and marked the Chisholm return todance-pop.[117] The song peaked at number 95 in the UK, 15 in theUK Indie Chart and top 40 in other European countries.[34][118]The Sea, her fifth studio album, was released on 2 September, and was produced byAndy Chatterley,Cutfather andPeter-John Vettese.[119] The album peaked at number 45 in the UK and also 13 in Switzerland and sixteen in Germany.[119]
Chisholm was mentor assistant in thethird series ofThe X Factor Australia and helped theMel B team, formed by under 25 years-old girls, during the selection process.[120] The girls did not reach the final.[121] "Weak" was released only in the UK as the third single, charting in theUK Indie Chart.[119][122] "Let There Be Love" was released as fourth and final single ofThe Sea in Germany and Switzerland.[123] She also recorded "Viva Life" for the documentaryBash Street.[124] In November, she embarked on her sixth concert tour, The Sea – Live, travelling in Europe during 17 dates.[125] The record of the tour was released as DVD on 27 February 2012.[126] In her interview for "Ask Melanie C Episode 8" on her YouTube channel, Chisholm said that she "feels very sad asThe Sea was a really great album and it wasn't as successful as it deserved to be".[127] In April, Chisholm was invited by British DJJodie Harsh to collaborate on anelectronic project.[128] On 13 May they released the EPThe Night, including three songs.[129] "Set You Free" was released as a promo single from the EP.[34] In July, she was judge of theITV talent showSuperstar, which searched to find an actor to starring the musicalJesus Christ Superstar.[130]Ben Forster was chosen.[131]
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Chisholm co-starred in the musical, playing the role ofMary Magdalene.[132] For her performance Chisholm won Best Supporting Actress in a musical at theWhatsonstage.com Awards.[133] She played the character until 2013.[134] Inspired by the stage, Chisholm began recording an album with musical theatre songs.[135] "I Don't Know How to Love Him" was released on 22 July and peaked at number 20 onUK Indie Chart.[136] This was a version of the song originally sung byYvonne Elliman from the 1970 musicalJesus Christ Superstar.[137] On 7 September, Chisholm released her sixth studio album,Stages, produced by Peter-John Vettese and featuring a collection ofshow tunes that have been important to Chisholm at various stages of her life.[138] The album peaked at number 50 in the UK and 83 in Ireland.[34] "I Know Him So Well", a version of theElaine Paige andBarbara Dickson song from the 1984 musicalChess, was released as a single on 11 November, featuring vocals by the British singerEmma Bunton.[139] The song peaked at number 153 in the UK and 14 in theUK Indie Chart.[34][140]
She also was part ofThe Justice Collective, a super-group of musicians, includingRobbie Williams andPaul McCartney, who recorded the charity song "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother".[141] The song was released as single on 17 December and peaked at number 1.[34] In 2013, she played Christy in the British comedy filmPlay Hard.[142] On 18 August, released "Loving You", a collaboration with British singerMatt Cardle.[143] The song peaked at number 14, becoming the first Chisholm's song in the top 15 since 2005.[144] She released her first live album,Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire, on 12 December.[145] On 12 January 2014, Chisholm celebrated her 40th birthday with a special show for the fans, entitled Sporty's Forty, singing her hits and featuredEmma Bunton.[146] On 31 March, the Slovakian singerPeter Aristone released "Cool as You", featured vocals of Chisholm, as lead single from19 Days in Tetbury.[147] Her cover version of "Ain't Got No, I Got Life", byNina Simone, was included in the compilationBeautiful Cover Versions.[148] She also had a cameo appearance in the music video "Word Up", byLittle Mix.[149]
In 2015, Chisholm joined the judging panel forAsia's Got Talent, along withDavid Foster,Anggun Cipta, andVanness Wu.[150] They started the selection in Singapore.[151] During production and selections, Chisholm lived in Malaysia, where the program was recorded.[152] TheAsia's Got Talent live shows, with the semifinalists, was aired in March 2015, and ran two months until the finals.[153] On 14 May Chisholm and the judges released a cover version of "Let's Groove", originally byEarth, Wind & Fire, and performed the song in the final.[154] In October, she was mentor assistant in the game competitionBring the Noise.[155] At the same time, she started working on her seventh studio album.[156] The second series ofAsia's Got Talent was confirmed for summer 2016, but the project has been discontinued.[157] In 2016, she was featured as a vocalist on "Numb" with Sons Of Sonix, which was stated to be a song from her upcoming album.[158] In September 2016, she made a cameo appearance inKT Tunstall's music video for "Hard Girls".[159] On 6 September 2016, Chisholm released the upcoming album's lead single, "Anymore";[160][161] the change in musical direction - to a more electronic sound - was praised by critics.[162][163] The single peaked at number one on the UK Physical Singles Chart.[164] Her seventh album,Version of Me, was released on 21 October 2016.[165]Version of Me debuted and peaked at number 25 on theUK Albums Chart, becoming Melanie C's highest-charting album sinceBeautiful Intentions (2005).[166] On 16 December 2016, she released "Dear Life" as the album's second single.[167][168] In March 2017, she released "Hold On", a collaboration with singer Alex Francis, featured on the deluxe edition of the album.
Chisholm appeared on theGraham Norton Show in May 2017 to perform a duet withKeith Urban for his song,The Fighter. She sang in place ofCarrie Underwood, who was the original singer on the duet.[169] On 27 May 2017, Chisholm performed inMexico City as part of the Classics Fest concert series, which also featured performances byVanilla Ice andJenny Berggren ofAce of Base, held at the Auditorio Blackberry. This marked Chisholm's first time performing as a solo artist in Latin America and her first visit in many years since her days with the Spice Girls. Chisholm stated upon her musical return to Mexico, "I haven't been back to Mexico in many years and when I was there it was very brief, so I am excited to return and sing."[170] In June, Chisholm also performed for the first time in Brazil, playing live shows in bothRio de Janeiro andSão Paulo.[171] In August 2017, Chisholm announced the album's fourth and final single, "Room for Love". She asked for fans to send in videos of themselves singing along to the track.[172] On 20 October 2017, the single was released, with the video not only showing clips of fans, but also featured clips of Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell, Victoria Beckham,KT Tunstall andNatalie Imbruglia.[173][174] "Room for Love" peaked at number two on the UK Physical Singles Chart.[175] In late 2017, Chisholm was co-headliner atNight of the Proms, a 25-concert tour in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg.[176][177][178] In 2018, she turned her hand to disc jockeying by performing a "90s mix" at various events,[179] and embarked on the Melanie C - Asia Tour 2018.[180]
On 5 November 2018, Chisholm along with theSpice Girls had announced a reunion tour. She and ex-bandmates Melanie B, Bunton and Geri Halliwell reunited for theSpice World – 2019 Tour, a 13 date tour of eight cities in the UK and Ireland that was their first for a decade. The tour opened atCroke Park, Dublin on 24 May 2019 and concluded atWembley Stadium in London on 15 June 2019.[181]
On 6 November 2019, Chisholm released the single "High Heels" which featuresdrag act Sink the Pink.[182] During promotion for the single, Chisholm stated during an interview withThe Guardian that she had been working on a new album with artists includingShura andLittle Boots.[183]
Chisholm released her self-titled eighth studio albumMelanie C on 2 October 2020.[184][185] The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 8, her first top 10 album sinceReason in 2003. The album was preceded by the singles "Who I Am", "Blame It on Me", and "In and Out of Love".[186][187][188] Chisholm first performed "Who I Am" live on 21 April 2020 onThe Late Late Show with James Corden, where she live streamed her performance from her home due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[189] On 13 May 2020, Chisholm sang "Who I Am", among other singles from her career, as part of a "bathroom" gig in aid ofWaterAid.[190] On 16 September 2020, Chisholm premiered the video for "Fearless" the fourth single off the album, which is a collaboration with UK rapperNadia Rose.[191]Melanie C was reissued in a deluxe version on 3 September 2021 and was accompanied by the single "Touch Me".[192][193][194]
On 13 November 2020, Chisholm was featured on "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" as part of the BBC Radio 2's Allstars'Children in Need charity single.[195] Chisholm also made a guest appearance in British singer-songwriterCeleste's music video, "Love is Back", which premiered in January 2021.[196] Chisholm was presented with the "Celebrity Ally" award at the 2021British LGBT Awards, held in London in August.[197]
On 1 September 2021, the Spice Girls announced the re-release ofSpice to mark their anniversary, titling itSpice25.[198][199] The deluxe release saw the album reenter the UK Albums Chart at number five.[200] That same month, she appeared as a contestant forseries 30 of the American seriesDancing with the Stars.[201] Chisholm and her professional partnerGleb Savchenko were eliminated on 18 October 2021, finishing in eleventh place.[202] On 26 October 2021, Chisholm performed "2 Become 1" as a duet withChris Martin ofColdplay for the 8th Annual "We Can Survive" concert byAudacy at theHollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.[203]The following month, she appeared once again as a judgeThe Voice Kids.[204] Teen Torrin Cuthill, who was mentored by Chisholm, won thethree-episode series.[205][206]
In February 2022, Chisholm appeared as a guest judge on the first episode of thefirst series ofRuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World.[207][208] The series was filmed in March 2021.[209][210] On 22 April 2022, Chisholm was featured on the Tobtok remix toTrain's single "AM Gold".[211] In July 2022, Chisholm was featured on a re-recording of "When You're Gone" with Bryan Adams on his album of reworked songs,Classic Pt II.[212] Chisholm had made a surprise appearance with Adams at a concert in the same stadium earlier in the month.[213] That same month, Chisholm headlinedNorthern Pride in Newcastle with a DJ set.[214] In September 2022, Chisholm said that she had begun work on her next studio album.[215] On 15 September 2022, Chisholm's memoir,Who I Am: My Story was released.[216] The American version of the book was retitledThe Sporty One: My Life as a Spice Girl and as released on 27 September 2022.[217] Chisholm promoted the book through theWho I Am: My Story book tour, which toured the United States and visited literature festivals in the United Kingdom.[218][219][220] On 3 November 2022,Jessie Ware released the "Melanie C remix" to her single "Free Yourself".[221][222] On 4 November, the Spice Girls releasedSpiceworld25, the 25th anniversary edition of their 1997 albumSpiceworld.[223] On 5 November, Chisholm appeared as a judge on ITV'sQueens for the Night.[224][225] On 11 November, Chisholm was presented with the Inspirational Artist Award at the 2022Music Week: Women in Music Awards.[226] On 14 November, Chisholm was announced as performer in the 2023 music festivalCamp Bestival.[227][228] On 15 December 2022, Chisholm performed a duet withAlfie Boe as part ofRoyal Carols: Together at Christmas, hosted byCatherine, Princess of Wales; the show aired on 24 December on ITV1.[229][230] On 19 December, she appeared as a guest performing "Stop" on Bunton's Christmas Tour at theTheatre Royal, Drury Lane concert.[231]
In January 2023, Chisholm starred in the dance productionhow did we get here atSadler's Wells Theatre.[232][233] In March 2023, it was announced that Chisholm had signed with Various Artists Management.[234][235] Chisholm headlined theGodiva Festival inCoventry, performing on 2 July date.[236] She made numerous festival appearances across England and mainland Europe in the summer of 2023.[237][238] On 19 July 2023, Chisholm was featured on the single "Call Me A Lioness", released in celebration of the2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. The single was released by Hope FC, a Britishsupergroup consisting of Chisholm and ten other female artists.[239][240] Chisholm and Emergency Loop collaborated on production of a remix for Swedish singerTove Lo's single "I Like U", which was released on 21 July 2023.[241] In November 2023, Chisholm embarked on a two-week DJ tour of Australia.[242][243] On 30 November 2023, she performed "Tell Me It's Not True" withBen Forster in that year'sRoyal Variety Performance, held at the Royal Albert Hall. The show was televised on 17 December 2023.[244][245]
In January 2024, Chisholm performed a one-night-only show atKoko, London in celebration of her 50th birthday.[246][247] In April and May 2024, Chisholm embarked on a DJ tour of Australia.[248] Also in May, Chisholm performed DJ sets for three nights at thePacha club, Ibiza.[249] In July 2024, she confirmed she would be releasing new music in 2025, during an interview onThe Chris Moyles Show.[250] On 29 August 2024, Chisholm's ancestry wasexplored in an episode of the BBC'sgenealogy seriesWho Do You Think You Are?[251][252] In September 2024, she did a five-day DJ tour of Canada.[253][254] On 25 December 2024,It's Christmas Live from the Royal Albert Hall aired onSky Showcase, featuring Chisholm performing with Ricky Wilson.[255]
On 17 January 2025, Chisholm continued her work as a DJ by releasing a gym and fitness mix on Apple Music.[256] The following month, in an interview withApple Music 1, she shared she had been working withRose Gray andUffie, and collaborated with past producersRichard Stannard andBillen Ted, on a new album. She elaborated, "I'm a pop artist, but I love my dance music. I love so many genres of music, but right now DJing, I'm super inspired by that and I really want to bring my work as a DJ and my solo work as an artist a bit closer together [...] so we're going to have some fun remixes. There's going to be some bops and I'm really excited to get it out there."[257] "Girl", a collaboration withAnna Lunoe, was released on 27 February.[258] In March 2025, it was announced that Chisholm would headline that year'sMighty Hoopla music festival in Malta, in September 2025.[259] In early 2025, Chisholm travelled to Australia to filmThe Voice Australia to replaceLeAnn Rimes, as one of the coaches, alongsideRonan Keating,Richard Marx, andKate Miller-Heidke.[260][261] Whilst in Australia, she performed DJ sets, and performed "Girl" with collaborator Anna Lunoe at the2025 Australian Grand Prix.[262][263] On 16 April 2025, it was announced Chisholm would return to the Pacha Club, Ibiza, in summer 2025.[264]
Chisholm's ninth studio album,Sweat, will be released on 1 May 2026, in partnership withVirgin Music Group.[265] The album's titular lead single was released on 17 October 2025,[266] debuting and peaking at number 10 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart, going on to spend a total of six weeks on that chart;[267][268] it also peaked at number 22 in Australia on the ARIA digital chart.[269] To celebrate the release of the album, she will perform a concert at London'sO2 Academy Brixton on 23 October 2026.[270] On 24 October 2025, Chisholm's collaboration with Rose Gray, "First", was released on the latter's deluxe albumA Little Louder, Please.[271] On 29 October 2025, she headlined a Candlelight concert atSt. Paul's Cathedral, with ticket revenue going to support the charityShelter.[272] On the same day, Chisholm was announced as a Model forJonathan Anderson’sLoafer Bag Spring/Summer 2026 collection campaign.[273] In November 2025, Chisholm headed to the New York City, appearing onGood Morning America andThe Kelly Clarkson Show to discuss her solo career, Spice Girls, and the "Sweat" single and forthcoming album.[274][275][276] Whilst in the city, Chisholm performed a DJ set as part ofDaybreaker at the Othership sauna.[277] In a December 2025 interview withDavina McCall, Chsiholm revealed she would be returning for a second season ofThe Voice as a coach.[278] On 31 December 2025, she performed onABC's annualNew Year's Eve concert.[279][280]
On 9 January 2026, Chisholm released a remix for "Sweat", by DJ/producer Guz.[281][282] On 17 January 2026, she performed "Sweat" for the first time in the United Kingdom, on theseries 9 opener ofMichael McIntyre's Big Show.[283] Later in January 2026, "Sweat" served as the main theme tune for the 2026 German equivalent ofI'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!:Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus![284] Chisholm released the album's second official single, "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?", on 29 January 2026;[285][286] which was co-written withKlas Ahlund andNea.[287] Upon release, Chisholm stated, "We had a lot of fun working on this song and discussing the light and shade of music and life. It's a tongue in cheek look on taking risks and trusting yourself to take that leap anyway. I think a lot of people will relate!"[288] On 3 February 2026, she performed with theBBC Concert Orchestra, as part ofBBC Radio 2's Piano Room Month;[289] she sang "2 Become 1", "I Turn To You" and "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?"[290]
Chisholm has been open about her experiences with clinical depression[57] and aneating disorder. She spoke of her eating disorder toContact Music, stating, "I'd hammered the gym for three hours a day. It was a way of running away, not thinking. I felt like a robot. When the papers started calling me 'Sumo Spice', I was only a size 10. But I was so upset by all the criticism, it got worse and I went up to a size 14."[57][291] In a 2022 interview withThe Cut, Chisholm elaborated, "It took me such a long time to recover. I would never want to be arrogant enough to say I'm all better because I'm always aware that they could come back. I've really learned how to look after myself. Sometimes, a healthy work-life balance is impossible to maintain. There are times, if I'm very tired or work's very stressful, I can feel things slipping. We all talk about self-care, but it is so vital for me to keep me on track with everything".[292]
In 1997, Chisholm had a month-long relationship with singerRobbie Williams.[293] In 1998, she was reported to have had a relationship withRed Hot Chili Peppers lead singerAnthony Kiedis;[294][295] Chisholm stated in 2022 they had only been friends.[296] Kiedis wrote "Emit Remmus", which is "summer time" spelled backwards, inspired by his relationship with Chisholm.[297] The song was included on the albumCalifornication.[298]
Chisholm was in a relationship with Thomas Starr for ten years. The couple split in 2012.[299][300] In February 2009, Chisholm gave birth to a daughter.[301][302][303] In an interview with the BBC, Chisholm admitted that the arrival of her child proved to be a turning point in her life: "Being a mum was so liberating because for the first time in my adult life, it wasn't all about me. It made me not only realise I had a huge responsibility to her but I have a huge responsibility to myself. In being her teacher, I had to treat myself better."[304] From 2015 to 2022, Chisholm dated her manager, Joe Marshall.[305][306]
Chisholm is a supporter ofLiverpool F.C.[307] and an amateur triathlete, having completed theLondon Triathlon twice.[308]
While promoting herWho I Am autobiography in September 2022, Chisholm revealed that she had been sexually assaulted in October 1997, during a massage in a hotel inTurkey, on the eve of the firstGirl Power! Live in Istanbul show.[309][310] OnElizabeth Day's podcast,How to Fail, Chisholm said:[311] "I treat[ed] myself to a massage in the hotel and what happened to me, I kind of buried immediately because there were other things to focus on [...] I didn't want to make a fuss but also I didn't have time to deal with it. I felt violated, I felt very vulnerable, I felt embarrassed [...] I do want to talk about it because it has affected me. But I buried it."[312]
On 29 August 2024, Chisholm was the subject of theBBC One genealogy seriesWho Do You Think You Are?.[citation needed]
In 2000, all proceeds from sales of her "If That Were Me" single went towards the Kandu Arts charity.[313] In 2012, Chisholm joined theSport Relieftelethon by appearing in aNever Mind the Buzzcocks special.[314] Chisholm also participated in a three-mile "Sport Relief Mile" run.[315] In 2013, Chisholm joinedJack Dee,Dara Ó Briain,Greg James,Chelsee Healey andPhilips Idowu inThrough Hell and High Water, aComic Relief challenge which involved British celebrities canoeing the most difficult rapids of theZambezi River. They raised over £1 million for the charity. In 2014, Chisholm travelled toGhana to support a charity campaign byProcter & Gamble that provides African children with clean drinking water. The project involved the use of purification sachets that changes the water from stagnant to drinkable.[316] Chisholm also supported a homeless charity by donating funds raised from her annual calendar.[317]
Chisholm has citedMadonna as her biggest musical influence.[318] She stated: "I think she's inspired me a lot musically, and maybe [in] just the way I present myself. I've always admired how hard she works and what a strong lady she is, so she's always inspired me in that way."[319] Chisholm named Madonna,Blur,Oasis,Suede andthe Cardigans as inspirations for her first album.[320] She has also statedDiana Ross has been a big influence on her artistry.[321]
Her voice has been described as versatile for different styles and genres,[322] having a distinctivetimbre,[323] and "full of flex and snap".[324]
Chisholm's music is generally pop and rock.[325][6] Although she had dabbled in dance music, from 2016 onwards Chisholm's music adopted heavier electronic, dance, trance, and house sounds.[326][327]
As a Spice Girls member Chisholm was called "Sporty Spice" because she usually wore a tracksuit paired with athletic shoes, wore her long dark hair in a high ponytail, and sported a tough girl attitude as well as tattoos on both of her arms. She has a tattoo on her left arm of a black Christian cross. On her upper-right arm she has tattoos of twoChinese characters: "女" meaning "female" and "力" meaning "force" which together represent the phrase "girl power". She also possessed true athletic abilities, including being able to perform back handsprings.[328] The term "Cool Britannia" became prominent in the media and represented the new political and social climate that was emerging with the advances made byNew Labour and the new UK Prime MinisterTony Blair.Although by no means responsible for the onset of "Cool Britannia", the arrival of the Spice Girls added to the new image and re-branding of Britain, and underlined the growing world popularity of British, rather than American, pop music.[329]
The Spice Girls broke onto the music scene at a time whenalternative rock,hip-hop andR&B dominated global music charts. The modern pop phenomenon that the Spice Girls created by targeting earlyMillennials was credited with changing the global music landscape,[330][331][332] bringing about the global wave of late-1990s and early-2000steen pop acts such asHanson,Britney Spears,Christina Aguilera andNSYNC.[333][334][335][336] The Spice Girls have also been credited with paving the way for the girl groups and female pop singers that have come after them.[337][338][339] In the UK, they are credited for their massive commercial breakthrough in the previously male-dominated pop music scene,[339][340] leading to the widespread formation of new girl groups in the late 1990s and early 2000s includingAll Saints,B*Witched,Atomic Kitten,Girls Aloud andSugababes, hoping to emulate the Spice Girls' success.[341][342][343]The Pussycat Dolls,[344]2NE1,[345]Girls' Generation,[346]Little Mix,[347][348]Fifth Harmony,[349]Lady Gaga,[350]Jess Glynne,[351]Alexandra Burke,[351]Kim Petras,[352]Charli XCX,[353][354]Rita Ora,[355]Demi Lovato,[356]Carly Rae Jepsen,[357]Regine Velasquez,[358]MØ,[359]Billie Eilish andAdele[360][361] credit the Spice Girls as a major influence.
Some songs fromNorthern Star have appeared in films, such as "Ga Ga" which is heard inCharmed andBig Daddy. The song "Go" makes an appearance inWhatever It Takes. "Suddenly Monday" appears inMaybe Baby and on its soundtrack. After the song gained popularity, "I Turn to You" was featured in the filmBend It Like Beckham. It was covered byDarkseed on "Ultimate Darkness", byMachinae Supremacy on "Webography", and byWig Wam on667.. The Neighbour of the Beast. The song was also featured in the musicalViva Forever!, a musical show based on the songs of theSpice Girls. Some songs have also been covered by international artists such asChristine Fan, who translated "Suddenly Monday" in Chinese for her debut albumFanFan's World, and Dutch pop singerDo who covered the Japanese bonus-track "Follow Me", for heralbum of the same name. The single "First Day of My Life" was originally recorded by Italian tenorAndrea Bocelli, with lyrics in Italian as "Un Nuovo Giorno" (A new day) for his 2004 albumAndrea, and he also released it as a single the same year. Chisolm's version of the single was a success in German-speaking countries because it was used as the title song of the German soap opera telenovelaWege zum Glück. At the time ofThe Sea's release, the lead single "Rock Me" served as the officialtheme song for German TV channelZDF's coverage of the2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.[362]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Spice World | Herself | Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress Nominated –Orange Blimp Award for Favorite Movie Actress Nominated –Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress – Comedy |
| 2012 | Keith Lemon: The Film | ||
| The Spice Girls Story: Viva Forever! | Documentary | ||
| 2013 | Play Hard | Christy | |
| TBA | Girl Group | TBA |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Top of the Pops | Guest host | Christmas special, 1996 |
| 1998 | All That | Herself | "Spice Girls" (Series 4, episode 8) |
| 2000 | Melanie C: Northern Star | Channel 4 documentary | |
| The Norm Show | "Norm vs. Jenny" (Series 2, Episode 15) | ||
| 2003 | Bo' Selecta! | Various roles | "Melanie C" (Series 2, Episode 6) |
| 2006 | Dei-te Quase Tudo | Herself | "10 May 2006" (Series 1, Episode 132) |
| 2007 | Giving You Everything | Television documentary | |
| The Friday Night Project | Guest host | "Melanie C" (Series 5, Episode 4) | |
| 2011 | The X Factor Australia | Mentor assistant | Series 3 |
| 2012 | Superstar | Judge / Mentor | |
| 2014 | The Life of Rock with Brian Pern | Herself | "Bi-Polar Polar Bear Aid" (Series 2, Episode 3) |
| 2015 | Bring the Noise | Mentor assistant | Series 1 |
| Asia's Got Talent | Judge | Series 1 | |
| 2020 | Culture Interrupted | Herself | Television documentary |
| Pretty in Plüsch | Francesca de Rossi (Puppet) | Series 1 episode 1 | |
| Royal Variety Performance | Herself | ||
| 2021 | The Voice Kids | Coach/Judge | Series 5 |
| Spice Girls: How Girl Power Changed Britain | Herself | Archive footage | |
| Dancing with the Stars | Contestant | Series 30 (Eliminated fifth) | |
| Entertainment Tonight | Guest host | ||
| A Very Boy Band Holiday | Herself | Television special; cameo | |
| 2021–present | Celebrity Gogglebox | Herself; alongsidePaul O'Neill | Series 3 to 6 |
| 2022 | RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World[363] | Herself | Guest judge (Series 1) |
| Queens for the Night | Herself | Panel Judge | |
| Royal Carols: Together At Christmas | Herself/Performer | ITV Christmas special | |
| Sam Ryder Rocks New Year’s Eve | Herself/Performer | BBC One show | |
| 2022–present | Ocado | Voiceover narration | Ocado television adverts Voiceover[364] |
| 2023 | Eurovision Song Contest 2023 | Introducing the hosts (voiceover) | [365] |
| CBeebies Grown-Ups | Herself | "The Music In Me"[366] | |
| Royal Variety Performance | Herself/Performer | Performed "Tell Me It's Not True" withBen Forster | |
| 2024 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | BBC genealogy documentary series; series 21 episode 3 |
| It's Christmas Live from the Royal Albert Hall | Herself/Performer | Performed withRicky Wilson | |
| 2025-present | The Voice Australia | Coach | Season 14 |
| 2025 | ABC's New Year's Eve Concert | Herself/Concert headliner | [367] |
| 2026 | Michael McIntyre's Big Show | Herself/performer | [368] |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | Blood Brothers | Mrs Johnstone |
| 2012–13 | Jesus Christ Superstar | Mary Magdalene |
| 2023 | How Did We Get Here? | Dancer |
| Year | Category | Event | N. Shows | Territories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Tour (as a member of the Spice Girls) | Girl Power! Live in Istanbul[369][370][371] | 2 | Asia |
| Showcase Event (as a member of the Spice Girls) | Royal Variety Performance 1997[372][373][374] | 1 | UK | |
| 1998 | Tour(as a member of the Spice Girls) | Spiceworld Tour[375][376][377] | 97 | UK, Europe, USA, Canada |
| Showcase Event(as a member of the Spice Girls) | Royal Variety Performance 1998[378][379][380] | 1 | UK | |
| 1999 | Tour(as a member of the Spice Girls) | Christmas in Spiceworld Tour[381][382][383] | 8 | UK |
| Tour | From Liverpool to Leicester Square Tour[384][385][386] | 15 | UK | |
| 2000–2001 | Tour | Northern Star Tour[387][388][389] | 76 | UK, Europe, USA, Canada, Asia, Africa |
| 2003 | Tour | Reason Tour[390][391][392] | 25 | UK, Europe |
| 2004 | Tour | The Barfly Mini-Tour[393][394][395] | 5 | UK |
| 2005 | Tour | Beautiful Intentions Tour[396][397][398] | 28 | UK, Europe |
| 2007–2008 | Tour(as a member of the Spice Girls) | The Return of the Spice Girls Tour[399][400][401] | 47 | UK, Europe, USA, Canada |
| Tour | This Time Canadian Tour[402][403][404] | 9 | Canada | |
| 2011–2012 | Tour | The Sea – Live[405][406][407] | 18 | UK, Europe |
| 2012 | Showcase Event(as a member of the Spice Girls) | Olympics Closing Ceremony 2012[408][409][410] | 1 | UK |
| 2014 | Tour | The Christmas Tour[411][412][413] | 12 | UK |
| One-Off Concert | Sporty’s Forty live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire[414][415][416] | 1 | UK | |
| 2017 | Tour | Version of Me – UK & Ireland Tour[417][418][419] | 14 | UK, Ireland |
| Tour | Version of Me – European Tour[420][421][422] | 16 | Europe | |
| Tour | Version of Me – Festivals Tour[423][424][425] | 10 | UK, Europe | |
| Tour | Version of Me – Brazilian Tour[426][427][428] | 6 | Latin America | |
| 2018 | Tour | Version of Me – Asia Tour[429][430][431] | 7 | Asia |
| 2019 | Tour(as a member of the Spice Girls) | Spice World – 2019 Tour[432][433][434] | 13 | UK |
| Tour | Global Pride Tour[435][436][437] | 16 | UK, Europe, USA, Latin America | |
| 2020 | One-Off Concert | Color and Light Stream[438][439][440] | 1 | UK |
| Showcase Event | Royal Variety Performance 2020[441][442][443] | 1 | UK | |
| 2022 | Showcase Event | Royal Carols: Together at Christmas 2022[444][445][446] | 1 | UK |
| Tour | Live Festivals 2022[447][448][449] | 20 | UK, Europe | |
| 2023 | Showcase Event | Royal Variety Performance 2023[450][451][452] | 1 | UK |
| Tour | Live Festivals 2023[453][454][455] | 22 | UK, Europe | |
| 2024 | One-Off Concert | Melanie C 50th Birthday live at Koko[456][457][458] | 1 | UK |
| Showcase Event | Glastonbury Festival 2024[459][460][461] | 1 | UK | |
| Tour | Live Festivals 2024[462][463][464] | 21 | UK, Europe | |
| 2025 | Tour | Live Performances 2025[465][466][467] | 13 | UK, Europe |
| One-Off Concert | Candlelight at St. Paul Cathedral[468][469][470] | 1 | UK | |
| 2025–2026 | One-Off Concert | ABC Sydney New Year's Eve[471][472][473] | 1 | Australia |
| 2026 | One-Off Concert | Melanie C live at O2 Brixton Academy[474][475][476] | 1 | UK |
...singer Melanie Chisholm in 1974 (age 46)
billboard spice world.
Her genre of music - MOR rock is the reason why the mass audience does not rush out to buy her records
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| Singles | |
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| Works about Spice Girls | |
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| Related articles | |
