Begin Again with Davina McCall - Mel C: The True Legacy of Spice Girls Legacy & How I Found Myself Again

Episode Date: December 24, 2025

In this episode of Begin Again, The Spice Girls' Mel C reflects on her journey from global pop star to empowered solo artist. She opens up about the challenges of fame, the power of sisterhood, and the personal battles she faced along the way. Mel C shares how being part of the Spice Girls shaped her, the pressures of living up to expectations, and how her journey led her to embrace her true self. She discusses the joy of the Spice Girls legacy, the importance of self-care, and finding strength through reinvention. This episode is for anyone looking to find strength in friendship, redefine their path, or be inspired by Mel C’s story of self-discovery. Don’t forget to like 👍, comment 💬, and subscribe 🔔 for more stories. Click the bell icon to stay updated on new episodes! 🌱 Pre-Save 'Sweat' here: https://melaniec.lnk.to/sweatIB Don't miss out on our amazing RESET giveaway! Sign up for the Begin Again newsletter at beginagainshow.com?utm_source=megaphone&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=reset for your chance to win over £750 worth of incredible prizes. Stay updated on all things Begin Again and get exclusive insights, giveaways, and more! Follow us here: www.instagram.com/beginagain https://www.tiktok.com/@beginagainpod 00:00 Intro 03:19 Enjoying Real Freedom 07:21 Good Intentions and Her “Nice One” Persona 10:27 How Melanie Became A Spice Girl 24:19 The Real Spark Of The Spice Girls 30:22 How the Spice Girls Got Their Iconic Nicknames 35:25 Meeting Simon Fuller and the Management Shift 41:54 Releasing ‘Wannabe’ and the Spice Girls’ Rise 45:09 Geri’s Exit and Media Scrutiny 50:58 Passion for Music: Dancing, DJing, and Raving 53:51 Journey to Self-Confidence 01:07:53 Hitting Rock Bottom: Melanie’s Healing Journey 01:13:22 Work-Life Balance and Finding Love on Raya 01:19:50 Feeling Safe, Secure, and Supported in Love 01:22:58 It's Never Too Late to Chase Your Dreams RESET MONTH Starts HERE 1st January 2026💚 SYNC ID: MB01P03EPSLSTAZ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I can't wait for you to get into this episode with Melanie C. I absolutely love her. I hope you're having a brilliant festive period wherever you are. We are just sending you so much love and wishing you a very merry Christmas and, of course, a happy New Year. I know that New Year can feel really overwhelming and there is so much pressure on everybody to change your entire life overnight and often no one to help you. do it, but this year is going to be different because here at Begin Again, we are launching reset month, a full month of episodes designed to give you the support, the tools and motivation to help you create the best 2026 possible. And as part of Reset Month, we're also

going to launch the Begin Again newsletter. Yay! This is good. So when you sign up, you're going to unlock exclusive bonus content and tools that you can only get through the newsletter and you're going to get some behind the scenes moments which with me are generally quite funny and make me look very silly indeed and this is so good as a little extra everyone who signs up is also going to be in with a chance of winning a 500 pound wellness package packed with prizes from some of our favourite partners to help you reset in the new year. So all you need to do is click on the link in the description and pop in your email and join the Begin Again newsletter. Join our gang. Let's get ready for the new year together. So you'll film me now because I'm so excited I've got a sweat on.

I'm going to have to go and deodourise my armpits. Come with me. I've known Mel all her career but I just love her so much this is the glamour is the glit and a I'm ready for Mel yeah I don't remember we can't before we started we're going to be fine

it's all right guys we're fine just have you a moment my producer my producer Melanie C I was laughing out there because you are our first guest to walk around the corner. I was like that.

Melanie from the block, she's still one of us. Yeah, walking to work. I actually, there's something great about walking in London though, right? Because I think you can forget when you live here, it can be really overwhelming as a city. But if you just get on foot. Yeah. Because I think being in cars drives you nuts. If you're on foot, you really see the beautiful.

and the splendor of the place. And also I think it really helps me with bearings. Yeah, for sure. Following a map and all you see is the little square of where you're at, you never actually can see where you are in the big picture. Yeah, I think it makes you feel like you're part of something bigger as well. Do you know, I've got deep very early, haven't we? But it's just nice to be, right, okay,

so let me put some relevance on how this conversation's gone a little bit weird right away. Obviously, there's been times in my life when I've been quite isolated from the well. from the real world. And I think even now I have kind of integrated myself back into normality is what I used to like explain that, yeah.

You'd call it like post the spice girl, spice main. Yeah. Yeah. That I think there's still an element of I take like so much kind of what's the word? I just feel like excited by being in the real world.

Do you know the word that came to my mind wonder. Yeah. You know, when you walk around like a child's first visit to Disney. And you're like that. Like,

people. Because you couldn't do that. We couldn't do it. And it was, obviously it was a whole new world of excitement. And, you know, a whole new world of wonder.

But I think once you realise all the normality, everything you've grown up with the whole rest of your your life, your childhood and everything. Everything you wanted to escape because you wanted to be famous and on a pedestal and, you know, recognized in the street and all of those things, you crave what you've lost, you know? Tell me the kind of things that you would crave at the height of your fame.

You just couldn't do. Yeah, just walking down the street without getting bothered, you know, and that's, it's a little bit unfair to say bothered because I've never had a bad experience. People are lovely. people the general public have always been like so kind and so complimentary on everything I've ever done I've never had a negative experience but you just miss the anonymity which is a very hard word to say so I'm impressed with myself I'm not I'm not going to say it well done yeah you and I think it's um it's that word normal things those words you know like just the normal things like going to to the pub for a drink or enjoying the Christmas lights somewhere or going to the launch of something. I mean, even say going to something like the cinema would be quite difficult and all the lights are out.

But if somebody gets wind that you're in there, I suppose, at the height of the spice girls, oh yeah. Yeah. You'd be in trouble. Was it that thing of if you let one person have a selfie in the street, then that would be it? You'd be there for... Yeah. I remember once, I think I was shopping with my mum

and I think my nan was alive at the time as well and we were just having our little shop I think we were Marks and Spencers and a couple of people stopped and it was more autographs then it was kind of that long ago we didn't have cameras on our phones and I think I had head down sign a couple of things

and by the time I looked up like a crowd had gathered and I think as well you feel very protective over the people like yours of course so yeah moments like that That can be a little bit. Although everyone's lovely, you just feel like, oh goodness, this is like a bit hectic. I think the other pressure with that is that you are a nice person.

I was talking earlier about you and about your intention. I think intention with people is everything. So somebody could be lovely to you, but if their intention isn't good, you can kind of feel it and something feels off. Yeah. There is something about your intention that you have shown us. over 30 years that we have got to know you very well. Yeah. So that if I was to see you and I didn't know you and I do know you, I'm lucky enough to know you of it in the street and you said no to a selfie, I'd go, oh, well, that's sad, but I know that wasn't Melanie C's wish.

It's that she couldn't. Do you know? I know your intention. I am terrible at saying no. Yeah. It's like my worst thing. It's like sometimes people around me will say you're too nice. Yes.

But I think I've always had that thing as well because, you know, I do come from a very normal word of the day background. I'm from a working class background. You know, I've worked really hard for everything that I've achieved. And my parents taught me that because they had to work bloody hard sometimes just to put food on the table. So I don't take anything for granted. But the other thing is, and I really thank my mum for this as well, everybody is the same. you know, nobody's better than you, but you're not better than anybody else. I think that's quite a northern thing as well.

And that just runs deep in me. And I do, I feel like I never want to, yeah, I never want to be rude or mean or even if I'm in a bad mood. I don't want to not, I'm also a people pleaser. So it's trying to find the balance within that, you know. But yeah, you're so right. I never, I hate hurting people's feelings. But we know that about you.

Yeah. And I wanted you to know that. Thank you. That I think that is very clear for everyone to see that if you can't do something, your intentions are always good. Oh, thank you. Yeah. You've worked hard to. I pride myself on them.

Yeah, you should. Yeah. Do you know what's funny? Often, you know, talking in it, because we talk so much, don't we? All this bloody talking. Me, me, me. Anyway, more about me. So, I remember in the band, in the band.

In the band, I was often like, the nice one. And you know when you go, oh, nice is so boring. I wanted to be the loud one, you know, the extrovert, all these things. And then I've realised actually being nice as a superpower. It really is. Isn't it? Yes. It's not boring or bland at all.

But I think, you know, and I want to touch on this a bit later, but getting older, that's the gift. Mm-hmm. These are the things about yourself that you criticise. Yes. Just trying to change. Just trying to change who you are when who you are is amazing. Yeah. I do want to go back because I think your entrance into the Spice Girls

was so brilliantly sliding doors. I'm going to tell you a little story. I'd been on MTV. I wasn't on terrestrial television. And I got one screen test for a job called God's Gift. It's a dating show on in the middle of the night. My granny thought it was a religious program but definitely wasn't that

and they made me do stand up in a comedy club in front of an actual audience and the comedian got the job but two weeks later a bit like you I got a call and she couldn't add lib and I got the job instead Oh wow

sliding doors Yeah absolutely that's totally Yeah it's like to me You found a flyer. Yeah. And you'd been dancing. So tell me how did you find the flyer and where was it? So I was auditioning.

I went to, I left home at 16. I moved from the north down to a fantastic Performing Arts College in Kent. Can I quickly ask you something about that? Because when I read that, where were you staying? Who were you staying with? So we stayed in digs. So we were with a family when we were young until we were 18, although I ended up in a flat when I was 70.

Well, that's another story. So, yeah, we went down with a family. In fact, there was seven students in this house with this family. It was chaos. I mean, goodness only knows how they managed, how they coped with. Can you imagine, like seven, 16-year-old girls? It was insane. Quite fun, though.

So fun. So, so fun. Still all my friends to this. Really? Yeah. I mean, some people I haven't spoken to for a while, but some are like, yeah, we stay in touch. all year round to see each other when we can.

Yeah. So those were very special days. But my daughter's 16 and the thought of her going off and doing her thing. And I've got a tracker on my phone. I know where she is 24-7. Like, we didn't have mobile phones. I spoke to my mum probably once

a week on a pay phone. It is mad, isn't it? It's weird. My mum's got letters I wrote home. I mean, that's the funny thing, isn't it? When you speak to your kids and they're like, mum, you're old. And you're like, yep. I'm actually really proud now of my age. And when people say to me,

can you believe the Spice Girls was 30 years ago? I'm like, yeah, I actually can. Yeah. What? Oh, there's so much I want to like unpick everything. But I want to go back to the story. Yes. And finish that because this is so interesting.

So you'd left home. You're 16, 17. You are basically away from everybody you know and love. You are doing the thing you love. You're performing arts school. But is the flyer at the performing arts school? No. So I was auditioning, so I'd left.

Three years later, I'm 19. I'm out auditioning for West End shows. And anything, you get to that point, there are so many incredible performers. I was hoping to get a West End show. But my burning passion was music. I always wanted to be a singer. My mum's actually a singer.

And both my mum and my stepdad had been in bands and had deals way back in the 70s, but things haven't worked out. So I knew it was. hard. But you hadn't really sung at that point. You were mostly dancing. I was mostly dancing, a little bit of acting and we were having singing lessons but it was very musical theatre based. It makes me think about Victoria because she was at a rival college so we were doing a very similar thing like our training was very similar because there's people who've seen raw spice

and the old stuff so she went along to the audition and she sang mine hair from cabaret. Yes. But it was like an audition for a pop group. It's so funny. And she talks about it in her new documentary, which is, you know, she really pokes fun at herself, which she always has done. But that just sprang into my mind. But I actually went along. So I was at an audition. I was with my friend, one of the friends I lived with all through college. And I was handed a flyer and it said, are you 16 to 24?

Are you, can you sing, dance? So you streetwise, it's streetwise, all these things. And I was like, that's it. I remember sitting in the cafe. I think it was at dance works, one of the lovely dance studios in London. I was like, that's it, that's what I'm going to do. And that did go on to become the Spice Girls, but there was a few twists and turns before that happened.

What I thought was interesting was that you talked about having a little bit of a knowing. Talk me through that. Yeah. It's always hard with these things, isn't it? I think probably when I met the other girl, that's what pulled us together because we all had this belief. We were very single-minded. And yeah, I feel like I knew.

I felt like I knew what my destiny was. I don't know whether that is the truth or having that self-belief kind of makes it happen. I think it's a bit of both, right? That's got to be a catch-22 thing. One feeds the other and so the circle goes on. If you don't have belief in yourself, it's never going to happen. Yeah. But it's never going to happen if you don't have belief in yourself.

It's sort of, it feeds each other. So you went to the audition, but there were a lot of, a lot of girls there. Lots of girls there. Well, to me, it was just another audition. When you grow up dancing, performing, doing competitions, so many exams, that's something I thought about recently. You know, young girls who were growing up, whether it's dancing or playing piano, like all of these skills that we learn from childhood, you were under pressure from a really young age.

And yeah, so an audition, it's just another audition. Obviously, this one meant a lot to me. But I think you're quite resilient because as a performer, there's so many knockbacks. It's good, really, isn't it? Yeah. I mean, again, I think parents, as parents you know, as a parent of a mother, I mean, as the mother of a daughter,

you know how protective we all are to try and kind of shelter them from, but actually the knockbacks are the things that make you. Yeah. I mean, I've had that experience quite recently. recently with my daughter because you do, you do everything within your power to make sure they're happy. Yeah. They've got what they want. But actually, yeah, you need disappointment. It's a very important part of development, isn't it, I think? But then as a performer, that's something it's just like, yeah, it's inbuilt. It's water off a duck's back. You were armed when

you went to this audition with all your previous knockbacks, setbacks. And so you hadn't put too much pressure on yourself which would have been helpful in some way right yeah yeah i think so i think having that yeah in the back of your mind there'll always be another opportunity i think and i'm a very optimistic person as well you know there's been times when i haven't felt like that um but i think naturally that's that's who i am so yeah i danced and um obviously very superficially uh the people who danced and look the part um asked back to sing and that's when i sang i'm so excited point to sisters Great song as well. Great song.

And one of the reasons I sang that is because I needed sheet music. And a little bit like Victoria, I'd only been armed with musical theatre repertoire. So I was like, Mom, what sheet music have you got? So I think she probably posted it to me. So this is like, this must have been 1994 when this all went down. And yeah, and that was one of the songs. I was like, yeah, it's in my key. It's all good.

I know it. That's the one. And what were you wearing? was it like sporty gear or was it, oh, okay, I was dressed up. It was going to be good. This was my being dressed up. You know, it's just because I can see it in my mind. So I had a bob.

I think I was kind of, I had like some kind of, I was really into like dye my hair red. You know that kind of henna? Yeah, yeah. Had that going on. And then this must have been so clashy as well. Then I had this lilac kind of cropped knitted top. And it was, I thought it was just the best thing ever.

I think it was on shop called like. Pocked lilac. top sounds good. It sounds good. I'm not sure with the henod hair though. No, but can I just say, I think the hannah colour, like we're talking burgundy type, right? Reddy, red, orangey.

With lilac good. Yeah, you think that's good? And I also think orange, red, pink, altogether good. Yeah. So, are you looking to the wrong person? No rules. No rules. Yeah.

I was feeling it on the day. I was feeling myself. Good. I think I thought I've had jeans on. I might have borrowed somebody's jeans. Did you not own any? I don't think I did. do you know what's so funny because I went to the Dorchester recently

because I was getting ready for an event and they very kindly gave me a room there and as I walked in I was like oh my goodness I don't think I've been in here since I was 18 and again a friend of mine was 18 and a mum as a treat took us to the Dorchester for dinner but I had no fancy clothes so I borrowed my friend's jumper

and it was like I think it was a bit bubbly but it was like it was the smartest thing we could muster up between us. But at that age, do you remember? I mean, it's so different now. I know. These memories are so precious and important to remember, I think. I mean, I think what I really like about you,

you've always kept to handle. You said at the beginning, you know, I've come from a working class family and I will never forget where I've come from and how grateful I am to be here. That's so nice to hear, but it's also so obvious about you. Yeah, yeah, thank you.

I think it's really important. important just to have that grounding because totally you know my goodness when I do sit down and think about all the things that I've done is I can see how people like go a little bit squiffy you know because it's some of the environments you find yourself in is incredible ridiculous pinch yourself moments so you've worn an outfit you're feeling quite good in it yeah you do the you do you get asked back to sing yeah you sing and then how do they give it the news and how How long did you have to wait? So, I think, I mean, I'm a little bit sketchy on all the...

But did it happen quickly? I feel like it wasn't too long. I think it was maybe a few days. Oh, that's great. Yeah. I mean, I don't... This is so funny, isn't it, how our brains change so quickly? Because it's like, there's no email.

I think it was a phone call. It was like that old thing, isn't it? Don't call us, we'll call you. Yeah. Yeah, and I got the call. But at the time, I would just... I kept getting tonsillitis. Yes.

My daughter's had that. Oh, it's hideous. Yeah. And it's so debilitating, so painful. Yeah. I'd forgotten how painful it was. Then I had it again a few years ago. So you can get tonsillitis when you have no tonsils.

Did you know that? No, I did not. If you had jaws taken out? Mm-hmm. Oh, my daughter's never done it. And that's kind of too late. Yeah. So I, we keep going off.

Yeah. Sorry, sorry, sorry. It's fine. Anyway, we're talking about the tonsillitis. So I was really ill. And I could barely get out of bed. I couldn't speak, let alone sing. but I spoke to my mum

because they'd called to say you've got a recall and I was like please just beg them beg them to give me like a week in a week's time I'll be better

I'll be able to do it and they were like no sorry and you were so close you must have been devastated devastated and when you're ill as well

and my mum's up north I'm in London in my rented flat with all my mates I'm like yeah I need me, mum. Yeah.

But yeah, that was what happened. And then, okay, you know, pick yourself up. Carry on. Like that. Could you do that? Yeah, well, you have to. That's amazing. Yeah.

You have to. But of course, I didn't know what it was going to go on to be, right? Yeah, right. Yeah. So at this point, it's like a girl band. It's like, you know, how many work. Yeah. So, okay, that wasn't meant to be moving on.

But then two weeks later, I got another phone call. from the management saying one of the girls didn't work out, could you come back and sing for us? Now, can we just hear, Melanie, hold hands. And just say a little prayer for the lady. Oh, I know. I know. Can you imagine that?

Oh, my gosh. But there was a few line-up changes. So there was a couple of girls that got even closer than I had at that point. I know. Yeah. That's hard, isn't it? Yeah. That's really hard to go through your whole life.

Yeah. having nearly been a spice girl. Wow. Yeah. Because you didn't think you were. I think they were. No, but that's life. Yeah.

And actually it's, I mean, talk about beginning again. In terms of satisfaction of your life and living a life you'll love, you've got to let go of everything. Oh gosh, absolutely. Doesn't matter of you. Yeah. Or you will be miserable. it's a let them thing.

Yeah. Mel Robbins. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah, it's so hard. And you know what? It's so interesting to do that because obviously we're so caught up in our own thing. I hadn't really given that much thought to the girl that I replaced.

Because I went on to know the girl that Emma replaced. So I have more empathy for her because I knew her, you know. But yeah, goodness me. I hadn't even thought about that. It's quite mad, isn't it? It is. But you were there thinking, I haven't got it. Oh, well, pick myself up, dust myself off.

Start again, begin again. And you got the call. Yeah, I got that call. And it was all so kind of bizarre. It was like, oh, come down to the studio. And I didn't know what was expected of me. I knew I had to sing a song, so I prepared a song. And I met a girl called Joey.

I met a girl called Melby. Well, Melanie at the time, another Melanie, a girl called Victoria and a girl called Michelle. I went into the room, the management were there, I sang, signed, seal, delivered, Stevie Wonder, one of my favourites. And that was it. And did they tell you there and then? Well, no one said anything. It was just like, it just was. And I was really confused.

But you didn't want to say anything in case they went, no, we've changed our mind. So you just go along with it. Yeah. So that was really, really weird. And then I remember getting the tube back with Melby and just being like, oh my God, she's so cool. I just... Oh, you were like judging yourself against Mel B

Yeah, but I think it was my... I think obviously because so much has gone on now and I know them probably too well But you were nervous because you were new and oh God I'm not as cool as her and how am I gonna... But I know I loved her I was like I wanted...

I just found I wanted to be in her business Yeah this is the thing about Melanie it's like you're kind of fascinated with her because her energy is like so phonetic you're like I just you know I just want to But everyone, everyone had.

Mel B has got this kind of confidence thing that is terrifying, you know, isn't it? It's like just being with her, you're just like, oh my God, she can say anything to anyone. And she's, because I met you guys unsigned, I think, or maybe just newly signed on a train. I was new, you and you, we just met on a train and we realized we were all going to the same place to Granada Studios. And we talked all the way to Manchester. And I remember thinking that about Mel B then. Just like, wow, she is a powerhouse of confidence. I'd never met anybody like Mel because she says whatever she wants.

But the other thing is she doesn't just say what she wants. She loves to shock people. Yes. So she's not afraid to say, you know, what's incredible about Melanie is if she's in your corner, you are fine. You are absolutely fine. Well, then sometimes when she said things, it's so funny. There's this whole thing about the spice girls where at the time, like, because Melanie and Jerry, like, really bounce off each other.

They were both quite outspoken. So they go in and can't cause all the chaos. And then me, Victoria and Emma would be behind going, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, like tidied up papers and things. But that's why it worked because if it had been five chaotic women, it would have been too much. Yeah. But the fact that it was a really good mixture,

and I guess living together, because you all live together, that was probably quite a good mix. Yeah. How was it living together? Do you know what? It was actually, you're so right, it was a really good dynamic. So the management put us in a house together in Maidenhead. So just to clear up the little in between.

So when I joined the band, there was a girl called Michelle, and she was kind of like, I'm not sure, I might go to uni, or I might pursue the music career, But the other four of us were like, that just doesn't cut it. Because, you know, myself, Victoria, Melanie and Jerry, we were so committed. So obviously there was just a little bit of friction there. So quite quickly, our singing teacher at the time introduced us to Emma. And the minute we met Emma, because at that point, we were excited.

We had this opportunity. But, you know, whatever, it was going to work. It wasn't going to work. It was going to be where it was going to be. When Emma came into the picture, it was like... Bang. Yeah. It was like, I mean, I get goosebumps and... I just got a goose punch, do you sign that?

It's wild. Like, and I can still so vividly see this thing right. So we picked her up at Maidenhead Station. And, like, Jerry used to drive us around in a battered fear, and it was battered because Jerry was always doing a lip of your chatting and crashing into things. So we're all, like, sitting there. And poor Emma's in the middle. And she recalls it as well because she could just see Jerry, like, checking her out. And, like, you know, Emma had, you know, a little bunch of things.

She just had little ones up here, a little bunchy. She had little dungary. on. She was so cute, like a little backpack. And this dynamic just like yelled and it was so sparky. And from that day, we were like, we've got something really special. Yes. We hadn't even made any music at this point. Yeah. We were singing other people's songs. You know, we were working on choreo together. We hadn't figured out how we were going to dress, but it was just this, like, this energy between us. And what I love is it's still. the same. You know, it's quite

rare that you get five spice girls in one room at one time, but it hasn't changed. That magic and that spark is still there. My feeling, or my take on that is because you are still the people you were. Like you, it's a bit like when you see

somebody from school. Yeah. And you go, my God, you look exactly the same and obviously we don't. Yeah. But you look exactly the same because your soul is still there. And that thing that brought you together then, It's still going to bring you to... It's never going to change.

Yeah, it's not going to change ever. Yeah, it's really beautiful. And when we did some stadium shows in 2019, and we were in rehearsals, and, you know, sadly Victoria wasn't with us on those shows, but the four of us, we were in rehearsals, Melby's in Leppoprene, I'm in a trackie, you know,

I've got a bunches in, and we're just like, we are ridiculous. And I know that's just the way that we dress, but just everything about us is the thing. You know, we are... Melby is scared. Have you know, you've met. Oh no, no, no, yeah.

Terrifying, yeah. In the best way. And Emma is our baby. Yeah. But it's just what those nicknames came to represent was so much about our personality. And we are totally still those people. What is hilarious is that I told quite a few people because I didn't realize this until I found out. I sort of did a deep dive.

Yeah. Into you is that I thought that kind of you guys were found to fit the name. but that wasn't the case. Someone, will you tell the story about how you all became those nicknames? Well, when we first were together with our original management, we were trying to figure out who we were as a band and we were singing other people's material, but we were a bit frustrated.

The songs were a bit shit, you know, they were written by middle-aged men. He was like, you know, we knew we liked something. Yeah, we wanted to express. So, but we'd never written a song. We were like, you know, not professionally. And we were together in a rehearsal space and we were trying to find what worked for us as a band.

And a lot of female bands before us or girl groups had been, you know, coordinated, had their outfit. Yeah. And styled and put together. Yeah. And we, you know, we tried that. We tried the whole, like, we all wore, like, little dresses. And there's a picture of me that is on the internet

because every picture of us is on the internet. In Emma's dress, a little baby doll dress. And I look so uncomfortable. And then we did a showcase and we all wore jeans and little added ass t-shirts, which all we all looked pretty cool. But someone always felt uncomfortable. But we were in rehearsals one day looking in the mirror. And I remember Jerry saying, why don't we just dress the way that we do?

So that was kind of the beginnings of us being more... Being yourself. And it wasn't like a big... Not being a collective, but each being yourselves. Yeah. So Emma was in a little baby doll dress. You know, I was in a trackie, always in a trackie. Jerry was in something crazy

she picked up in a charity shop you know so that was the day that began and it just kind of all started to evolve from that moment and then we found new management we'd already written most of the first album we'd made contact

and we'd met these fantastic songwriters and producers then we were looking for the new management and then we signed with a new label so fast forward we're recording we've got advances to make records and photoshoots and videos, this is all happening.

And we start meeting media. And we had a lunch with Peter Lorraine, who at the time was the editor of Top of the Pops magazine. And he said to us, you girls need nicknames. So of course, we come up with all these really disgusting ones that never would have been able to be made public.

And then he went back to the office and on meeting us came up with the spice rack. And that was in the magazine. and the names just stuck. And then we just became caricatures of the names. We loved it. We embraced it. I mean, it was the greatest gift of all.

Because if somebody couldn't remember your name, it was a way of remembering you because of the way that you looked either because you were sporty. Or, you know, it was a really brilliant bit of marketing that you didn't even realise you wanted or needed, but it just came to you gift-wrapped. 100%. Because there's two Melanies.

the band. It's like, well, is somebody going to change your name? And we were like, no, I'm not going to change our name, Mel B and Mel C. But then of course, once the nicknames came in, that didn't matter at all. Absolutely brilliant that was. Yeah. Thank you, Peter. Oh, thank you Peter. And we've sort of slightly brushed over, but I think it was quite a massive thing changing management because for you guys, I keep thinking, what, you're like 21 at this point, 20, 21. Yeah, early 20s, I mean, Emma's the teenager at this point. You, yeah. I feel like I remember doing a demo myself when I was 18 and I just didn't have a voice to say what I wanted,

to say the direction I wanted it to take. You guys being given this opportunity by a management group and being put up for that long and, you know, given a house and kind of trying to be found songs for and then going, actually, do you know what, we don't want to do that, we want to go and find somebody else who's going to get a move on? Yeah. It's brave, isn't it? How did you do that?

I think, again, because it was just that collective energy, the thing that we shared. And I think, you know, that is the dynamic in the band. I know, as a solo artist, if I'd started my career on my own, I would never have had the courage I did as a spice girl. You're so grateful to those girls. Yeah. And because we just had each other's backs. You know, you've got Melanie out there who will say what she thinks, doesn't care. You've got Jerry out there who will just like talk you into submission, you know.

And then you've got me, Emma and Victoria, apologising for it all. But it just worked. But also I think you've got those two saying them, speak in their mind, but you coming up with the kind of calm interpretation of what they're saying. That's quite powerful. I think that the other thing that is so remarkable about you guys is that you were completely different from anything we had ever seen. And you went to go and see 19 management.

Were they that when you went to see them? Who had they had before you? Like, why did you go there? What was, what did Simon Fuller have? Okay, so we, so basically, before we left the original management, because we were frustrated with them, because they were telling us, you know, you're not ready, but we were, you know, we were young.

We were impatient. We wanted to get on with it. And we just decided that actually we didn't feel like they were the right people for us. But we had no contact. None of us had worked in the music industry. We didn't know anything. But we knew if we had a showcase that we could make some contacts. So we encouraged the management team to introduce us to some songwriters and producers.

That's what we wanted to do. But we already knew we were going to leave. Yeah, cheeky. So we did the showcase and again, a Little Spice Girls moment. This was the first time we'd performed in front of an audience and it wasn't just an audience. It was an industry audience. It was literally successful songwriters and producers, but we could feel their reaction, you know. And we just...

Did you really? Yeah. What was it like? Yeah. But it's like, I had this experience at college once and it's as a performer when you, it's that connection with a crowd. You know, a crowd. There was like 25 people in there. But it's when people go, you know, they might be doing and they're watching whatever, but then people start to go.

You know? And it was like, and we're like, fuck. So even if, because I'm very cautious as well. And sometimes I, the big scary decisions we've made as the spice girls, I think I've shocked Melanie and Jerry. Sometimes because I've been like, yes, right there with them, because I am the cautious one. But this was one of those moments. This really reaffirmed to us that we had. something special. Yes. So we got all of the information, like we got people's numbers and names

and like labels and where they were from. And then we were arms then. And we did like this Scooby-Doo Midnight Flit. Have you ever heard me speak about this? It's so funny. So we packed up the house. We call it a midnight flip, but I think it was at 10 o'clock in the morning. But you know, all for the drama. But we had to get the demo tapes. The songs were on cassette. We needed these tapes. So we had this whole master plan And I can never remember exactly who was with who But I know Somebody I think Victoria was a decoy

Yeah There's stealth and yeah honestly It was so stealth We went to the recording studio I think Victoria was a decoy Then Jerry got the tape It went in a bra or a knickers

It was definitely underwear Because it couldn't just go in a pocket Because the spice goes It had to be something ridiculous And then it was like, okay. And then she went off and then I was in the car with Victoria. And we said to Jerry, we'll meet you on the roundabout. When we got to the roundabout, Jerry was literally on the roundabout.

So literal. It was so ridiculous. So we went off. And everything, it was such like hijinks. You know, everything we ever did was so silly. And we went off. But at this point, Melanie and Jerry didn't have anywhere to stay. And I think they were actually staying.

Melanie had a lovely boyfriend at the time. I think they went up to stay with him. Jerry was on the couch. Wow. I went back to Sid Cuck with one of my college friends were still living. Wow. Stayed with them. And Emma and Victoria, because their parents were quite close by.

Yes. They went back to their parents. But yeah, we were all kind of, yeah, we had nothing. But was Simon Fuller, Simon Fuller at that point? Because he, you guys meeting him and him being such a mastermind of, let's have a look at how big can we think. That's what I loved about what Simon Fuller did with groups and how he thought because, you know, you released an album

and then there was a blooming movie and a spice world and like a, you know, he just went, phew, didn't he? So we met the songwriters and producers and we started going off and there's so many Scooby-Doo moments. But we went off and started making the record. Oh, okay. So that happened before. Yeah. So we worked with Matt and Biff, who were the beautiful songwriters and producers, wannabe, To Become One, Viva Forever. I mean, spice up your life or so many biggies.

So we're meeting different managers, but this one name keeps popping up. Oh, really? And you were like, okay, let's meet Sam O'Fuller. So I knew that he managed Annie Lennox. And Annie is one of my huge... I like... I was Annie. Right?

I've listened to Annie and Rhythmics all through my childhood So I was like, yeah, we've got to meet this guy So we went to meet Simon The album was pretty much demoed I think we maybe had like 10 of the tracks And we were talking about wanting to do a movie And wanting to be, you know, all over the world We wanted to be an international band

Oh wait! Sorry, wait Yes So that was your idea? Yeah, you wanted to do that Yeah Oh, I like, I don't know why I was like that Simon had come to you with those ideas but that was you guys went to Simon

with the worldwide takeover plan Yeah yeah because that was Can I just yeah thank you Thank you very much I know, thank you Thank you God sorry do you know what's just come into my head Yes the word girl power

Yeah I mean it was real Yeah it was it was real It was something that we embodied You know obviously we had a male manager who helped facilitate our dreams. But yeah, we turned up with most of the record written and the master plan for the world domination. That is mega.

Yeah. Because no one else was doing that. No. And how do we? You know, when you look back, you're like, oh, my God. Girl power. Who are you? But that's the power we had.

Yes. You know, the five of us. It's so nice that you coined a movement for women, not just for your generation. But for generations gone by of women that had been like you, but we didn't have a... Yeah? Yeah. So I did...

Wow. Well done. Oh, I know. Isn't it amazing? It's like the legacy is like... Yeah, it's mind-blowing. It's mind-blowing what we were able to do. You know, we were just having a laugh.

Thank you. You know? Yeah, I feel silly saying you well. I'm grateful too. Yeah. Yeah, I'm grateful that I was able to be part of the thing that helped that becomes mainstream, you know, and accessible, yeah, so accessible. You know, and accessible, yeah, so accessible.

New Year's coming and you want to feel better. Sleep more, stress less, actually have some energy. Same. It's just hard to know where to begin and if you're doing any of it right. Hot yoga, getting your steps in. 100,000! Cold plunges. Ha! Did that count?

Meditation, biohacking. There's so much out there. And when you're already busy, how do you know where to start? So this January, on Begin Again, I'm going straight to the experts and I'm asking the questions we all want answered. We're cutting through the noise. What works, what doesn't, have to do it properly, and why it actually matters. So, hit subscribe and do it. and join us for Begin Again's Reset Month.

New episodes every Thursday plus bonus videos every Sunday. Let's start 2026 the right way together. And so Simon was the guy that could... Yeah, he was our facilitator. Make that happen for sure. But there was... I mean, there's even silly stories along the way.

Like, our label weren't sure about one of you being the first single. And I don't even know how we had the power that we did. we were like, no, it has to be the first single because we knew it couldn't follow anything else. It was the introduction to who we were. That's how it was written. Matt and Biff, when we were working with them,

they were like, go in there, just sing anything. They just wanted to capture this energy, this essence of us, and that's what wannabe is. So it had to be the first single. And funny now to look back. This episode is brought to you by Tell Us Online Security. Oh, tag season is the worst. You mean hack season?

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The idea of anything else being the first single would be so alien. But what we loved as well, because, obviously, Obviously, a song like wannabe, luckily, it captured people's imaginations. You know, it was an international hit. But we knew we had really good songs to follow them. You know, we had really strong. That first album was super strong. So strong.

Yeah. The video. You know, I really miss seeing music and videos together. Me too. MTV closing down for me, obviously personally, because I worked there. It was my first job. but I'm so sad about that. But the idea that we've lost that thing

of my kids watching music and videos because it was so iconic the wannabe video. I mean, we know it like off by heart. Everybody does. It's so good. And funnily enough, there was talk about it being reshot. Why? I know, because I think it was too chaotic.

I mean, there were certain countries in the world. Right? The research of the world where it was an issue because it was quite cold, if you know what I mean? Yes. It was a bit nippily. So I think in some like quite reserved parts of the world, it was like, well, there's... But that's all part and parcel, isn't it? We were so naughty that we, you know, people trying to reshoot.

And that's a great bit of PR, isn't it, for you guys? Like, the gift that keeps on giving. Isn't it? But it was so... Do you know what? I love... You know, sorry. For people who have heard these stories in a million times.

but the wannabe video, very much like Spice World and the movie, it really was happening. That was what it was like being a spice game. So WANB was very much a take on us going ground, record companies, management companies, publishers, and going in, I remember going somewhere, me and Melby on Roller Blades. There was, you know, all the places where there's a, you know, there's a big conference table and I get up and do a backflip.

And we used to go, you know, we used to have our little boombox and we stick Warnaby on and we do it. But that was, wannabe really represents what we were doing. I mean, so, ace. And then the movie happened. The movie happened. That was dream come true. And like, how soon did the movie happen, like the next year or something? So we released Wannaby.

It was July 96 in Europe and I think in Asia. And then it came a bit later in the US. And then, so we did the whole promo of that, came back. We had a big Brits moment. 1997 and and then we were actually because we were working on the second album

while we were shooting the movie so we had like a mobile set a mobile studio on set so that was yeah intense really intense but you know the other thing that I can't still can't quite believe

is to me I think because it was such a huge part of our lives and you were omnipresent you were everywhere everybody loved you it was universal

that I felt like it went on for years and I know other people lots of other people have said this to you but I still can't kind of believe that it was two years from wannabe to Jerry leaving I it felt like much longer than that

it was a very intense two years for all of you but she She left in the middle of the tour, right? Yeah. Yeah. How, did you see that coming? No.

We, it's hard, isn't it, with hindsight as well? Because obviously I can look back now I can understand why she did it. But at the time, we were really shocked and really hurt. So we'd been out, obviously, promoting, travelling around the world. We're on second album, was out, the movie was out, and it was time to tour. And the reason we'd waited that long to tour actually was. because we needed the body of work. We needed two albums worth to be able to do a headline show.

And we were touring. We had two shows left in Oslo. And we flew back. We were on a private jet in those days. Like you do. Yeah. And we were flying back to perform Viva Forever on the National Lottery. And you can find everything online, can't you? And people often make fun of me because I'm such a bad liar.

and I had to tell her fib and say that Jerry wasn't well because she'd left that day. So we'd flown back really late I think it was maybe after a show we had National Lottery the next day and then like overnight

and then we got the phone call Jerry's not coming back. I quickly want you to explain because at that time like everything was different in terms of press and stories coming out and the impact that that would have on you and everybody. And look, you hadn't had time to process Jerry leaving.

You couldn't go onto a show and tell the truth. Because the shit would hit the fan. You wouldn't be able to leave the building. You know, it was crazy for you guys then, right? With the press. Because you just paint the kind of picture of how crazy it was. Okay. So we were, you know, we were told in no uncertain terms anything we ever did

no matter how privately the press would find out. And it is true that because they were hacking your phone. And I mean, you would end up doubting people you knew and loved. You thought people were selling stories or you couldn't trust anybody. We questioned each other, our families, our friends, each other's family. You know, because it was, although we were in this bubble and we were traveling and touring and everything we were doing, we had lots of family around us and friends. We kind of kept everybody.

close and then you start seeing stories and you think how did they get that? Do they know that? But we were you know it was never really that much of a surprise to us because I remember like and again it's like it's like movie stuff we totally played this all out in the movie like you

would see a bush Russell and you'd think there's a journalist in there you know that's how crazy it was hotels you know were the rooms bugged we were led to believe you can't do anything now how much of that was a control mechanism, I don't know. But it was also true. We now all know because that's all

come to light. I mean, long lens photos as well. I remember being on holiday somewhere and somebody taking a photograph from over a mile away. Like it was ridiculous how people can get picture. You're never safe. Like you can't ever relax. That's exhausting in itself, right? You felt like prey. That's what it was like on a daily basis. And, Yeah, so that was tough. So when there was something as big as, this was huge. This is at the height of the Spice Girls' success. Jerry leaves.

We didn't believe it. We were like, oh, she'll be back. She'll be back. I think we were leaving a voicemail, which was great, because that's what they were listening to, going, come on, you silly cow, come back. You know, we know, we're listening, whatever you need. Just come back. But she didn't, you know, she meant it. So, yeah, so that was really, really tough.

But the other thing was, we had two shows left in Europe. But then we had a three-month tour of the US. Now, we didn't even know whether we could fulfill the tour, whether they would take a tour of four of the Spice Girls, not five. I mean, luckily they did, but at the time, you know what these things are like. There's so many legal, contractual things everywhere. So you've got the press prying, and you're like, shit, you know, what's going to go down? It's quite funny for America is that on that tour,

the Americans would never have seen Jerry with you guys' lives. So they only knew you as a four piece. But it's such a shame. Yeah. This is the thing about the Spice Girls. Which is so sad, you know, that Victoria didn't join us last time. Is that it is about the five. You know, because, of course, other bands have gone on to work with other band members really successfully.

But with the Spice Girls, for me, it's like, oh, it's not quite the same. It's interesting because, you know, other people have been replaced in other bands. You couldn't ever replace one of you. No. Even though sometimes you want to. Never. But never. You're all perfect. Over my dead body. I mean, I think that that's a very lovely thing actually, that you,

there comes a point in your life, I think, where you know you're irreplaceable, and that's quite a nice feeling. Yeah, absolutely, yeah. Because I think, you know, as a young person, as a young woman, I think especially, obviously, being the only experience that I've had at life, we do part ourselves down so much and we never feel like we're enough in whatever capacity

and then you get to your point and you go I'm more than enough I mean I'd like to talk to you about that a bit because that's a feeling I really relate to in you that feeling well slightly slight perfectionist

trying to do something where somebody will see you like your family will see you see me I'm here. What was that like and where did it come from for you? I truly believe a lot of my drive is from a really young age having divorced parents.

And yeah, I have a great relationship with both my mum and dad. Always have had. But I think being an only child to them both was quite difficult growing up. It's kind of lonely. It is lonely because it's like you're the only one. I feel quite sad because my daughter is an only child and I, you know, not to have regrets but one of the things I do wish is that she had a sibling.

You know, I think it is lovely to feel like, yeah, you have. I mean, a lot of siblings don't get on. You know, we can look at this romantically, can't we? A lot of people, they're just not, you know, just not meant it to get along. But I felt a little bit alone in the world. and I think because my mum remarried and had another child and then my dad remarried and had another two

then I just sometimes felt like I was a bit in the way you know which is and I know both my mum and dad find that upsetting but these are the thoughts of a child I used to feel like that I totally get you and I'm pretty sure there'll be lots of people watching who had felt like that and because oh look they've moved on and they've got to a really happy place and they've had a burden now I'm a burden now

I wasn't here. It would make everyone's life so much easier. But now, you know that's not true, but at the time it would have had a big impact on you. Yeah, it really did. It really did. I think it made me very determined to succeed, you know, to find my place in the world, to show them that I was worthy of being alive. You know, it sounds all very melodramatic. But the thoughts of a young person, you know, as you're developing and growing, this is what makes us. And, you know, I don't have any bitterness or resentment towards anybody. I'm very grateful for who I am. That's your drive. Yeah. It's your energy.

I mean, it's what made you, it's what made you you. I mean, I'd really like to talk to you about when you discovered dancing and what that gave you. Do you know, I did, I was in Dutch rehearsals yesterday. I find it very frustrating because when you've been young and, you know, I have put my body through hair. as all dancers do. But it very, very rarely let me down. And as we get older, as amazing as ageing is, it's the one thing.

You know, things hurt. Things don't do what you tell them to do immediately. See, he's said exactly the same thing about flexibility. Yeah, flexibility and even picking things up. Just that I like that mind-body connection. It's just a bit slower. But then how does... it make you feel when something goes good? Well the thing is for me I love dancing but not

choreographed because I find that I pressure and I find to get a little bit stiff so we haven't talked about DJing yet and yeah if you are you say that's where the music comes from right yeah so well I started dancing when I was really little like so many young people like seven eight yeah just go to ballet and some people stick with it some people don't but you did it tiny weenie, didn't you? But then you couldn't afford it when your parents had split up. Yeah, exactly. That must have been tough.

Yeah, you loved it and you had to stop. Yeah, I did it when I was really little, but probably too little to even remember. Yeah. Yeah. And then, you know, obviously the changes happened. You know, mum and dad split up. And then, you know, they were both having to start again. So, yeah, there was no money for dance classes.

And I think I just nagged my mum constantly until she was like, okay, we settled. I think, you know, we moved on, we were in a house, and she was like, right, you can start dancing again. And, yeah, I never looked back because, you know, as much, I liked school. I didn't, I didn't love it, but I loved dancing school. And I was a different person. I was very quiet because there's a very shy side to me as well. So at school I was quite quiet, unless I was in the drama studio, you know, with my mates, my like-minded people. Or if I was at dancing school, I was, like, very extrovert in that environment.

Because you felt confident. Confident. And I mean, I was so confident in my ability. I thought I was the bees' knees. You're going to tell you something? You were. I wish I had the confidence now that I had then. I have to have a little chat with myself sometimes.

Yeah, I think... Do you mean, by that, do you mean belief in yourself? Yeah, I think belief in the... It's a funny one, isn't it? Because I'm very accepting of myself. Yeah. And I'm very proud of myself. And I...

Good. Some of the stuff I do, I'm like, I'm amazing. Yeah. Because I do like, I just go and do these things and I'm like, you just did that. And some stuff, it's petrifying. Like what? Like what? Tell me.

Just even starting to DJ. You know, like a new skill. Like your first gig, right, you're a spice girl. You can't do it on the down low. No. All eyes are on you. Yes. So can you imagine being there with all of that technical equipment in front of you

and everybody waiting to see. how he's going to go down. That was scary. Can I just say something? This is really helpful for us to hear because you're saying it to me feeling like I'll just understand but I I've never been as famous as you were like it's next level and I've struggled at times with starting new things or with my much more of this idea of you standing there thinking I want to DJ but I can't start here

when I first DJ somewhere I have to be here because everybody's looking at you going well you're Melanie C Can you do it? Can you? any good? Like yeah oh my God that's

slightly blown my mind you get no chance to fail or be shit at something right? I know Well, thank, can I just say one thing? Thank the Lord you're really bloody good. Well, you know, I'm still learning. Well, eight years, I still feel like a newbie.

So good. Oh, thank you. I love it. That's the thing. I love it so much. I think it's that what you bring. Yeah. It's like you bring the energy man when you play.

It's like, but you know what it's all from, right? So I discovered raving when I was about 19, when I was in college. It's so funny because, again, you didn't do raving little. Yeah. Like I was 14, raving. Like, you were 19. That's late. I was 19. And I was discovering that world, that movement.

And, you know, I'd never seen or experienced anything like it. What was it like for you? Well, it was, being a dancer, as well, it was with all my dancer mates. So, like, dancing all night long. Like, people getting lost in the music. It was one of a stake they were in. Yeah. It was beautiful.

Well, it's a drug. It was. Music and dancing is a drug. Oh, my God. You don't need drink. Do you don't need drugs? You're going to love this. You're going to love this, right?

So. Can I just tell them something? I'm having the best time. I'm in such a lovely time. Okay. I was in New York last week. Yeah. I was asked to DJ at a sauna rave.

I saw it. But it wasn't only a sauna rave. It was a sober sauna rave. Oh, it didn't. Which you would have to be. Otherwise, yeah. But everybody's in like swimming cosies. Yeah.

It looked amazing. I'm coming to the next one. I've decided I only have one of DJ in sauna. from now on. It was, it was spiritual. It was incredible. There was nowhere to hide you. We were in New York, right?

We know what Americans can be like, right? Yeah, right. They get out right in there. But for me, it was the closest experience I had in that, in a dance environment to raving in like the early 90s. Yes. There was something just so like together as one, you know, the energy. And there was horn players. There was a box.

on go play it, I had an emcee, and it, yeah, it was a spiritual experience. It was amazing. And I come out high as a kite. Yeah? Just on the energy. But with nothing. Yeah, with water. Yes.

Yeah, electrolytes. I think I've always called it the altar of the DJ. Like, I go to worship at the altar of the DJ. And when it is, you share your energy in a way that is so contagious. we get sprinkled with that energy. We all catch and then you collectively have a room full of people on the same energetic, in the same energetic field as you. Yeah.

Yeah. It is. It's the most unifying thing. I mean, I, you know, I talk about DJing now. It's brought me so much joy. And obviously, I still perform live music, you know, with my band as well. and I'll sing new stuff, I'll sing old hits, I'll sing Spice Girl songs. And just having that opportunity to bring so much joy to so many people,

like, I'm getting double the fun now. You know, I'm being greedy, I'm having it all. And it's amazing and it's wonderful. And it's, I mean, it's really informed the new music that I'm making because I wanted to make stuff that was much closer to what I play as a DJ. But also, it's given me a very different perspective on music. making music and performing and how it affects people. So, yeah, I just feel like all of my worlds

have all, like, got a little bit closer. Yeah, they're all colliding, basically, aren't they? I mean, sweat, let's talk about sweat. Yeah. Well, I mean, interestingly, because I think I've read somewhere you were talking, like, this is the closest that my new music has got to the spice girls, but I feel like it's more dirty than that. Like, it's a, it's more clubby.

by B like I can't It's more of like I've got like a moon that would show you what I think your music's more like but it's like yeah dirtier in a way

yeah better like I love not better than the spice girls because spice girls are spice girls we can't ever touch that but it's different yeah I think stylistically definitely different I think for me

it having the feel of the spice girls is the cheekiness of it yes the cheekiness that's exactly what it is and I feel like that's maybe what I'd be missing as a solo artist because I also discovered making this record that who I am on stage is very different to who I am in a studio.

In what way? In that when I'm writing and working with other songwriters and producers I'm quite not introverts but maybe introspective. Okay. You know, and I'm a little bit quieter and I'm not my big self

because this person who I am on stage is a much bigger, brazier version of me and I was like, you know, I've gone through my career making these records and you know and I've had my moments where I've got out I think anger's a great energy yes for creativity and I've kind of got my confidence in out in that way but I wanted to have fun I wanted to have more fun and I felt like I needed that material to be able to do that on stage yeah to share that experience with people so that is the difference I've brought to this record as well

The other thing that I feel with sweat in particular, I think, is about how sexy you are. And I feel like owning your sexuality is a sign of great confidence. You feel like, you feel like, because it's not coming into yourself. You've always been yourself. You've always been true to yourself. But you just feel more confident in yourself. Yeah, I think that was probably the area. where I didn't feel comfortable.

Okay. And even now, I don't, I wouldn't feel, you know, everybody's different. We all express ourselves in different ways. But I don't feel comfortable being very sexual. Right. As a performer. Yes. But, so I shot the video for sweat.

And, you know, I just felt like it was time. It was time for me to not hide my body. But how did you, I mean, were you like, okay, I'm going to get my body out, but you've often, you know, cropped up. That's the answer. And stuff, we've always admired you for your fitness. Well, I have, you know, I'm like, I'm like your love yet. Being fit and I love feeling fit, feeling strong.

It helps me in every other area of my life. So I'm always looking at you going, wow, she looks like mega. But to be in your 50s and to look the way that you do and feel the way that you do, but then say, did you go in and kind of go, I am happy, I'd like to go a bit more? And was everybody like, yeah. Did you hear that? No, do you know what happens?

I think, like, obviously I've shown, you know, my body being a spice girl, whether it was getting my tummy out or, you know, and it was so funny, isn't it, when you think back because we were criticised for, like, encouraging young girls to her crop-ta. I mean, oh, my God, hello. House house game, right? But I have been working with an incredible stylist who's also my creative director. And I just have so much faith in him.

We just totally, you know, we just see things very, you know, we're on the same page. Yeah. Yeah. We're on the same page. And he has really helped me grow my confidence. And then with the aesthetic for this record, it's very much inspired by all the iconic fitness things that I've loved growing up, whether it was flash dance. Can I just say?

I was like, I wonder if she's going to say flash dance. In my head, first one. I had my flash dance. Hang on a minute. Hang on a minute. This is our childhood, isn't it? We grew up on this. But there were so many moments in it.

I realised this has influenced me so much. The kids from fame. Yes. Right? Olivia Newton John, let's get physical. Jane Fonda workouts. Yes. There's just a wealth of this, like, just iconic,

imagery and so I kind of pulled upon all of that and I didn't doubt for a second I was like I'm 51 I'm in amazing shape and you know what I'm gonna show it and I wouldn't have done that in my 20s or my 30s and probably not my 40s no honest yeah isn't that a gift it really is it's like it's like so exhausting to be apologetic do you know what I mean is that I've spent So much of my life not feeling comfortable with certain things. And it's like, fuck that. That is the best thing about getting older. For anyone that's watching that hasn't got there yet,

what would you think has helped you? Because it's not necessarily about how musly or thin you are or anything like that. I think it's an inside job. How can we feel at a place where we are happy with ourselves? Yeah. I think we have to be truly honest. Not that honesty of, oh, I'm not good enough. Or, you know, my parenting isn't, you know, on point or I should have, be making my money in my job.

That isn't honest. Honest is look at what you've done. Look at what you've achieved. Look at what you've overcome. Look at your failures and how you carried on from there. You know, how you picked yourself back up. That's what I had to do. I had to look back and just go, you know, this is this other thing.

When I felt at my lowest, when was that? I would say things got really difficult for me around the millennium. And then it was, it's been a really long journey back. But after. What was happening then? Do you mind me asking? No, not at all. So obviously everything happened with the Sprys girls.

And this was this unreal, incredible world. obviously it was exhausting we were living on adrenaline travelling dealing with the media all of these different things and within that time I developed an eating disorder and I was really ashamed really ashamed of it and I tried to hide it

Did anybody know? Did you talk to anyone about it? Well people knew and people within the band and within management tried to help but I think like you know we know as adults it's very hard to help somebody when they're not ready to help themselves so I was very much in denial carrying on until actually my body couldn't carry on anymore.

How did that manifest itself? So, well, I was underweight, I think for a long time through the spice goes, I was very restrictive in what I ate. Is that called orthorexia? You know, when you're being fit. You're being fit and you're eating, but you're... Yeah, just not sustaining what you need. So that was definitely happening for me

I was very obsessive about exercise But it was you know There was so much going on Our lives were kind of out of control This was the only control that I had Yeah so I would be in the gym And also I'd I hate confrontation

And if I was in the gym Nobody would bother me So it was very much my hiding my safe space So I was doing that I do not know how I was How I was sustaining everything I had to do But I was until...

God, is a lot, isn't it? Yeah. And then I just felt very unwell. I was crying all the time. I was struggling to get out of bed. And then I started binge eating. And I think my body was just like, you need sustenance, you know?

But that to me was petrifying because I felt out of control. Sometimes I would like kind of come around mid-binge and I would like, what am I doing? It was so scary. I thought I was losing my mind. And of course, you know, my appearance was changed.

changing and the thought of the media picking up on that. Because they were brutal about the way that he looked all the time. Everybody had an opinion. Yeah. And it was cruel. It wasn't just an opinion. It was cruel. And they bullied me.

And they used personal information of mine against me. It was horrific. So when I came back, I was in LA and I came back to the UK. So it was early 2000. and I went to my GP because I knew I wasn't right and my mum was really worried about me it was like I've got to the point

I can't handle it because I'm so independent I can fix me I can sort this out but I couldn't I couldn't do it so I went along to my GP and he said to me after I described everything

that was going on and he said well the first thing we have to address is your depression and that's when I just felt such a weight lift from my shoulders because I was like, oh my God, it's got a name, you know,

it's something that I can get help with and I can heal from. So that was like my first step on the road to recovery. It was a long fucking journey. And I think once you've experienced those things, you're frightened to be arrogant enough to think it will never happen again. But you're like, I'm confident, I'm in a good place. I have the tools, you know. There's been many times in my life.

You know, I've had other bouts of depression. And I've, you know, I've taken medication. I've continued to have speaking therapies. But as time's gone on and I've done so much healing. You know, I feel confident, but again, not arrogant to think it's, that's me fixed. I call myself a work in progress. 100%. We are for.

Always. Always. Always. Always. And discovering things on a weekly basis, which may help me. Yeah. I mean, talking to you, today's been so nice. And I mean, you, you're using, I just want to talk a tiny bit more about the place where you've got to now, hearing all of this, that journey since 2000. And here we are in 2025. You've gone on a long old journey and you're making a video where you are a person that you've never been before with a newfound confidence.

For anybody that's in a dark place now, you know, it's like don't try and do it alone, like get some help. Oh, absolutely. And, you know, for me personally, it was good to get professional help because, you know, I sometimes felt like it was a burden. And I think it's really, really hard sometimes with family members, friends, people who love you. Because they're frightened to say the wrong thing, you know. So, of course, lean in those people, they do love you. want to support you, but I think that professional help, that outsider, it can be really

powerful. Yeah, life-changing. Yeah. So it sounds nice you've got this creative, kind of, your creative, what do you call him? My creative director. Director. Graeme Cruise, yes. What's his name?

Graham Cruz. Graham Cruz. Yeah. You would love him. I can't feel like you should know him. I know I would love him. Oh, my God. I probably do know him, need to see a picture.

Yes. Okay. But he and you have come up with this kind of concept. And is there kind of a theme behind it? Yeah. Yeah. So it was never intentional. I've been writing for about two and a half years. And I just realized there was quite a lot of fitness creeping into the work.

In this kind of tongue and cheek way where I was trying to bring a bit more humor. Fun. And yeah. And you know what? There's light and shade. Because in the past two and a half. half years. I have ended a relationship. I have met somebody new. I can't wait to talk about. I'm so excited. Yes. Yes. And I have new management and a lot has changed. So it's just been this kind of voyage of discovery. Yeah.

And I am having and also that my new partner, what he has done for me is he's made me live. I've always had, I'm such a workaholic but I've always gone work life and then I realised it's like work life and I love my work and you know of course I'm a mum as well

on top of everything so what I've realised is no no no no no work life all together that felt like a little moment from like a Ben's still a movie then but that is

that is absolutely right isn't it Because I love my work. But before, I didn't really have much of a life. You know, I've been quite isolated and I've been quite lonely. But now it's like, no, I'm living. I'm living every day. And I'm just, I'm the happiest I've ever been.

And the most creative I've ever been, the most confident I've ever been. And, yeah. Isn't it funny? Because in your 20s, you would have been going, I will not be saying that in my 50s. Oh, no. Oh, my gosh. Like, I think it's so funny when you're like, you see things.

Yeah. I think there's even like interviews are going, oh God, like when you're in your 30s, you're like, oh, if only. But not if only, because would you go back? Hell no. And it's changing. You know, here I am making music. Yeah. I'm in my 50s.

There are so many incredible women who are, you know, we are still being taken seriously in areas that in the past, maybe not. So, yeah, we're still changing things. I'm very interested in women with power. And I'm not just talking about money really. I'm just talking about a sense of self or confidence and how hard that is sometimes for a man to navigate and how hard it is sometimes for women who are like that to meet men and for men not to...

For men to know what to do with them. Because I don't want to... Slag off men, we love men. We want to, we want to live side by side, be partners, equals, like. But we know that it's quite difficult sometimes because we've gone off and gone careers and got all empowered. Yeah, and left them a little bit. Yeah, but we need to kind of help them find themselves too, you know,

so we can all come together. Absolutely. And I feel like it's really difficult for guys to go out with women who are quite long. How hard is it for you, Melanie C, when you find, when you found yourself at times single? Because who do you trust? Yeah.

How do you meet a guy? Like, what do you do? Yeah, yeah. It's been interesting. So, yeah, I was with my daughter's dad for 10 years. And then I met somebody else. We were together for quite a while. And then I found myself single for the first time

when it was all about the apps. And that is like a whole new world. But just your Melanie C, you can't go on an app. Like, imagine swiping. Well, there's the one, isn't there. There's the one all the celebrities go on. Yeah, there's that one. So, can I just ask you, so is Raya like, is it chocka block of celebrities,

do you have to kind of get, like, green lit to go on it? I love that. It's actually really good fun. Not that I ever want to be on it again. Did you have a... There was quite a... I've read some of it. there was really funny nickname that you and your friends had.

Oh, boy bingo. But it's such a good thing. Don't you find, right? So, excuse me. When you, if you find yourself single, right, you are like, never wanted a relationship ever again. No. I'm off men.

Forget it. And I think women actually can do that. I think men can't as much as well. I would have been happy to be a spinster. Yeah. Alone. Yeah. I'd just have a lot of cats.

But isn't it usually a girl's night? Yeah. when you like, you need to get back on the horse and then the apps, their profile set up. Which is like euphemism. You need to get back on the horse. Except if it, anything less. So, yeah, so that was really interesting and fun.

Yeah, Ray it is. There's a lot of celebrities. There's a lot of people who isn't. It's all creative industries. But it is quite fun going, oh, I guess we're saw today. And how long were you on there for before you found Chris? Oh, that's her friend of his name.

An Aussie. Yeah. Right? Like I'm an honorary Aussie. Like my entire family. Oh my gosh. I love it. Australia.

Yeah. Great. Great people. Great people. As well. Gosh, I don't know. Maybe about six months. Right.

And then we met. And it was so funny because... How long were you talking? Did you talk much before you met? Yeah. So we started talking in, I think it was like August time. And I had a DJ tour arranged for the November of that year, 2023, I think it was. And.

And yeah, so it was like, he's so hot, this is definitely worth dinner, you know. And we've been together ever since, our first dinner date. And what was it? So you were talking? Because I know that there is a running theme through your life of needing to feel safe. And for me, I think that's like a relationship is somewhere, that it's. It's quite hard to really, really feel safe. What was it about Chris that made him safe enough to go up for dinner with?

It's not just that he's hot. You must have seen something. What did you see? He has, it's very strange talking about him publicly. He has a very calm quality. Right. And it's something that I've not experienced in a partner before. He's, yeah, he just, he feels safe.

He is. Yeah, he's just beautiful. He never gets involved where he, you know, he just reads situations really well. So he's emotionally intelligent. Yeah, he's really intelligent. He's very creative. He's very kind. And yeah, he just, yeah, he makes me feel safe.

That's a very good way of putting it. He also, I think, as somebody that works in a creative industry, and you get to do some very exciting things. I know sometimes that people, if they don't feel confident in their partner or that their partner's kind of proud of them or they'll downplay things that are happening to them. But he's a cheerleader, right?

Oh, yeah, absolutely. That's what's so nice. He's been to a lot of my work engagements and, you know, sometimes if I'm DJing And if I just catch sight of him, it's just like, it's, yeah, it's like your little support network. It's really nice. Now, I love being Michael's plus one. So I love going to things where I go as he's the one that's been invited.

Yeah. And I'm his plus one. Do you get that? Well, it's been a bit tricky for us to really be able to do that. Oh, sure. Because we've been in Europe a lot. Right. And a lot of his world is still like his friends and his family.

and everybody is still in Australia. But we go back New Year and I look forward to being his plus one. It's nice being someone's plus one. It's less pressure, isn't it? Oh, it's so good. Yeah. And also, you get to see them in their place of excellence.

And you can be like, look at them. They're so good at what they do. Like, oh, so nice, absolutely. It's, you know, Australia, England, I know this because half my family are there. It's quite a long way away. It's a long way away. The law is, it's very kind actually, obviously, being Commonwealth.

He can spend a lot of time here, but he can't stay here permanently. Yeah. Yeah, we need to look at these. So you just have to look at kind of towing and throwing a bit. Add up our days. I can think of worse places. Yes, I know. To go to.

But what's wonderful as well is, I'm back in Australia for it. I'm doing the voice. I don't know. This would probably be. And I'll try then. Yeah. Doing the voice again next year. Amazing.

And how nice is that fun being a coach? It's not my most natural place to be. I love working with the singers. Yes. I love like, you know, sharing my experience with them. But the whole judging thing, I find it tricky. Yes. Yeah.

Oh, your intention. Yeah. Good. Yeah. So judging. Very, very difficult. It's hard. It's hard.

Oh. Love you. You know, you've got a lot going on. And this is something that, again, for our audience, you know, you are in your 50s. And it's so inspiring to see someone. You know, you did your DJing. You've talked about the humility of starting from scratch and not being able to even get on a set of decks in a club until you were ace. You know, the work that went into that.

Yeah. The time. And the jeopardy. But the jeopardy. But this is really important for everybody to see. Yeah. If you want to do something, it's just never too late. Yeah, it's never too late.

That's what I thought. Because when, you know Glimb Fustle. Yeah. Yeah. So it was Glim that encouraged me to have a lesson. And I was just like, am I too old to learn a new skill? And oh my goodness, absolutely never. I'm so pleased that I did it.

Honestly, it was brought so much into my life. It's changed everything. think. And everybody else is, you know, the church and the altar of the DJ. So this podcast, I'm not sure if you knew this, but I started it around the time when I had my brain tumor and I knew, but nobody else really knew. Oh, wow. But when it was like, what would you like it to be about? Lots of people thought maybe it would be around the menopause and sort of perimenopause, menopause.

but I wanted it to be around living a life that you've loved so that when you do look at dying and your own mortality and it becomes quite a possibility that you feel ready to leave because you've had a really good go. You've done all the things that you wanted to.

Even if they didn't succeed, you've had a go. And isn't that the thing that People often will say you don't regret the things you did. You regret the things you didn't do. Yeah. Yeah. So let's just talk about, is it 30 years next year?

Yeah. I know. I know. I know. 30 years. Yeah. Of Spice Girls next year. And the release of sweat.

Yes. It's a big year. It's a big year coming. I am really excited. I am so excited. I am coming to see you DJ a lot. I'm going to now start like following you around the world. I will let you know everywhere.

Everywhere. And also... I'm getting on a plane. I'm coming. And I'm playing Brixton. It's not until October next year. That's my birthday. Okay, so you understand the premise of this podcast now.

Yes. 30 years next year. Yeah. Sweat. Everything's happening for you. Like, it's so exciting. What would you like your legacy to be? I could die happy because I know.

the legacy that the Spice Girls have left is, I don't think you could top it. I am so proud, we are all proud, we talk about it. What we, you know, people approach me all the time. I get people coming up talking about whether it's a song, an album, the Spice Girls, the whole thing, and people say how it changed their life,

how it made them feel like they belonged. You know, some people say it saved their life, you know, for people to say that to you. And I don't take that personally. I'm like, hey, I did this. But I was part of something that has made a real cultural impact on the world. How many people get the chance to say that? It's amazing.

And also how you share. This has been an amazing chat. And there's been so much that you've said that I know will have an enormous impact on people watching and listening. And I'm so grateful to you for your honesty. I'm being so caring. Well, you know, I learned when I first started talking openly about depression, it was at a time when it wasn't spoken about very much. And I didn't feel like I was really ready to talk about it because I was still actually really suffering at the time. But the moment I realized that was helping other people, that felt really good.

And everything, you know, that I've done, in that world and since and even myself when I was struggling if other people talked about it I felt a lot of strength and that you just don't feel alone and that's the thing you're not alone you know

with this is the thing we all struggle we all suffer it's not we live these Instagram lives it's bullshit everyone has a hard time sometimes even a spice girl and I think that's really powerful

yeah we look at you and we think She's got a perfect life looks, everything goes right. I was at my lowest when I had everything. Yeah. I fucking love you.