Sassy Melanie C seems like a Spice Girl once more on new solo album
Sporty Spice says new new LP Sweat is the first one where she brings a Spice Girls influence and talks getting the girls back together, not before her own shows
Melanie C is readying a UK tour(Image: GC Images)
Melanie C’s new album won’t just make you Sweat, it may get you feeling Spicy again.
As the member of the Spice Girls with the most successful music career, she’s managed to do it without riding on the ‘Girl Power’ coat-tails. However, new album Sweat – while clearly a forward facing collection of dance pop anthems – also isn’t afraid to embrace her Sporty past as well.
Melanie explains: “What I love about this record, and the first time I’ve really done it, is the Spice Girls influence I’ve brought into it — in a tongue-in-cheek way.
“I think sometimes, as a solo artist, I’ve been quite serious. You know, you can become so introspective. And I realised that when I’m on stage, I’m actually so much more confident, more comedic, more sassy. And I thought, if I want to be that person on stage, I have to create those songs in the studio.
“So it was a bit of a lightbulb moment. I started thinking about leaning into being sporty, the fitness side, and obviously the club aspects from how much I’ve been influenced by DJ culture. It was just really fun to play lyrically with those worlds — whether it was sport, or music, or just that whole pop culture space.”
Being Sporty in your fifties isn’t as difficult as it used to be either as the streaming generation has become more accepting of artists of all ages.
Mel agrees: “I think the way young people see music now is so different — they’re less ageist. They’re just drawn to whatever they’re drawn to, regardless of what the artist looks like or how old they are.
“Being a Spice Girl, if I’m given an obstacle, I’ll make sure I get over it. It was the same when we were told girl bands don’t sell – and we were like, ‘we’re going to prove you wrong.’ Then, of course, there was a huge period where getting older as a woman in the industry felt petrifying. But I was like, no – I’m going to take this headfirst.
“And I think we’ve all changed. Even generations are closer now.”
Melanie has made nine solo albums across a 30 year career, and despite her Spice Girl status it’s not always been easy: “There was one point where I was like, ‘can I afford to continue doing this?’ There was a time when it was expensive – I was making music and getting no return.
“There’s been a big turnaround over the last, what, ten years or so…a really big lift in everything for me.
“I’ve done other things to supplement it, you know, because it is my passion and my first love. I’ve done a little bit of telly, a bit of radio, and obviously musical theatre was something I wanted to do – a bit of a personal challenge. But music is the first love.”
This year marks the 30th anniversary of The Spice Girls’ debut and, contrary to reports, Sporty remains hopeful they can celebrate in some way: “we are talking more now, probably in more communication than ever.”
In the meantime, Melanie will embark on a major solo tour this Autumn following a few stripped back smaller shows next week.
“I’ve got big ideas,” she teased to Euphoria. “I definitely want to bring this record to life properly. I also feel like I want to incorporate as much as I can because it’s a world tour, and it’s the first one I’ve done in over 20 years… I’m determined to really do this album justice and give the fans things they haven’t seen before.”
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