Melanie C

February 2003

AN old lady is walking down High Street in Nowheresville when she spots a familiar face. “Hello dear, aren’t you that Sporty Spice?” The young woman takes one step back and... “I karate kick her in the head.” Mel — sorry, Melanie — C hates being called Sporty Spice. OK, giving grannies a good hiding isn’t likely to happen. “If it’s a nice old lady I’d just say ‘yes’. But if it’s blokes thinking they’re funny, I’d just say (adopts bladder-releasing tone) ‘My name’s Melanie!’”
The 29-year-old former Spice Girl is taking no prisoners. Old women aside, everyone is getting it in the neck. Particularly us lot. Journalists. “I saw something yesterday that really f***ed me off.” A tabloid tale? Which one? “The one accusing me of having the picture on my album cover stretched.” The claim was that Melanic C is overweight so her picture was doctored to make her a few pounds lighter. But what you see is the real thing, she says. “It wasn’t stretched. And I’m really annoyed because obviously I’ve suffered with eating disorders and body-image problems.
“And anyway”, her voice rising to a frantic “eh, calm down” type of Scouse, “there’s f***ing nothing wrong with the way I look. So that p*ssed me off.”
I can see why she was renamed Sweary Spice. But I choose not to mention it.
Three years ago newspapers focused on her increasing weight and speculated about her sexuality. It was made all the more apparent with the rest of the Spices getting married and/or giving birth or, in Geri’s case, having a quite a few celebrity suitors. The negative attention led to clinical depression and eating disorders. She disappeared from view and turned to anti-depressants and regular counselling sessions.
“As soon as I started feeling better I realised there’s nothing else I want to do (other than music). It’s kind of my mission to do this. I’m a lot stronger these days and pretty much up for it. “But nothing prepares you. And you do forget. Now I have to hear people’s opinions on me and the way I look and you think ‘Oh God, what I have I let myself in for?’
“But I’m so happy making music and I want to be successful, so it’s just the small price I have to pay.”
Speculation about her album sleeve hasn’t been the tabloids’ only interest recently. Having her single Here It Comes Again reach “only” No. 7 in the UK charts on Sunday added fuel to some fires that a Spice Girls reunion would be a good idea.
“Oh,” she sighs as the inevitable subject arises.
“You know what, I got off a flight in Copenhagen and... I don’t buy tabloids... but when you see on the front of a newspaper what you are supposed to be doing next year that you have absolutely no knowledge of... I thought I need to f***ing have a laugh here.
“I opened it and could not believe it. You know there’s been so much sh*t written about the Spice Girls. I don’t think I’ve read anything that’s actually true.
“We’ve got no intention of getting back together. When we went for that meal the other night, we were just catching up and stuff. None of us were interested in getting back together. It’s rubbish. And so annoying.”
After the meeting of the Spice Girls at Beckingham Palace, one Sunday paper even listed tour dates and spoke of a greatest hits album. “I would rather die than go back on tour with the Spice Girls,” says Melanie C, before laughing like a nutter.
“Though I do get on with them all. I haven’t got any problems with any of the girls.
“I was looking forward to seeing Geri,” she adds, knowing that their relationship is most interesting because of her previous digs at the Ginger one. “I think I thought ‘oops, I’ve probably said a few things in the past’ and been misquoted a few times about Geri. But Geri knows me. She knows I’m not a hurtful person."
Another story said you’d met up to discuss a film?
“What film?” A documentary about the Spice Girls. “That’s sh*te, f***ing sh*te. I read this thing where Geri was supposed to cry as well. That didn’t happen. I read another one where Emma was supposed to have said that we danced to all our own hits.”
She breaks in to a giant guffaw. “Can you imagine? It’s just pure sh*te.”
So what was the point of it all?
“It was Victoria’s idea. Geri is in America a lot, Melanie has gone over to America now. We were all dead busy. We were just all in London at the same time. We thought we’d all been meaning to do it for a long time and we just eventually got round to it. It wasn’t a big deal.”
She adds: “But it was nice to see everyone.”
New album Reason is musically brighter and less rocky than Northern Star, indicating a happier Melanie C. Many of the lyrics are aimed at her first steady boyfriend since pre-fame days.
“Eeeeeh,” she says and giggles. “I am a lot happier now. I’ve got a pretty cool boyfriend, so yeah.” He’s Bob the builder, I heard... She’s heard this feeble joke before. But manages a small chuckle nonetheless. “His name’s Tom.” And he’s a director of a construction company, not actually a builder. “I met him on holiday in Barbados and we’ve got a mutual friend so we were introduced.” It helps that he isn’t in the biz-we-call-show. 
“It definitely makes both of our lives easier. With two celebrities together there’s just a lot more press interest.”
Would she ever swap places with Posh? “Erm, Victoria. It’s always funny when people call her Posh. But not at all. Victoria’s very happy, she’s got a wonderful husband and a beautiful family but I don’t know how she copes with it all.” Melanie C spends most of her time in Hampstead, where she lives with Bob — sorry, Tom — around the corner from celeb mate Natalie Appleton. She also has a flat in Liverpool by the Albert Dock. Sporty Spice was a creation of her own, a reaction against her childhood asthma, the traces of which are still with her. She is allergic to cats and horses. “I’m allergic to a lot of things actually. I’m allergic to dust, animals... not all animals, you know, like dogs, cats and hairy, furry things. That’s a bit of a p*sser because I like cats.” She may no longer be that high-kicking, cart-wheeling, tracky-wearing Sporty pop star but Melanie C still likes to keep fit. As the “un-stretched” album sleeve shows.
And when she was in Nottingham last year she dropped in to the Fitness First gym, a stone’s throw from the Evening Post building at Castle Wharf. It was the day before a gig in Leicester. “They gave me a lifetime membership. I was well happy.”
So why stay in Nottingham when you’re playing in Leicester? “Because I really like the Lace Market Hotel. There are lovely rooms and a great restaurant...” Doh! Now we know where to hang around in April shouting Sporty Spice! at her bedroom windows.


Melanie C is at the Royal Concert Hall on April 30. There are some tickets left, priced £17.50, at www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk or on 0115 989 5555.

Catch Melanic C at the bar. Her's is a lager-top

She’s 29 years old and has never sent an e-mail

She launched her solo career at the V99 Festival and was promptly showered with bottles during each song. “One of the worst experiences of my life,” she says

Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key of Life is her favourite album Dusty Springfield, Annie Lennox and Kate Bush are her favourite singers

Her debut solo album, Northern Star, sold one million copies in the UK

Hit singles include When You’re Gone, with Bryan Adams (3); Goin’ Down (4); Never Be The Same Again (1); I Turn To You (1); Here It Comes Again (7)

Here It Comes Again was co-written with former Blow Monkey Dr Robert

At the Doreen Bird Academy of Performing Arts she shared a room with Calverton-born singer Claire “Angel” Poyzer. “We were pretty close mates,” remembered Melanie. “She was a really good singer. I don’t know what she is doing now.”

Melanie C

May 2012

IT has been nearly a decade since we last spoke. Back then Melanie C was into her second solo album since the Spice Girls ceased activities and she was angry. It was anger directed at the red top tabloids mostly for highlighting her apparent weight gain. It led to a period of depression and an eating disorder.

She was railing against the treatment she was getting and even threatening to high-kick anyone who dared to call her Sporty Spice (she’d always hated that).

So, has she settled down?

“Yeah, definitely,” says the 38-year-old.

“I think it’s really hard when you’re young. Especially when you’ve not been in the business for a long time and it’s all new to you; reading people’s opinions of you or reading lies printed about you.

“If you’re lucky enough to be successful and have a lot of interest in you from the tabloid media, it’s something you have to learn to deal with.

“I’m really cool about it now because I understand it a bit more. I understand that nobody cares really,” she laughs.

“And they’ll move onto someone else before long.”

Becoming a mum three years ago to Scarlet helped put the negative attention into perspective.

“I’ve changed in so many ways and I didn’t realise I would becoming a mum,” says Melanie, who lives in Hampstead with her long-term partner Tom Starr.

“She’s definitely made me a better person.”

We’re talking because it has been announced this week that Melanie will be joining the cast for the first UK arena tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar. It’s to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its opening in the West End and includes a date at the Capital FM Arena on October 19.

She’ll be playing Mary Magdalene and Chris Moyles will be King Herod.

Hang on, Chris Moyles!?

“I know, it’s a very interesting cast choice, isn’t it?”

I’ll say. I mean, you’ve proved yourself because you can sing and wotnot..

“Thanks.”

But Chris Moyles?

“Chris Moyles has got a good voice,” she insists.

“You have to trust Andrew Lloyd Webber and his casting director. They’re very successful people. But yeah, I think it is quite a surprise to see Chris Moyles in this role.

“But are you aware of the role of King Herod?”

No.

“Ah you see, people are judging when they don’t know what the role entails. King Herod is a really fun part. It’s one song, which is a big comedy number and he’ll be perfect.”

Then she adds: “The thing is, he can sing. I’ve known Chris for a very long time, obviously being on and off Radio 1 over the years, and he has got a good voice. I think he’s going to shock people. I’ve heard him sing. I think most of his listeners have heard him sing, just messing about but you can hear he’s got a voice.”

Tim Minchin, the musical comedian who has played the Capital FM Arena, and co-wrote the award-winning West End musical Matilda, plays Judas Iscariot.

“What an amazing talent,” says Melanie.

“He’s wanted to play Judas forever and a day.”

The lead will be chosen by the public through the ITV show Superstar, which is due to start next month.

Melanie has been on the judging panel, led by Lloyd Webber, alongside Jason Donovan for the heats that have been going on around the UK since March.

“I followed musical theatre all through my childhood and I’m a big fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s work so it sounded like a really fun thing to do Superstar,” she says.

“Working with Jason has been a scream and I’ve got to know Andrew a little bit. He asked me if I’d like to play Mary and I jumped at the chance.”

The live shows begin in July on ITV1 featuring the ten finalists.

“There are so many shows on TV showcasing British talent but this is something specific.

A lot of the people in the show have had musical theatre experience. Some of the guys have played leads in the West End. That’s what sets it apart from X Factor and other shows of that type.”

Although she is best known as Spice Girl, theatre was Melanie C’s first ambition.

“I started dance classes when I was eight. I started taking it really seriously in my teens and I went away to performing arts college when I was 16, so I’ve done a bit of training - albeit quite a while ago.”

She’s also familiar with musical theatre, having played Mrs Johnson in a West End production of Blood Brothers for six months during 2009. It earned her an Olivier nomination which she classes as a post-Spice Girls career highlight alongside topping the UK album chart.

“Acting is something quite new to me,” she says.

Does she prefer playing a character than being herself?

“No, I prefer being myself actually. When I was doing Blood Brothers I really missed being as solo artist and being myself on stage. I’m lucky that I can do both.”

After Blood Brothers she released her fifth solo album, The Sea. Her post-Spice Girls output has now topped 12 million sales.

Her next album will be a little different.

“It’s an album of musical theatre songs.”

You’re the new Michael Ball.

“Kind of,” she laughs.

“There’s other stuff on there as well; there’s a Dusty Springfield cover and a Joni Mitchell cover. So it’s an album of great songs that I’ve always wanted to do.

She adds: “It’s fun to keep mixing things up.”

The Spice Girls reunion six years has put to bed talk of the girls getting back together. Well, not really. How about a 20th anniversary reunion in 2016?

“Let’s see if I can still pull out a backflip by then,” she jokes.

“Who knows? We’ve got the musical opening later this year or the beginning of next, so that’s where we’re putting all of our energies at the moment.”

They’re currently casting for the musical, which will open in the West End.

“Then hopefully Broadway and internationally - that’s the dream,” beams Melanie.

Emma Bunton is the one she sees most, this week tweeting a photo of them together on a night out with Louis Spence.

“We see quite a lot of each other. Emma doesn’t live too far from me and our kids are a similar age and they enjoy playing.

“But I’m seeing Geri this weekend and I’ll hopefully see Victoria soon, although she’s in and out of the country a lot.

“Melanie (B) we don’t get to see  that often because she’s on the other side of the world, she’s in Australia now.”

Sporty Spice... sorry, Melanie C... still enjoys keeping fit.

“I love going to the gym,” she admits.

“That’s kind of like my down time, my me time.” I did my first triathlon last year so I’ve been getting more competitive.”

And will Scarlet be travelling with her on the tour?

“It depends really. I try to fit in with what’s best for her. Obviously I want to have her around all the time but if she’s missing out on school I don’t want to disrupt her too much. But we do some fun stuff together. I’m taking her to the Isle of Wight Festival this year because I’m taking her to see Jessie J. She’s her favourite artist.”

Tickets for Jesus Christ Superstar at the Capital FM Arena on Friday October 19 went on sale today, priced from £45 to £65. They are available from the venue, call 08444 124624 or go to www.jesuschristsuperstar.com.

TWITTER Q&A

What's been your biggest achievement since the Spice Girls?

@noteapleeeease

“Career-wise having a number one as a solo artist and being nominated for an Olivier. Personal... becoming a mum.”

Does your daughter Scarlet get to travel with you?

@noteapleeeease

“It depends really. I try to fit in with what’s best for her. Obviously I want to have her around all the time but if she’s missing out on school I don’t want to disrupt her too much. But we do some fun stuff together. I’m taking her to the Isle of Wight Festival this year because I’m performing there. I’m taking her to see Jessie J. She’s her favourite artist.”

Will you be writing a new album soon?

@noteapleeeease

“It’s an album of musical theatre songs. There’s other stuff on there as well; there’s a Dusty Springfield cover and a Joni Mitchell cover. So it’s an album of great songs I’ve always wanted to do. It’s fun to keep mixing things up.”

Tell her that Melt remains one of my all time favourite records.

@nickparkhouse

“Somebody else said that to me the other day. And it was never even a single; it’s an album track. Fantastic.”

Victoria Gray: Amore

May 2012

I DIDN’T even like opera until I was 15 when my mum took me too see a production of The Marriage of Figaro at Glyndebourne. My cousin was playing the trumpet in the orchestra and he got us tickets for the dress rehearsal.

Neither of us thought we’d enjoy it. We saw it as simply a good day out. I thought that if it was boring we could leave at the interval and go to the pub.

But I just fell in love with it. Even though I knew nothing about it.

Even now I can go to see an opera and not have a clue what’s going on without reading the synopsis.

But that experience really affirmed what I wanted to work towards.

I’d already been singing with (Mansfield girls’ choir) Cantamus when I was at the Minster School. We travelled to Germany, Italy and China, where were crowned Olympic Champions in 2007.

Because of Cantamus I didn’t see a lot of concerts but I loved pop music. At school we put on a show as the Spice Girls and I was Posh Spice. Because I was Victoria and I had a bob. Although secretly I wanted to be Baby Spice.

My poor parents... when my friends came round we’d create a new routine and perform it for them. I think we did The Shoop Shoop Song with teddy bears at one point. I did see Will Young in Nottingham because my mum won a competition on Trent FM by singing down the phone.

I went to the Royal College of Music in London when I was 18. I’m still finishing my masters there. I’ve a couple of exams left to do.

It’s where I met the other members of Amore. We’ve known each other for a long time but we only got together as Amore because we heard that Warner Music were looking to sign a new opera group.

We signed a six-album deal with them we’ll be releasing the first at the end of May.

We had a showcase in London recently in front of the media and concert bookers to show what we could do. I don’t think any of us have ever been that nervous.

We’ve performed in operas together and individually all over the world but we’ve only been together as Amore for a few months.

It was all a bit surreal. The hotel was so posh; there was a TV in the bathroom, which made us a little hyper.

From that showcase we went on to appear on BBC Breakfast and Sky News. Eamonn Holmes was lovely. Even though I did have to do my Katherine Jenkins impression for him, which was quite embarrassing.

We’re appearing on This Morning on May 28, which is the day our album is released.

From this coming Monday until the Jubilee on June 3 we’ll be performing all over the country as part of an event called Serenading Britain. On our website people can contact us and request that we perform at a special event or a birthday or anniversary. We’ll come and serenade you.

My boyfriend is the captain of Kimberley Cricket Club and we’ll hopefully be performing at a night they have there soon. That would be our first performance in Nottinghamshire.

After that we’ve a number of festival dates booked over the summer, including a few dates with Russell Watson.

There’s likely to be another album before Christmas and hopefully we’ll do a tour of the UK early next year.

We aim to perform a full opera next summer. Il Divo and Katherine Jenkins have done amazing things for classical music and brought opera to the masses but we’re hoping to take that a step further by really showing what goes into presenting an opera.

I live in London but I’m back and forth all the time. I was out in Nottingham last weekend. I was in Revolution. It’s probably not where you’d normally find opera singers.

Amore’s debut album, Stand Together, is released May 28, with their debut single, The Brindisi, out on May 21. For a video of that go to www.weareamore.com. You call follow Victoria on Twitter: @Vic_GrayMezzo.