Scary Spice

Spicy songstress Melanie Brown was born on May 29, 1975, in Leeds, West Yorkshire. As the daughter of an interracial couple, Brown faced racism growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood. She initially studied dance in her younger years; however, an advertisement seeking five "lively girls" to form a music group led her to join Geri Halliwell, Victoria Adams, Melanie Chisholm, and Emma Bunton in forming the successful quintet known as the Spice Girls.

Nicknamed Scary Spice for her wild hair and love of leopard prints, Brown soon became romantically involved with Australian singer Peter Andre. Later, during the group’s Spiceworld Tour, Brown became involved with Dutch backup dancer Jimmy Gulzar. The couple married on September 13, 1998, and Mel B became Mel G. The couple had a daughter together, Phoenix Chi, in 1999; however, Brown filed for divorce later that year, and a high-profile custody battle ensued. Brown was eventually granted custody of her daughter, and in 2003, they moved to Los Angeles, California. 

In 1998, Brown collaborated with Missy Elliot on the single "I Want You Back," for the soundtrack to 1998's Why Do Fools Fall in Love, starring Halle Berry. The song became Brown’s first and only #1 hit as a solo artist in her home country. Brown’s next solo track was a cover of Cameo's 1986 hit "Word Up," produced by Timbaland. Although the single was a commercial disappointment, it was featured on the soundtrack for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me in 1999, starring Mike Myers and Heather Graham.

During the late 90s, Brown shifted her focus from music to television, hosting a weekly BBC2 magazine show, Pure Naughty, as well as the 1999 MOBO Awards with Wyclef Jean. In September 2000, Brown released the first single from her debut solo album, Hot. "Tell Me" debuted at #4 on the UK charts and sold respectably; however, the album itself did not fare well on the charts. In June 2001, Brown faced criticism from the media for featuring her daughter, Phoenix Chi, in the video for her single "Lullaby." Suddenly dubbed "Desperate Spice" by the press, Brown was accused of exploiting her child as a marketing ploy. After the single did poorly on the charts, Brown was released from her contract with Virgin Records.

After parting ways with her record label, Brown once again returned to television, hosting the talent show This Is My Moment, as well as the documentary Voodoo Princess.

In 2002, Brown released her autobiography, Catch A Fire. In her memoirs, Brown discusses her tendencies to lose interest in her endeavors over time, moving from dancing, to singing, to acting. In 2004, Brown starred in The Seat Filler, which was co-produced by Will Smith and also starred Destiny's Child singer, Kelly Rowland. Brown has also starred in stage productions of Rent and The Vagina Monologues and received positive reviews.