The Spice Girls In the summer of 1993, an advertisement calling for five "lively girls" to form a music group in the UK sparked a pop music revival, and introduced the world to Girl Power. Numerous females who were active in London’s theatrical, modeling, and film circuit tried out for the group, but the five feisty females left standing were Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice), Melanie Brown (Scary Spice), Victoria Adams (Posh Spice), Melanie Chisholm (Sporty Spice), and Emma Bunton (Baby Spice). Just two months after the Spice Girls assembled, the group broke away from their manager, and set out on their own to secure a record deal. They faced difficulty from the onset with their all-for-one approach; refusing to select one member as a strong front person, and instead, relying on their own brand as a group. Eventually, the group was signed to Virgin Records, and all five members moved into a house together while they embarked on the search for a new manager. By late 1995, the girls had signed Annie Lennox's manager, Simon Fuller, and soon after they released their debut single, "Wannabe." The song was a smash-hit, and became the first single by an all female group to enter the charts at #1 England had ever had. The Spice Girls’ debut album, Spice, was released at the end of 1996, and skyrocketed straight to #1 on the charts.
Spice made the girls huge stars in the U.S., and was soon followed by their sophomore album, SpiceWorld, as well as a feature film of the same name. In May of 1998, Geri Halliwell announced that she had left the group. One year later, she released her semi-successful solo album, Schizophonic. With Ginger Spice now out of the mix, the Spice Girls continued to tour, while still making room for solo endeavors. Melanie B, Scary Spice, married backup dancer Jimmy Gulzar and released the solo single "I Want You Back," a duet with Missy Elliot. A few of the girls also became mothers in the late 90s; with Melanie B giving birth to daughter, Phoenix Chi, in February of 1999, and Victoria Adams giving birth to son, Brooklyn Joseph, just one month later. In the fall of 1999, Melanie C issued her own solo album, Northern Star; and then she returned back to the studio to join the rest of the girls in recording their next album, Forever. Forever boasted an impressive production team, including Rodney Jerkins, Terry Lewis, and Jimmy Jam, who have previously worked with such pop artists as Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, and Prince. As the 90s drew to an end, so too did the formerly tight-knit unit known as the Spice Girls. Despite the release of Forever in 2000, by February of 2001 the group had announced that they were taking a break to concentrate on their solo careers. Five years later, the group has not re-formed, although speculation of a reunion surfaced during Live 8. Today, the Spice Girls are remembered for their platform shoes, infectious tunes, and the brand of girl power they brought to the forefront of popular music.
YUDDY |
