Mel C reckons that the Spice Girls were “average” – here’s why

Speaking on a podcast, Sporty Spice said she thinks the iconic band got “lucky”

Mel C, perhaps better known by her moniker Sporty Spice, appeared on DJ Annie Mac’s podcast, Changes, reminiscing about her experience in the most iconic girl band of all time.

Much to the host’s surprise, Mel C (Melanie Chisolm) revealed that she didn’t believe that herself or her bandmates were particularly gifted: “We still laugh about it now because we are just so average in so many ways.”

“We’re not special. But we were able to create something really special that so many people could identify with.”

Chisolm who was promoting her new autobiography Who I am, My Story, was refreshingly candid about the impact of extreme fame, the emotional toll of her divorce from her husband in 2017, as well as reflecting on her musical capabilities, or lack therof.

The Spice Girls formed in 1994, and consisted of Mel C, Melanie Brown (Scary Spice);  Emma Bunton (Baby Spice); Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice); and Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice). The band members were subject to a rigorous auditioning process by Bob and Chris Herbert, who were looking to create a girl band that could compete with the popular boy bands of the day like Take That.

After signing to Virgin records in 1994, the group released their iconic debut single “Wannabe” in 1995 and their first album Spice, which went on to sell 23 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album by a female group in history.

At one point in the conversation Chisolm grew noticeably emotional, telling Macmanus she had erupted in goosebumps as she reflected on how she feels seeing her old bandmates nowadays: “even now, when we’re all in a room together, there’s a spark you know? It’s like something magic happens.

“We were lucky – all the stars aligned. All these great things happened but there’s something unexplainable about the five of us – it’s just magical.

“We have this shared vision – it just gave us this strength and this power.”

Regardless of their musical prowess, we reckon that the Spice Girls defined a generation, their “girl power” mantra led to arguably a new wave of feminism and cemented them as pop culture icons.