With a group that completely reset popular culture followed by a thriving solo career, Melanie C is both a national treasure and a global phenomenon. Now 49, the singer once known as Sporty Spice will perform a full solo set at this year’s Glastonbury for the first time. To mark the occasion, we are inviting readers to submit questions for the sometime Spice Girl in the comments below, to be answered live from Worthy Farm later this month.
What went on to be one of the biggest pop groups in history started when Melanie C was studying at performing arts college. She responded to a magazine ad for a new girl group and, by the time she was 18 had joined the Spice Girls with Melanie Brown, Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton. The group’s worldwide success was immediate thanks to their anthemic pop hits laced with an affable girl-power mantra. Their breakthrough single Wannabe topped the charts in 37 countries, becoming the biggest-selling debut single of all time, and their debut album Spice was certified multi-platinum in 27 countries. Their 1997 follow-up Spiceworld received similar acclaim, selling over 14m copies worldwide.
Melanie C embarked on a solo career in 1998, and her debut album Northern Star, which spanned pop, rock and dance music, sold 4m copies worldwide and received triple-platinum status in the UK; two singles from the record, Never Be the Same Again and I Turn to You, became No 1 hits. Now, with eight solo albums under her belt – including her acclaimed 2020 self-titled disco-adjacent record – she holds a total of 41 silver, gold and platinum certifications as a solo artist.
Singing on 14 UK No 1 singles, Melanie C is the female artist with most songs at No 1 in the chart’s history, and is the only female performer to top the charts as a solo artist, as part of a duo, quartet and quintet. Beyond her work as a singer, she is also a label owner, actor, dancer, talent show judge and, as of last year, an author.
Maybe you want to hear about Mel C’s early days in the Spice Girls or what it was like reuniting as a four-piece. Or perhaps you’re curious about her solo career, from performing with the BBC Concert Orchestra to embarking on a Pride tour with LGBTQ+ collective Sink the Pink. She will be answering your questions live at Glastonbury’s Cabaret tent, from midday on Sunday 25 June.
