Geri Horner: ‘I’m still gobby!’
Geri Horner, 44, opens up about how her life has changed – but she confesses some things will always be the same!
She’ll always be famed for her Spice Girls hits, but Geri Horner, née Halliwell, recently released her first solo single in 12 years. The song, Angel In Chains, is in memory of close friend George Michael, who sadly passed away on Christmas Day 2016. Here, the 44-year-old star – who recently welcomed baby Montague George Hector, named after George – chats about her fondest memories of the pop icon, how motherhood has changed her, and why she still can’t get a word in with her own mum!
Hi, Geri! Was your new single Angel In Chains emotional to record?
When I got together with [George’s] family for my record, there was a lot sadness. Then there was some kind of joy that came out. The way to overcome grief is to go through it with each other, and talk about the person. There is something beautiful in that. As far as I’m concerned, he is still here. If you don’t see a person all the time, you can forget they are not with us.
George was obviously very dear to you…
We had a unique relationship. We had both lost parents – his mother and my father, so it was comforting. In challenging times, you find out who your friends are. Although we weren’t family, he was always there for me. He is irreplaceable. That’s a unique relationship. The nearest I have to him are the Spice Girls. He was very fatherly, and I was looking for a dad. I look back and think, ‘ Was he the nearest thing to that?’
What are your fondest memories of him?
I always found him kind and generous, and he loved children. He was very supportive with my first child, Bluebell. Plus, I would always go to him for advice, as he was objective. I’m sure he’s rolling his eyes at me now, saying, ‘Oh, you
silly cow!’ That’s the way he talked to me, and I really appreciated that.
You’ve said George helped fill the void when your father died. How did you cope with your grief?
My dad died of a heart attack in 1993, but we don’t have the tools to deal with grief. Other people were embarrassed around me. I swallowed my feelings, I got skinny and worked a lot. We’re not very good at talking to other people about our feelings. But you can find solace when you open up to others. The births and deaths in my life have taught me that. I had my baby son three weeks after George died, and that reminds me to make the most of my life and embrace every moment. I can so easily lose that when I get caught up in a show.
How else has motherhood changed you?
Having children has made me less selfish. I think we can all be guilty of it in the age we live in. I know I don’t have the answers to everything, but there are some things I trust my gut on. Part of me is still selfish, gobby and generous. I am a mixture – like a wardrobe of many things!
Sounds like a good combination to us!
Sometimes I think I talk too much, but I can’t help it. I just get excited, and it all comes out of me. I’m enthusiastic about life. My mother is Spanish – I can’t get a word in when I call her! I’m also the youngest child, so I’m used to having to get in there quick.
Are you glad to be recording music again?
Music was my first love. I don’t come from a privileged background, so music was always my solace, and I have had that love for it for a long time. I kept an inventory book with names of people who helped me on the way up, and I still have it.
You’re friends with Ant McPartlin, aren’t you?
Yes, I love him. We were out in Monaco for the Grand Prix earlier this year. He’s amazing. I have known Ant and Dec for 20 years, and they are adorable. Ant showed me how to do an accent so I could say anything in Geordie!