SPICE was the variety of life
ZIG-A-ZIG AH! MARION McMULLEN TAKES A LOOK AT THE RELEASE OF THE FIRST SPICE GIRLS
TELL me what you want, what you really, really want. Well, what everybody wanted 25 years ago was new girl band the Spice Girls and their catchy debut single, Wannabe.
The five-piece exploded on to the music scene with their girl power attitude and distinctive look. They formed in 1994 and pop song Wannabe became an instant hit when it was released in July, 1996.
It has gone on to become one of then most well-known Spice Girls tracks and the seventh best-selling single of all time with more than 1.3million CD single and download sales. It is also the longest-reigning number one by a girl group spending 15 weeks in the top slot in the UK as well as topping the music charts in 37 other countries.
Mel C said: “In the 90s you couldn’t switch on the TV or radio or open a newspaper without there being something about the Spice Girls.”
Wannabe topped charts all over the world and propelled the fivepiece to global stardom. A Top Of The Pops magazine feature shortly after the single’s release gave the girls their nicknames with Victoria Adams – now Beckham – becoming Posh Spice, Emma Bunton Baby Spice, Mel B (Brown) Scary Spice, Mel C (Melanie Chisholm) Sporty Spice and Geri Halliwell – now Horner – Ginger Spice.
Their debut album, Spice, made them the fastest-selling British act since The Beatles and they followed Wannabe with a string of number one singles, including Say You’ll Be There, 2 Become 1 and Spice Up Your Life. Now, 90 million worldwide record sales later, they are firmly etched into pop history.
The Official Charts Company say the Spice Girls have the biggest-selling girl band single and album of all time beating the likes of Little Mix and Girls Aloud. Their popularity has also continued into the streaming era with 172 million streams since records began in 2014.
During the height of their fame, they met royalty, were pictured with Nelson Mandela – who called the girls “my heroes” – and performed with operatic superstar Pavarotti.
They also provided memorable moments such as their performance at the 1997 Brit Awards, when Geri wore a dress emblazoned with the Union Jack during their set.
The Spice Girls plugged into the trend for Cool Britannia, and used their star power to endorse everything from deodorant to dolls. The movie, Spice World, was released in 1997 and despite earning the Spices a joint Razzie award for worst actress, it was a box office hit and featured appearances by everyone from Bob Geldof, Jools Holland and Elvis Costello to James Bond actor
Sir Roger Moore, Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross. The movie also featured an early appearance by future The Wire and The Affair star, Dominic West, as a photographer.
Emma said: “We would’ve liked to do another film but after Spice World, there was an album, then a tour, then Geri left, so it didn’t happen.”
The group all went their separate ways in 2000. While there was no formal split, they announced an “indefinite hiatus” and all indicated that they would be concentrating on their solo careers.
The group announced their first re-union tour in 2007 and unveiled a greatest hits album and a single Headlines (Friendship Never Ends). They emerged once more to perform at the 2012 Olympics closing ceremony in London and they also gathered together to launch a stage musical inspired by their songs called Viva Forever.
He l l o singer Adele has been a super fan of the group since she was little and sang Wannabe with James Corden during her Carpool Karaoke appearance on his Late Late Show. She also met her idols during the last night of their 2019 tour and said online: “It’s no secret how much I love them, how much they inspired me to run for my life and never look back. I finally got to meet Ginger, I got drunk with the girls and quite frankly I can’t believe how far I’ve come. Thank you for the madness I get to live, I couldn’t have got here without you 5 BRITISH legends! I love you!”
All five Spice Girls have remained in the celebrity limelight since the release of Wannabe and are marking the 25th anniversary with a four-track EP featuring the original Wannabe demo, the track’s popular radio edit, a remix by US DJ Junior Vasquez and a previously unheard track called Feed Your Love.
It is the first Spice Girls release in 14 years and will be available on vinyl, cassette and streaming services. They have also launched the #IAmASpiceGirl campaign to celebrate “people power”.
They said in a statement: “The Spice Girls belong to everyone and that’s why we want to mark 25 years of Wannabe by celebrating our incredible fans. There is a Spice Girl within all of us.”
SINGLE, WANNABE, 25 YEARS AGO