Do we really, really want a Spice Girls reunion?
With reports that four of the original five are set to embark on a tour next spring, Grazia looks at what Spice World 2019 could look like, and whether Girl Power is damaged by Spice Girls at war…
When four- fifths of Britain’s biggest ever girl band met last week at a large and rather grim studio warehouse location near a busy motorway in North-west London, the question on everyone’s lips was: do we really, really want the Spice Girls back?
More than 20 years older than when they first kicked their way on to the world music scene shouting their message of ‘girl power’, and without Posh Spice, it was clear from the low-key surroundings and distinct lack of paparazzi attention that not even the girls themselves were all that sure.
It was quite a contrast from the reaction when news of the Spice Girls reunion was first mooted back in February. When all five women met up along with their original Svengali manager, Simon Fuller, at the luxury home of Geri Horner (née Halliwell) and posted that tantalising picture, the internet went into meltdown at the prospect of the full rack of Spices (Posh, Ginger, Baby, Sporty and Scary) preparing to go back out on tour. Music
promoters around the world were said to have held bidding wars offering more than £150 million for the rights to put the band back on stage.
But then, as was ever thus with the Spice Girls, the whole thing fell apart. Girl power turned into a vicious cat fight, with Victoria refusing to set foot on a stage, and a bitter bust-up between her and Mel B – who reportedly accused her of being ‘a miserable killjoy’ and a ‘ bitch’ ( last week, Victoria revealed that Elton John had advised her against joining the reunion). Simon Fuller – who manages Victoria – was summarily sacked as manager of the band and a new plan was hatched. Five became four.
According to well-placed sources, Mel B arranged new secret talks with Geri, Emma and Mel C to discuss going ahead with the tour without Victoria. In the inner circle of the Spice Girls, feisty Mel B and Geri, who believe the time has never been more right for a Spice Girls reunion, are on one side. Mel C and Emma Bunton, more cautious about whether they can still pull in the crowds, are on the other.
The meetings, held between London and Mel B’s home in Los Angeles, took place throughout the summer as they replaced Simon Fuller with Modest Management, who represented One Direction and look after Little Mix and Rita Ora.
‘Mel and Geri were the original driving forces in the band because they believed that five girls from nowhere could gatecrash their way to world fame,’ said a source close to the band. ‘ The whole reunion idea had been left hanging with Victoria and rather than just keep hitting a brick wall, they thought, “Screw it! Let’s do it on our own.” People thought Take That would never be able to come back without Robbie, but they were bigger than ever – and in the end it was Robbie who came back to them.’
According to sources, the four have now hand-picked the very best stylists, photographers, videographers and social media experts to ensure the announcement – expected to come at the end of this month – will go viral and ignite interest. They have also had experts carefully monitoring social media and internet discussion boards to gauge the fans’ reaction to a reunion without Victoria. The results have proved positive, with star names from Adele to Katy Perry expressing their excitement. Yet questions remain over whether that will translate into enough ticket sales to fill stadiums.
‘ The time is right for people to be talking about them again,’ said Lauren Bravo, author of What Would The Spice Girls Do?, a book released last week that celebrates the band’s influence on today’s generation of women. ‘I’ve had a lot of excited messages about the book, and people are sharing their memories of the Spice Girls. There’s been a wave of nostalgia and I think there will be an appetite.’ In addition, this summer saw the launch of Spiceup, the biggest ever exhibition of Spice Girls memorabilia, which was greeted with much fanfare and large crowds ( it is now touring the UK and has sold out on multiple occasions).
‘ They are planning a tour like no other, which is all about the feel-good factor, ’90s nostalgia and turning girl power into female empowerment,’ said a source. ‘ They have incredible support within the industry and now the #Metoo movement is so huge, their whole campaign is incredibly timely.’
But Victoria’s absence casts a long shadow over the tour. During their last reunion in 2007, it was Victoria who got the loudest cheers as she stomped down the stage, and it is undeniably Victoria’s name that turns a concert into a celebrity event.
‘ Victoria likes to have her cake and then not eat it. The girls were upset she chose to use her Spice Girl persona, posing in old Posh Spice outfits, to promote her recent Vogue interview. It was a kick in the teeth as far as they were concerned,’ said one Spice insider. ‘ Victoria will also get money from the tour, as they all own the rights to the Spice Girl name and brand. But the rest of them aren’t just doing it for financial gain, they are doing it because they want to celebrate the past and remind a new generation that they were the first female band to put girl power on the map.’
If they manage to pull that off, they may well take us back to feeling young, happy and bullet-proof. All we need is the actual announcement. Watch this spice…
IT’S VICTORIA’S NAME THAT TURNS A CONCERT INTO A CELEBRITY EVENT