MEL B’S LIFE LESSONS:
From the Spice Girls to campaigning in parliament, Mel B’s life has been full of ups and downs since bursting onto the showbiz scene in 1996. As she celebrates her 48th birthday, Closer looks back at Scary Spice’s biggest life lessons…
‘WORK HARD AND CHASE YOUR DREAMS’
Growing up in Leeds in the ’80s, it wasn’t until the former Spice Girl – full name Melanie Brown – went to school that she experienced being treated differently. Opening up about racism, Mel reflected, “All of a sudden I was called these names I didn’t understand.” But while her school life proved hard, the star had the support of her parents to chase her dreams. In 2016, she shared, “I work hard. That’s from my upbringing.”
‘EVERYBODY NEEDS TIME TO HEAL’
Speaking at a domestic abuse campaign, Mel told the British parliament, “I’m a survivor, not a victim.” The star has gone on to work with a number of charities helping women experiencing domestic abuse. But behind the scenes, Mel has been open that rebuilding her self-confidence was no easy step. In a recent interview, she shared, “Everybody needs time to heal and build their inner strength back up. Anybody who’s been in that kind of intense relationship should find time to do that. Being around family has been amazing for me.” Last May, she received an MBE for her work with Women’s Aid.
‘CAMARADERIE WITH OTHER WOMEN IS EMPOWERING’
The Spice Girls’ debut album, Spice, went straight to number one in 1996 – but four years later, the girl band shockingly revealed that they were taking a hiatus. However, Mel’s friendships with fellow bandmates Geri Horner, 50, Victoria Beckham, 49, Mel C, 49, and Emma Bunton, 47, still run strong – with the star saying, “Even though I call them my b*tches, I love them.” And back in 2015 – four years before the ladies would reunite – Mel spoke about the importance of her female friendships. She said, “I try to live by the girl-power motto. It’s empowering to have that camaraderie with other women.”
‘CELEBRATE YOUR DIFFERENCES’
Rising to fame as one fifth of the iconic band, Mel – nicknamed Scary Spice – revealed in 2020 that she was often left fighting for representation as a mixed-race woman. Revealing how she was asked to straighten her hair for the Wannabe music video, Mel shared, “I refused point blank because my hair was my identity. Yes, it was different to the other girls, but that’s what Spice Girls was about – celebrating our differences.” The star went on to inspire hundreds of other young girls, later saying, “I’d get really emotional letters saying how incredible it was that girls had someone to
