Fresh from quietly tying the knot with her Australian partner Chris Dingwall in England earlier this month, Melanie C returns to our screens this week for another season of Australia’s The Voice. And this year, she has one goal in mind – victory!
“Last year was a massive learning curve for me,” the Spice Girl tells Woman’s Day of her inaugural year in the iconic spinning red chair.
“Once I sat in that chair, I was a bit like, ‘Oh s**t, what have I done?’ It was quite intimidating because it’s such a big responsibility. But now I’m back and I’m like, ‘Right, no messing about this time. I’m getting stuck in.’ I’m in it to win it.”
And it’s because of that determination that Melanie, 52, says viewers are set to see a lot more sparring with fellow coach Ronan Keating this season, too!
“Boyzone and Spice Girls have always had a rivalry,” she laughs. “But I always win! Spice Girls always beat Boyzone. And he knows this, he’s always very gracious.
“It’s almost like a sibling rivalry,” she adds. “We’ve known each other for that long. But we really care about each other and we’d never take it too far. I’ve always really respected him as an artist and he is so brilliant on the show.”
The Voice aside, Melanie’s had a whirlwind of a year so far. Not only has she tied the knot twice – once in Sydney and again in the UK – she’s also released her ninth solo album, Sweat, and is about to embark on an international tour to support it.
FOREVER A SPICE GIRL
But perhaps what makes this year so meaningful for the star is that it marks 30 years since the Spice Girls’ first single Wannabe launched them into global superstardom.
Looking back, she says it’s the memories behind the song that flood back first.
“I think about filming the video, being in the tiny little studio where we wrote it, being in Japan when it went to No.1. There are just so many memories,” she says.
“It is incredible to think about what we did in such a short amount of time – and I’m just so grateful to think that people still resonate with us.”
And while three decades have passed in the blink of an eye, Melanie says the five women – Geri Halliwell-Horner, Melanie B, Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham – are closer than ever.
“Our lives have gone in so many different directions, but we always come back together when we need each other,” she says.
One of those times being earlier this month when Geri, Mel B, and Emma all gathered in Cumbria, England, to celebrate Melanie’s marriage to Aussie model and actor Chris. Sadly, Victoria couldn’t make it as she was in the US for the World Cup.
“Now we’re all in our 50s, you become much more reflective and appreciative of everything you’ve shared,” she adds.
“There’s no one more appreciative of each other than us five.”
The ever-humble Melanie adds that her 50s have also enabled her to fully embrace her extraordinary legacy without apology.
“My daughter [17-year-old Scarlett] always says, ‘Mum, you’re so humble,’” she laughs. “But as you get older you realise – you come to realise things. And fact to fact… I am a f**king Spice Girl!”
MAKING A PERMANENT MOVE
As Melanie’s ties with our country deepen, the popstar – who at the moment bases herself between the UK and Australia – isn’t ruling out a permanent move here.
“I mean, with the way the world’s going…” she says. “It’s hard because so much of my work is in Europe. But I do absolutely love it here. I always have. And looking ahead, I’d definitely like to spend more and more time here for sure,” she teases.
Melanie C Wedding photo credits:
Photographs – Andrew Timms
Wedding fitting – Elliott Harding
Glam credits:
Styling: Graham Cruz
Dress / Shoes / Bag: Victoria Beckham
Hair: Carl Bembridge
MUA: Bekki Mitchell
Venue: https://www.instagram.com/thecountryhousediaries
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
