You know who we don't talk about enough? Melanie C. That's right. Melanie Jayne Chisholm aka Mel C aka The Spice Girl formerly known as Sporty aka the most talented of the Spices. She earned her nickname from her sporty attire (unfortunately a lot less glamorous than her Spice counterparts), tough cookie attitude and tattoos as well as her athletic prowess. Her voice always stood out for me and it's no surprise that she has achieved so much success as a solo artist. Fun Wikipedia fact: She has co-written 11 UK Number 1s, more than any other female artist in chart history, and is the only female performer to top the charts as a solo artist, as part of a duo, quartet and quintet.
It's hard to believe that her fantastic debut album, Northern Star, was released in 1999. Listening to it 21 years later, it still seems fresh and dynamic. After the success of her first album, she went on to release 7 studio albums, namely Reason (2003), Beautiful Intentions (2005), This Time (2007), The Sea (2011), Stages (2012) and Version of Me (2016) with the 8th (titled Melanie C) dropping today, 2 October.
According Laura Snapes from The Guardian, Melanie C has "always sung about her issues with self-acceptance", from her debut album to the new album on which she sings about "having nothing left to hide and refusing to change for anyone else’s expectations, celebrating differences and working towards self-love". I can't think of a better message; I have loved each of the singles she has released this year and I am extremely excited to hear what the rest of the album has in store.
To celebrate the release of Melanie C and her illustrious career, here are 7 of my favourite Melanie C songs:
Northern Star
The title track is an inspirational anthem that speaks about finding your path in your life and living your best life without regret. Her distinctive vocals combine effortlessly with elements of electronica and soaring instrumental arrangements.
I Turn To You
I have fond memories of dancing to this song at clubs in my first year at university. It's a song about finding someone who can be a source of comfort "when the sky turns grey and there's no end in sight" and your "insides are wracked with anxiety" (perhaps even more relatable this past year). Interestingly, it was co-written by Billy Steinberg, who also wrote Like a Virgin.
I Want Candy
A sweet cover of The Strangeloves' 1982 hit, later covered by Bow Wow Wow, that was released as a single from This Time in the UK, Denmark and Italy. It also featured on the soundtrack of the 2007 film with the same title. The video sees Melanie C dancing in a sexy catsuit surrounded by scantily-clad bodybuilders.
Weak
The third single from The Sea, Weak is a more vulnerable pop ballad which is a contrast to her typically anthemic pop-rock tracks and one that really highlights her vocals. The lyrics focus on the emotional toll that the end of a relationship can take:
And I've been waiting, right here, for things to get better
And I've been patient, trying to figure this out
Everyone else is saying, what don't kill you makes you stronger
So why do I feel so weak, so weak, so weak
Anymore
In a similar vain, Anymore is a electropop post-break up song from the album Version of Me. The lyrics can be interpreted as a metaphor for the inability to move on after a break up as well as a more literal attempt at healing from a broken heart on the dancefloor (the video sees her surrendering to the music at a club):
I hear the music but I can't dance
I should be moving but I'm stuck
And I need to fight this feeling
So I stay here on the floor
High Heels
Who I Am
An affirmation of identity and self-acceptance and coming to terms with past versions of yourself, this is another fantastic (and very personal) dance-pop song from her new album. Indeed, the video sees Melanie C wandering through a museum and examining different public iterations of herself, from her days with the Spice Girls to the present.
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