Decades after bursting onto the music scene, the Spice Girls – Geri Halliwell, Mel B, Mel C, Victoria Beckham, and Emma Bunton – remain a cultural touchstone. This article profiles each member of the iconic 90s group, detailing their careers both during and after their time as a pop phenomenon, which yielded five Brit Awards and three American Music Awards. From solo music endeavors and theatrical debuts too fashion empires and personal lives, this is a look at where the “Girl Power” group members are today.
The Spice Girls, a pop phenomenon of the 90s, were the brainchild of music managers Bob and Chris Herbert of Heart Management. Recognizing a gap in the music scene, they envisioned a five-member girl group, each bringing a distinct personality and style to the table.
In 1994, an extensive casting call drew over 400 hopefuls, ultimately leading to the selection of Geri Halliwell, Mel B, Mel C, Victoria Adams, and Emma Bunton – a lineup that would soon dominate the charts. Bunton recently celebrated her 50th birthday.
Active from 1994 to 2000, the Spice Girls amassed an impressive collection of accolades, including five Brit Awards, three American Music Awards, and three MTV Europe Music Awards, cementing their status as a global pop culture force.
Melanie Chisholm (Sporty Spice)
Known as Mel C, the singer received early training in vocals, dance, and musical drama at the London College of Performing Arts.
Her solo career took off with a duet alongside Canadian star Bryan Adams – “When You’re Gone,” released in late 1998, peaked at number three on the charts.
Her debut solo single was followed by her first album, Northern Star, in September 1999, which went on to sell over 4 million copies. She has released eight albums to date and is currently working on her ninth.
In 2009, Chisholm made her theatrical debut in the musical Blood Brothers, later taking on the role of Mary Magdalene in the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. More recently, she has been exploring her talents as a DJ.
Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice)
Born Victoria Adams in 1974, she grew up in a financially secure household in Hertfordshire. Her ambition to become a singer was sparked after seeing the musical Fame. In 1991, she enrolled at the Arts Educational School in Epsom, training as a dancer and model.
She began dating soccer star David Beckham in 1997, marrying him in 1999 and adopting his surname. Following the Spice Girls’ disbandment, she released a handful of singles but did not pursue a full album.
Beckham launched her own fashion line, simply named Victoria Beckham. She and David have four children: sons Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz, and daughter Harper.
The family has recently faced public scrutiny as Brooklyn navigates tensions with his in-laws regarding his wife, the daughter of an American billionaire.
Emma Bunton (Baby Spice)
Born and raised in London, Emma Bunton studied stagecraft at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. She began her career with several minor roles in television soap operas.
Her debut solo album arrived in 2001, after the Spice Girls split, released through Virgin Records. It reached number four on the UK charts but quickly faded. A second album followed in 2004, released through the former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller’s label, and achieved more success, peaking at number 11.
Bunton married her long-term partner, Jade Jones, in 2021, after dating since 1998. The couple share two sons from before their marriage.
Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice)
The oldest of the five members (age 53) and often considered the most striking, Halliwell graduated from Kempsden School for Girls.
Prior to joining the Spice Girls, she worked in nightclubs on the island of Mallorca, hosted a television show in Turkey, and even dabbled in erotic modeling.
She was the first member to leave the group after the release of their second album, Spiceworld, citing depression and creative differences with the other four members.
Her solo career proved the most successful, particularly with a song featured in the film Bridget Jones’s Diary. She later found success as a children’s author. She is married to Christian Horner, the former Red Bull Racing Formula One team principal, and they have one son.
Melanie Brown (Scary Spice)
Melanie Brown was born in 1975 in Leeds. Her father is from Saint Kitts and Nevis, and her mother is English. She released her first solo single, “I Want You Back,” in September 1998, and simultaneously worked on the Spice Girls’ third album and her debut solo album, Hot, in 1999.
Following the group’s breakup, she continued to work in television, published an autobiography, and took on occasional film roles.
She married dancer Jimmy Gulzar in 1998, briefly changing her name to Mel G, and had a daughter before divorcing.
In 2007, it was revealed that Eddie Murphy was the father of her second child. She later married producer Stephen Belafonte and had a third daughter, but the marriage ended amid allegations of domestic violence.
