Melanie C
Melanie Jayne Chisholm (born 12 January 1974), professionally known as Melanie C or Mel C, is an English singer, songwriter and DJ. As one of the five members of the Spice Girls, she was nicknamed Sporty Spice; they released two consecutive number-one albums and nine number-one singles. The group's debut single "Wannabe" is the biggest-selling debut single of all time and the group's debut album Spice is the biggest-selling album in music history by a girl group.[4][5] The Spice Girls have sold 105 million records worldwide,[6][7][8] making them the best-selling girl group of all time.[9][10][11]
Melanie C
- Mel C
- Sporty Spice
- Melanie Chisholm
- Singer
- songwriter
- DJ
- actress
- television personality
Thomas Starr (2002–2012)
Joe Marshall (2015–2022)
1
Paul O'Neill (half-brother)
1994–present
- Red Girl
- Virgin
Chisholm began her solo career in late 1998 on the single "When You're Gone" with Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams. In 1999, Chisholm signed with Virgin Records as a solo artist; her debut solo album Northern Star was released in October of that year. The album reached number one in Sweden and number 4 on the UK Albums Chart. It sold over 4 million copies worldwide, and is the best selling solo album of any Spice Girls member.[12][13] In 2003, Chisholm released her second album, Reason. The following year, Chisholm departed from Virgin Records and founded her own record company, Red Girl Records. In 2005, Chisholm released her third album, Beautiful Intentions. It spent 9 weeks at number one in Portugal and spawned international hit singles, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide. Her fourth studio album, This Time, was released in 2007, which spawned three number one singles in Portugal.[14] In December 2007, Chisholm reunited with the Spice Girls to release a greatest hits album supported by a world tour.[15] Chisholm continued to release albums in the following years, including The Sea (2011), Stages (2012), and Version of Me (2016). Her eponymous eighth studio album was released in 2020.
She has co-written 11 UK number-ones, more than any other female artist in chart history. She remains the only female performer to top the charts as a solo artist, as part of a duo, quartet, and quintet. With twelve UK number-one singles, she is the second female artist – and the first British female artist – with most singles at number one in the United Kingdom. With a total of fourteen songs that have received the number one in Britain (including double A-sides), Chisholm is the female artist with most songs at number one in the UK ranking history.[16][17][18] Her work has earned her several awards, including three World Music Awards, five Brit Awards, three American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, eight Billboard special awards, three MTV Europe Music Awards, one MTV Video Music Award, ten ASCAP awards, and one Juno Award.[19] As a solo artist, Chisholm has sold more than 30 million albums, singles and collaborations, and has earned over 334 worldwide certifications, including 43 silver, gold and platinum certifications as a solo artist.
Chisholm is also an actress; she was nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance in Blood Brothers in the West End,[20] and starred as Mary Magdalene in a touring show of Jesus Christ Superstar in 2012.[21] Chisholm's autobiography, Who I Am: My Story,[22] was released on 15 September 2022.[23][24]
Early life[edit]
Melanie Jayne Chisholm[1] was born on 12 January 1974 in Whiston, Merseyside,[2][25] the only daughter of Joan O'Neill, who worked as a secretary and personal assistant and has been singing in music bands since she was 14,[26] and Alan Chisholm, a fitter at the Otis Elevator Company.[26] Her parents married in 1971 and separated in 1978, when Chisholm was four years old.[26] Her mother remarried and had more children, one of whom is racing driver Paul O'Neill, who was born when Chisholm was six years old.[27] She grew up in Widnes, Cheshire,[25] attending Brookvale Junior School in nearby Runcorn[26] and Fairfield High School in Widnes.[28] Following school, she studied for a diploma course in singing, dancing, and musical theatre at the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts in London. During college, she replied to an advert in The Stage placed by Chris and Bob Herbert, who were looking to form a new girl group, later to become the Spice Girls.[25] She left college just short of completing her three-year course,[25] and gained teaching qualifications in tap and modern theatre dance with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing.[25]
Philanthropy[edit]
In 2000, all proceeds from sales of her "If That Were Me" single went towards the Kandu Arts charity.[283] In 2012, Chisholm joined the Sport Relief telethon by appearing in a Never Mind the Buzzcocks special.[284] Chisholm also participated in a three-mile "Sport Relief Mile" run.[285] In 2013, Chisholm joined Jack Dee, Dara Ó Briain, Greg James, Chelsee Healey and Philips Idowu in Through Hell and High Water, a Comic Relief challenge which involved British celebrities canoeing the most difficult rapids of the Zambezi River. They raised over £1 million for the charity. In 2014, Chisholm travelled to Ghana to support a charity campaign by Procter & Gamble that provides African children with clean drinking water. The project involved the use of purification sachets that changes the water from stagnant to drinkable.[286] Chisholm also supported a homeless charity by donating funds raised from her annual calendar.[287]
Artistry[edit]
Influences[edit]
Chisholm has cited Madonna as her biggest musical influence.[288] She stated: "I think she's inspired me a lot musically, and maybe [in] just the way I present myself. I've always admired how hard she works and what a strong lady she is, so she's always inspired me in that way."[289] Chisholm named Madonna, Blur, Oasis, Suede and the Cardigans as inspirations for her first album.[290]
