Mel C: From Spice Girl to Mom

Now here’s a Spice Girl we haven’t heard much about in quite awhile – Mel Chisholm (aka Mel C) interviewed with Good Housekeeping about how her life has changed since her Spice Girl days. The 38-year-old brunette beauty was formally known as Sporty Spice, and although she certainly still has a very healthy athletically toned build, she has expanded her repertoire to singer, actress, and mom.

Being a part of what Rolling Stone referred to as the “most widely recognized group of individuals since John, Paul, George, and Ringo" certainly got Mel C’s career started off right. The Spice Girls took the world by storm and were the leading Girl Power band during their reign from 1996-2000.

The band gradually dissolved after original member Geri Halliwell suddenly left the group in 1998, and the women went on to establish their own careers. Mel C has gone on to release five solo albums, with her debut solo album Northern Star in 1999 selling four million copies. Her albums have sold more than 12 million combined, and she has been nominated for Brit and Echo Awards.

Addressing the somewhat chilly feelings involved in the Spice Girl break-up, Mel C. said, "Our friendship has gotten better with age. The time we spent working together was so intense, and so much happened to us that I think we needed some time apart – I know I did, to discover who I was as an individual ... We’ve shared something so unique that if any of us needed one of the others, we’d be there."

Mel C also found a calling with a different kind of stage performing – no, not that kind! – acting in plays! Her debut stage-acting role was as Mrs. Johnstone in the London West End play Blood Brothers in 2007. Currently, Mel is portraying Mary Magdalene in the famous musical Jesus Christ: Superstar! The play opens in London this September.

The singer-actress also found another role in life that has made her happiest of all – mom. Mel C gave birth to her daughter Scarlet Starr in February of 2009. Mel C spoke to Good Housekeeping about motherhood: “It changed absolutely everything – more than anything, it changed me. I’m definitely happier. She’s the light of my life, even when she’s a bit cheeky! One thing that my daughter gave me is courage – I’m definitely more confident now.”

She also acknowledges that parenthood has it challenges, "There's no doubt it's the hardest job in the world and there are moments when it is so, so tough … but you can't get over how brilliant it is having a new person in your life who is so young and energetic."

Happy to continue, Mel C added, "She is like a ray of sunshine every day. I think the best part of my day is waking up in the morning, getting up and going to see her, then having breakfast together.”