‘Spice’ Holds a Special Place in our Hearts!
The Spice Girls reunion recently kicked off, giving fans the perfect excuse to blast “Wannabe” for the next few months.
The group continues to be significant not just for fans, but for the new generations of pop artists who take inspiration from them. They’ve also had and immeasurable impact on young girls growing up in the 90s, and they gave millions of impressionable young fans their first taste of feminism, or in Spice terms, Girl Power.
They were bold and unapologetic, and many of their songs contained genuinely empowering messages about friendship and sisterhood.
Ahead of the Spice Girls’ 20th Anniversary, and a leaking of a new song as the group (minus Victoria) recently united for the massive reunion tour in the UK, we recap the most iconic moments from Scary, Sporty, Ginger, Posh and Baby.
1. When ‘Wannabe’ became the most empowering song across the globe!
On 7th June 1996, the Spice Girls’ debut single, Wannabe, was unleashed on the world and Mel B, Mel C, Geri Halliwell, Victoria Adams and Emma Bunton (aka Scary, Sporty, Ginger, Posh and Baby respectively) became household names. Suddenly, it was okay for girls to be whoever they really were – as well as admitting a hitherto unspoken urge to “zigazig-ha”. Girl power had officially been born.
2. Their greatest Christmas gift to all pop fans!
With their third single, 2 Become 1, the Spice Girls landed their first – and most enduring – Christmas number 1. It sold 430,000 copies in its first week, making it the fastest selling single of the year, and also revealed a more soulful, grown-up side to the group that had previously been unseen. “Set your spirit free; it’s the only way to be,” Or so they say.
3. Becoming world famous dance icons:
In March 1997, playgrounds were suddenly swept with a new dance craze. Don’t pretend that you’ve never swung it, shook it, moved it or made it, because we simply won’t believe you. ‘Who Do you Think You Are’, a double A-side with the more down-tempo Mama, became the group’s fourth consecutive number 1 single in the United Kingdom, blasting them into UK chart history as the first group to have its first four singles reach number 1.
4. Their entry into the world as popular fashion icons:
The Spices’ performance of ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ at the BRITS in 1997 spawned one of the most iconic fashion moments of the decade thanks to Ginger, a pair of platform boots and an itsy-bitsy Union Jack flag dress. The following year, the dress – which has its own Wikipedia page – was sold for £41,320, earning it a place in the book of Guinness World Records as the most expensive item of pop star clothing dealt at an auction.
5. Spice Mania
Nelson Mandela was another unlikely high profile candidate to fall for Spicemania. The political legend famously declared: “These are my heroes. This is one of the greatest moments in my life”, when he was introduced to the girls in November 1997. Brilliantly, the meet was brokered by none other than fellow Spice lover, Prince Charles. Talk about friends in high places!
6. Spice World:
What’s a record-breaking five-piece girl group to do when they’re dominating the charts? Hit the big screen, of course. Spiceworld: The Movie, which featured all five girls alongside a sterling cast that included Roger Moore, Stephen Fry, Elton John, Jennifer Saunders, and Richard E. Grant, was released in December 1997.
7. World Domination:
In the days before internet domination and the rise of social media, the Spice brand broke new grounds when it came to marketing – a significant factor in raising the girls from pop prodigies to cult icons. Polaroid, Impulse, Pepsi, Cadbury’s, Chupa Chups, Tesco, PlayStation… You name it, in the late 90s, it had Scary, Sporty, Ginger, Posh and Baby plastered all over it.
This is proof that the girls will always have a place in our hearts!
