Melanie Chisholm

Melanie Chisholm
Melanie C at promotion in The Tall Ships' Races, Szczecin, Poland, 2007
Background information
Birth name	Melanie Jayne Chisholm
Also known as	Mel C. Sporty Melanie C. Sporty Spice
Born	12 January 1974 (1974-01-12) (age 37) Whiston, Merseyside, England
Origin	London, England, UK
Genres	Pop, pop rock, britpop
Occupations	Singer–songwriter, actress, businesswoman
Years active	1994–present
Labels	Virgin Records Red Girl Records
Associated acts	Spice Girls, Bryan Adams, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes
Website	Official website

Melanie Jayne Chisholm (born 12 January 1974) is an English singer–songwriter, actress and businesswoman. She is best known as one of the five members of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed "Sporty Spice". Performing as Melanie C as a solo artist, she released four albums, earned nominations for a BRIT and ECHO Awards^[1] and charted at the top of Billboard Dance Chart in the United States in late 2000.

Chisholm has sold 10 million albums as a solo artist and holds the second position for most United Kingdom number-ones by a female co-writer only behind Madonna and her former Spice Girls bandmate Geri Halliwell.^[2] She is also third after John Lennon and Paul McCartney for the most UK number-one singles by a British co-writer and is the only female to reach the UK number-one as part of a quintet, quartet, duo and as a solo artist.^[3]

Early life

Chisholm was born on 12 January 1974 at Whiston Hospital, Whiston, Merseyside. Raised originally in Rainhill, Merseyside and then Widnes^[4], she attended Fairfield High School where she studied singing and dancing. After leaving school at age 15, Chisholm studied for a diploma course in dance, singing, drama and musical theatre at the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts in Sidcup, Kent. During college, she replied to an advert in The Stage by Chris and Bob Herbert, who were looking to form a new girl group, later to become the Spice Girls. She left college just short of completing her three-year course and gained teaching qualifications in Tap and Modern Theatre Dance with the ISTD. In 1994, she joined the Spice Girls.

Music career

The Spice Girls: 1994–2001

In 1994 she joined the Spice Girls (then still called Touch) after the original fifth Touch member, Lianne Morgan had to leave the group. In 1996 Chisholm, along with Melanie Brown, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, and Victoria Beckham (at that time Victoria Adams), shot to fame with the release of "Wannabe". The debut album, Spice, shot to number one all over the globe, including the U.S. Because Mel C usually wore a tracksuit with her hair in a ponytail and sporting the attitude of a tomboy, she was called Sporty Spice. They went on to become one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, selling more than sixty million records worldwide. They had nine UK number-one singles and two number-one albums. After a third album release, Forever (UK #2), the members went their separate ways, and Chisholm developed a solo career.

Virgin Records: 1998–2003

Chisholm took her first steps in establishing a solo career in late 1998 by singing with Canadian rocker Bryan Adams on the song "When You're Gone". Her Debut album Northern Star was released in 1999. A track from this album ("Ga Ga") was included on the Big Daddy soundtrack before her own album's release. Singles "Goin' Down" and "Northern Star" were met with promising success, but the third single "Never Be the Same Again", featuring TLC member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, became her first UK number-one single as a solo artist, also a number-one single in the Netherlands, a Top Five hit in Germany and #2 in Australia. Capitalising on her new found success, Chisholm released a fourth single from Northern Star, a dance remix of "I Turn to You", and earned herself a second number-one single in both the UK and the Netherlands. "I Turn to You" reached #2 in Germany, #11 in Australia and eventually climbed to the top of the Billboard dance chart in the United States. Northern Star was re-released with the single versions of "Never Be the Same Again" and "I Turn to You", and eventually peaked at number four on the United Kingdom album chart and number six in Germany.

"If That Were Me" was chosen as the fifth and final single from Northern Star and proceeds were donated to a charity for the homeless; it peaked at number eighteen in the UK. Northern Star is certified three times platinum in the United Kingdom for shipping 900,000 copies, platinum in Germany for selling over 500,000 copies, gold in Brazil for selling 100,000 copies, and gold in Australia for selling over 35,000 copies. Chisholm then went on her Northern Star World Tour, performing in countries such as Canada, Germany, Russia, Spain, Turkey, USA, Estonia, Bahrain, Israel, Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.

From May 2001 – November 2002 Chisholm toured for her album.

Chisholm released her second studio album, Reason, in March 2003. The album included production from a series of collaborators including Gregg Alexander (New Radicals, Ronan Keating), Marius De Vries (Madonna), Dr Robert of The Blow Monkeys, David Arnold (Björk) and Matt Rowe, co-writer of the Spice Girls' "Wannabe". The lead single from Reason was "Here It Comes Again", which peaked at number seven in the UK, with the album entering the UK album chart a week later at number five, but quickly fell off the chart. The album also entered at number 12 in Germany and #21 in Switzerland.

Other singles from the album were "On the Horizon" (UK number fourteen, written with Gregg Alexander), "Let's Love" in Japan (where the song accompanied a Toyota commercial), "Yeh Yeh Yeh" in mainland Europe and, finally, a UK double A-side of "Melt"/"Yeh Yeh Yeh", which achieved a disappointing UK chart position of number twenty-seven. After a series of disappointments and the relative failure of "Melt"/"Yeh Yeh Yeh", Chisholm parted ways with her label, Virgin Records.^[5] Reason has been certified gold in the United Kingdom.

Red Girl Records: 2004–present

Melanie C performing at a music festival in Germany, 2006

Chisholm spent much of 2004 working on new material and setting up her own record company, Red Girl Records. Without major label backing, her activities are decided on and funded by herself, alongside her business partner and manager, Nancy Phillips. In April 2005, Chisholm released her third album, Beautiful Intentions. The Adam Argyle-penned "Next Best Superstar" was chosen as the lead single and was released simultaneously in the UK, Europe, and Australia. The single peaked at respectable number ten in the UK and reached the top of the Germany radio airplay chart for several weeks. A second single, "Better Alone", was released but later restricted to purchase from the iTunes Store (for digital download) and from her official online shop. Chisholm released "Better Alone" in 2006 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and some other European countries. The third single from her third album was "First Day of My Life", a previously unheard Chisholm recording written by Guy Chambers and Enrique Iglesias. "First Day of My Life" topped the charts in several European countries, including Spain, Poland, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland and Portugal. The single became one of the biggest hits of 2005 in parts of Europe, reaching number one position in Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and Germany for two weeks (Chisholms first #1 single here), but it was never released in the UK. Beautiful Intentions has been certified gold in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and platinum in Portugal, where it spent nine weeks at number one.

In early 2007, Chisholm released her fourth album, This Time. It features writing collaborations with Adam Argyle, Peter-John Vettese, Guy Chambers and Cathy Dennis (amongst others). The first single released from the project was the international hit "The Moment You Believe", primarily released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where it became a top twenty hit. The single also peaked at number 1 in Spain for two weeks and was a big hit in several other European countries. In the UK, Chisholm released the track "I Want Candy", which peaked at number twenty-four and featured on the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The single peaked at number nine in Italy and Denmark. The second single from the album This Time was "Carolyna", released in June in the UK and across Europe. Although it underperformed in the UK, it became a top five radio hit in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and a top twenty hit in Italy. In October 2007 in the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Austria Chisholm released the single "This Time". A new version of the song was recorded for the release. It features a B-side track called "We Love To Entertain You", which was used for 2007's Pro7 Starforce campaign in Germany.

In November 2007, Chisholm reunited with the Spice Girls for a Greatest Hits album release and a three-months world tour. When the tour reached its first two-day break, Chisholm performed an acoustic solo set at The Mint in Los Angeles on 6 December, another one in The Grand Ballroom in New York City and a third solo performance in Toronto Canada.^[6] On the last show of the tour, Chisholm did her famous "Sporty Spice" backflip as a surprise to the fans, as well as the other Spice Girls. In February 2008 Chisholm returned to her solo career. She released her fourth album "This Time" in Canada on 8 April 2008,^[7] followed by a full Canadian tour in May 2008. The first single was "Carolyna". "Understand" was released as a second single in Canada on 25 July. The video was filmed largely in Toronto, but several live clips were included from her various Canadian performances as well.

In May 2009, Chisholm announces the release of a DVD with her concert at the Hard Rock Cafe in Manchester (2008), in aid of the Caron Keating Fundation. The DVD also includes two new songs: Blue Skies All the Way and Paris Burning.

The Mirror reported in July 2009 that Melanie is to release a new album in 2010.^[8]

In December 2009 she joined BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball on a special New Year's Eve radio programme featuring the Great British Songbook of the 90s, make it the part of BBC Special Christmas Season 2009.^[9]

Acting career

In the early to mid 1990s Chisholm made several appearances in television commercials and music videos while trying to pursue her music career. It wasn't until The Spice Girls became popular that she made regular television appearances and played herself in many commercials. In 1997 Chisholm's feature film debut came in Spiceworld The Movie playing herself alongside her bandmates. In 2000 Chisholm played herself (Sporty Spice) in an episode of The Norm Show while promoting her girl band's third studio album Forever.

She revealed in an interview with Nylon Magazine in December 2009 that she is interested in pursuing a serious acting career in film.In 2009 after having her first child Chisholm signed to star in the starring role of Mrs Johnstone in the musical Blood Brothers by Willy Russell in London's West End'. She performed role for 6 months, commencing November 2009. She was nominated for the Best Actress in a Musical category at the 2010 Laurence Olivier Awards. Melanie reprises the role for a limited 2 week engagement at the Liverpool Empire Theatre in November 2010.

Personal life

Chisholm has been linked with such stars as football player Jason McAteer, and singers Robbie Williams and Damon Albarn^[10] and Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis. Their song "Emit Remmus" is about Kiedis' relationship with Chisholm.^[11]

Chisholm is friends with ex-Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, who also played guitar on her first solo album Northern Star.^[1] Her favourite singers include Madonna and Stevie Wonder;^[1] her favourite film is Toy Story.^[1] Chisholm is the passionate supporter of Liverpool F.C. and she named her label Red Girl Records after LFC.^[1]

She has been in a relationship with property developer Thomas Starr since 2002. They currently share a £1 million country home at Catbrook, Monmouthshire.^[12] In August 2008 it was announced that Chisholm and Starr were expecting their first child together.^[13] On 22 February 2009, Chisholm gave birth to a baby girl. The baby weighed 8 lbs 3oz and was named Scarlet Starr. Chisholm is the last of the Spice Girls to become a mother.^[14]

Chisholm has been open about her battles with clinical depression^[15] and an eating disorder,^[16] which she has experienced sporadically throughout her life.

The singer is noted for her tattoos. Most of them are along eastern lines – among them a lotus flower, a phoenix and a dragon, and Tibetan symbols for love and happiness. She has 11 tattoos on her body with the last done in 2007 at Hanky Panky's in Amsterdam.^[17]

Discography

• 1999: Northern Star
• 2003: Reason
• 2005: Beautiful Intentions
• 2007: This Time
• 2011: Fifth Studio Album ^[8]

Filmography

Films

• 1997: Spiceworld The Movie ... Herself (Lead Role)

Television

• 2003: Bo Selecta ... Herself (Cameo)
• 2007: Keith Lemon's World Tour ... Herself (3 Episodes)

Stage Work

• 2009-2010: Blood Brothers ... Mrs Johnstone (London West End and Liverpool)

Tours

• 1999 – From Liverpool to Leicester Square
• 2000 – Northern Star UK Tour
• 2001 – Northern Star World Tour
• 2003 – Reason UK & Ireland Tour
• 2004 – The Barfly Mini-Tour
• 2005 – Beautiful Intentions European Tour
• 2005 – Beautiful Intentions German Tour
• 2008 – This Time Canadian Tour

West End

• 2009/2010 - Blood Brothers (London)

DVD

• Live Hits (2006)
• Live at the Hard Rock Cafe (2009)

References

External links

• Melanie Chisholm Official Website
• Melanie C discography at Discogs.
• Melanie Chisholm official site at MySpace.
• Melanie Chisholm official fan page at Facebook.
• Melanie Chisholm at the Internet Movie Database