S8 EP5: Melanie C on Spiceworld, comparing muscles with Arnold Schwarzenegger and why she’ll always be a Spice Girl

Louis Theroux· Host0:00

[upbeat music] Hello there. It's me, Louis Theroux. Welcome to my podcast, The Louis Theroux Podcast. [upbeat music] My guest today is singer-songwriter, DJ, and perhaps most iconically, Spice Girl, Melanie Chisholm, AKA Mel C. Melanie was, of course, the high-kicking, back-flipping, tracksuit-wearing Sporty Spice, making up one-fifth of the best-selling girl band in history. She was catapulted to stardom with the release of hit single Wannabe in 1996, which reached number one in 37 countries. The Spice Girls became a symbol of girl power. They-- I don't think they coined the term, but they became synonymous with it and popularized it. Also, Cool Britannia and general globe-conquering pop hegemony. But the band also faced intense media scrutiny, public backlash, and various internal conflicts, some of which we lightly and gingerly touch upon in the chat. Melanie was, I think it's fair to say, and in fact, I did say it in our conversation, widely regarded as the best singer of the group. I don't think that's controversial. Who knows? And after the Spice Girls hiatus, she enjoyed a successful solo career with forays into pop, rock, R&B,