Scary Spice Mel B may have the edge over the rest of The Masked Singer judges when it comes to guessing this season’s celebrity warblers – she’s also been a contestant on the show. Twice.
The pop icon has donned a mask to compete in both the British and Spanish versions of the fun and ridiculous singing competition, with her low, purring voice instantly recognizable to legions of Spice Girls fans , knows some insider tricks contestants use to hide their identity. .
As he told news.com.au, in his case it was touring a lot with songs out of his comfort zone: acting like a seahorse in Masked Singer UKsounded nothing like herself as she channeled Kylie Minogue’s soaring, ethereal voice for a rendition of I can’t get you out of my head.
And Mel B scoffed at the rest’s suggestion The masked singer The judges (OG panelist Dave Hughes and fellow newbies Chrissie Swan and Abbie Chatfield) would have a home advantage when it comes to picking some of the Aussie celebs under those masks.
If you have seen the most surreal moment of the masked singer ad currently airing: An excited Mel B shouting her guess about “Schapelle Corby!” – You will understand that Scary knows his Australian celebrities.
“I lived here, remember – my kids even went to school here,” she said, referring to the long period a decade ago when she and her family settled in Sydney’s eastern suburbs while juggling local TV projects.
I could The masked singer lead to another extended stay in Australia for a woman who is practically a veteran of Australian reality at this point?
“I have three girls, so anything I do has to fit in with them… But I’d like to come back here more,” she said.
Of course, Mel B’s longing to return to Australia hit global headlines in 2019 when she jumped in with a headline announcement at the final show of the Spice Girls UK reunion tour.
“Thanks, and see you in February in Australia!” he announced, the closest thing we’ve had to confirmation for a band that has been winning over Australian fans desperate for a tour for decades.
Mel B confirmed that yes, there were plans to bring the tour to Australia, but that Covid scuppered those plans. At the moment? She’s not sure, but “hopes” the band’s Australian fans will be able to see them live soon.
Those lucky enough to catch the group’s 2019 tour – just 13 shows but playing to over 700,000 fans in stadiums across the UK and Ireland – would have seen Mel B in her element.
From the moment she and the rest of the group (minus Posh) shot off the stage to launch Spice up your life, it was clear how much Mel, back in her skin-tight leopard print catsuit and afro, strutting around the stage looking every inch the pop star, was born to do it. So do you miss being a Spice Girl?
“I miss it and I’m always looking forward to getting back on stage,” he said. “I love being up there; especially with my girls. Those shows were fair massive.”
For now, the Spice Girls are more focused on tending to their legacy as the group hits some major (and hard-to-believe) milestones. November marks 25 years since the publication of the second album spiceworld, and the group’s now-active social media has already started teasing celebrations similar to the ones they did for debut album Spice last year. Mel said this “homage” to the past seemed important: “It’s a way of saying thank you to the fans.”
It’s also an opportunity to look back at perhaps the most hectic period of the group’s two years of world domination: between October 1997 and June 1998 they played their first live concerts in Istanbul, released the spiceworld album, three singles, a full-length, fired their manager, went on a 56-date European tour and lost a member when Geri quit.
It was a whirlwind, but Mel says she remembers every minute of it: “I remember things so clearly. And I kept diaries every day,” she explained.
Sure then, Mel B’s Spiceworld Diaries are asking to be published, following two previous books by the star, including 2018’s must-read Brutally honesta harrowing account of her toxic marriage to ex-husband Stephen Belafonte.
Meanwhile, there’s another Spice Girls book on the horizon: ‘Sporty Spice’ Melanie C will publish her first memoir in September, promising to talk about the highs and lows of the group’s life. Mel confirmed that he had been helping his bandmate behind the scenes as he prepared for the release.
“Oh yeah, we’re friends, so we’d never say or write anything publicly without checking with each other first. She’s been sending me little things and I’ve been helping her,” he said.
And this year there is another key anniversary in the history of the group. August marks 10 years since their spectacular performance at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics, the last time they performed as a five-piece.
Watching the performance, and with 25 million views on YouTube, it’s clear they still do, it makes you wonder how many things could have gone horribly wrong during their four minutes of stage time, as they ran around the stadium standing in above of taxis and holding on for dear life. Victoria, in particular, seemed one strong gust of wind away from becoming Olympic roadkill.
“I think the drivers were under more pressure – they were the ones who had to make sure nothing went wrong,” said Mel, who confessed that the group went into the performance with the same philosophy that reported big part of his career:
“With the Spice Girls, we’re always like… do it. Do it and try not to think about what could go wrong!”
The Masked Singer premieres on Sunday 7 August at 7.30pm on Ten