celebrity

In the 1990s, the Spice Girls were the biggest band in the world. Here's what their lives look like now.

In the late 90s, the Spice Girls were arguably the most famous women in the world. 

Geri Horner, Emma Bunton, Victoria Beckham, Mel B and Mel C were part of the all-girl band that on their very first album, peaked at Number One in more than 17 countries. They would go on to sell 30 million copies and become the biggest-selling album in music history by a girl group. 

In 1998, Geri left the iconic pop group and two years later, Emma, Victoria, Mel B and Mel C officially went on hiatus in 2000. 

It's now been 22 years since the Spice Girls went their separate ways.

Here's what each member is up to now. 

Geri Horner (formerly Halliwell), Ginger Spice.

Horner was arguably the most controversial member of the Spice Girls after she abruptly exited from the group in 1998 - a few days before their US tour.

Geri wouldn't elaborate on her decision until nine years later in 2007 for the documentary Giving You Everything.

The Spice Girls. Image: Getty.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I remember knowing in my heart in the days approaching that I was going to leave, and the song 'Viva Forever', I was standing there thinking 'Oh my god, this is the last time I'm going to perform this with them'," she recalled. "I'd given all I could."

Geri went on to say she didn't feel like she was needed anymore in the Spice Girls: "I felt like I didn't belong anymore. They didn't need me anymore, really, and I definitely felt very redundant.

"I kind of threw in the towel and gave up."

The singer launched her solo career in 1999 with the debut album Schizophrenic and has released two other albums since; Scream If You Wanna Go in 2001 and Passion in 2003.

Geri Horner in Passion. Image: EMI.

ADVERTISEMENT

She eventually reunited with the Spice Girls in 2007 for their first reunion tour, The Return Of The Spice Girls.

She then returned for a second tour in 2019 and then one more time in 2021 to mark the girl group's 25th anniversary.

Geri has also had a successful career as a children's author and is known for her book series, Ugenia Lavender. 

Geri Horner at the launch party for her book series, Ugenia Lavender, in 2008. Image: Getty.

ADVERTISEMENT

She released a series of five books in 2008 and according to reports, the pop star plans on releasing a new book series that she hopes will develop into a show later down the track.

In 2015, Geri married Christian Horner, a racecar driver. 

The pair share two children and she is also a stepmother to another child.

ADVERTISEMENT

Melanie 'Mel B' Brown, Scary Spice.

Better known as 'Mel B', the pop singer struck out on her own following the Spice Girls' hiatus and released the debut album Hot in 2000. 

Since then, Mel B has established herself as a talent show judge and television personality and is internationally known for appearing on Australia's The X Factor and America's Got Talent. 

Recently, she walked the red carpet with reality star Abbie Chatfield after working with her on The Masked Singer Australia. 

Abbie Chatfield and Mel B for the Logie Awards

ADVERTISEMENT

Despite reaching stellar heights in her career, the singer has had an undeniably difficult time in her private life. 

After meeting American film producer Stephen Belafonte in 2007, the pair married and in 2011, welcomed a daughter together. Years later, her alleged domestic abuse story came to light after it was revealed she was rushed to hospital and missed filming for X Factor in 2014. Later, she came on to the show with bruises on her arms.

It was not until 2017 when she opened up about being an alleged victim to domestic abuse.

"You're living in a nightmare, and then tell the outside world that everything is fine because you're so embarrassed, and riddled with guilt, and worried that nobody's going to believe you," she explained to The Guardian earlier in 2022.

ADVERTISEMENT

After leaving him, she said she had been the "embodiment of girl power" as a Spice Girl but for "10 years, I was completely powerless over this man".

Watch Mel B on domestic violence. Post continues after video.


Video via 4 News.

Mel B has two other children with actor Eddie Murphy and dancer Jimmy Gulzar. 

Eddie Murphy and Mel B, 2006. Image: Supplied.

ADVERTISEMENT

Earlier in 2022, the singer received an Order of the British Empire medal for her work as patron of Women's Aid.

Emma Bunton, Baby Spice.

Just like Geri, Emma Bunton pursued a solo career following the Spice Girls' hiatus. 

The singer released four popular albums; A Girl Like Me in 2001, Free Me in 2004, Life In Mono in 2006 and My Happy Place in 2019. All in all, she's had seven UK Top 10 singles.

Emma Bunton in A Girl Like Me. Image: Getty.

ADVERTISEMENT

Emma also pursued an incredibly successful career as a radio presenter for Heart London, and won Radio Presenter of the Year and Digital Radio Programme in 2017.

For a majority of her career, the Spice Girls star has had her partner, Jade Jones, along for the ride. After meeting in 1998, Emma admitted she always knew he was her soulmate.

Emma Bunton and Jade Jones, 1999. Image: Getty.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It was very immediate, as soon as I looked at him I thought, 'This is so special,'" she told Holly Willoughby on the podcast, Light of the Moon. "He felt exactly the same, and we had very magical moments very early on and I think we were both taken back about that.

"We would talk about children, it was very intense very quickly. I think both of us knew we wanted to be together. We're soulmates."

While they split up twice, Emma said it "worked a treat" for the pair's relationship. They split in 1999 - just a few months into their relationship - before reconciling in 2000. The couple called it quits once more in 2002 before reuniting for good in 2004.

Emma Bunton and Jade Jones, 2022. Image: Getty.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I think it gave us time to grow as people and when we came back together it was just amazing. We felt something very quickly... It worked a treat," she explained.

The pair share two children together.

Victoria Beckham (formerly Adams), Posh Spice.

Victoria Beckham has lived a life in the spotlight for over two decades and has established herself as arguably the most well-known Spice Girl - which is partly due to her high-profile marriage to British soccer player David Beckham. 

In the early 2000s, the couple faced rumours that the singer's husband had an affair with his ex-assistant Rebecca Loos while he was playing for Real Madrid in Spain.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I’m not going to lie. It was a really tough time," Victoria admitted in 2007, reflecting on the scandal.

"David and I got through it together. No one said marriage is going to be easy."

These days, the former Spice Girls member is a fashion designer of her own label, Victoria Beckham, which she created in 2011.

Image: Getty.

ADVERTISEMENT

She and David Beckham share four children, the oldest being Brooklyn, who is married to actress Nicola Peltz. Their youngest child, a daughter named Harper, was born in 2011.

While the rest of the girl group banded together for the Spice Girls reunion tour in 2019, Beckham sat it out. It was a decision she came to regret.

"I'm sure when they are on stage, a part of me will feel a bit left out," she told The Guardian. "Because a part of me will always be a Spice Girl."

Listen to Lowbrow, where Holly Wainwright breaks down the David Beckham cheating scandal. Post continues after audio. 

Melanie “Mel C” Chisholm, Sporty Spice.

Since leaving the Spice Girls in 2000, Mel C has been keeping up her solo career. 

Her debut album, Northern Star, was released in 1999 - just months before the Spice Girls confirmed they were on hiatus. She has since released eight albums, including a self-titled album, Melanie C, in 2020.

In February 2009 she gave birth to a daughter called Scarlet. 

Famously, Mel C dated singer Robbie Williams after the pair met in 1996. 

"We ended up hanging out platonically, but I went up to his room and he gave me one of his tracksuits, a white Adidas one with black stripes. It was way too big for me, but I treasured it," she wrote in her memoir Who I Am: My Story. 

ADVERTISEMENT

While their brief relationship didn't end up working out, it took her a long time to move on. 

"Sadly, Robbie did behave badly. He led me on and then abruptly dropped me at a time when I was incredibly vulnerable. I don't have any bad feelings towards him now, but he did break my heart a bit," she wrote.

"He has apologised to me publicly and privately, and of course I've long forgiven him, but I must admit, it really did hurt at the time."

Back in 2019, the author and singer admitted to struggling with being famous. 

"For five minutes, I was one of the most famous people in the world - how do you deal with that? Everyone treats you differently, she explained to The Guardian. "And I’ll just be the happy-go-lucky, normal person I was when I was 19. And then, unfortunately, some feelings of depression have come back over the years and I’ve realised, this is part of who I am."

Mel C has sold over 3 million albums as a solo artist and still performs her music. Nowadays, she is a professional DJ and in 2021, she competed on Dancing With The Stars. In 2022, she began hosting Queens For The Night, a British reality television competition that sees a group of celebrities become drag queens. 

Feature Image: Getty / Mamamia.

Do you often find you need a pick-me-up to get through the day? Take our survey now to go in the running to win a $50 gift voucher.