Who Is the Most Successful Spice Girl? (Spoiler: It’s Not Who You Think)
The Spice Girls is one of the highest-selling girl groups of all time. Therefore, thousands of fans were delighted when they reunited again for a tour in 2019. After the group’s disbandment, the Spice Girls went on to be successful in their own ways, including Mel B now famous for being a judge on America’s Got Talent and X Factor.
Most would think that Victoria Beckham, or Posh Spice, had the most success following the group, especially from her trendy fashion labels. However, Melanie Chisholm, “Melanie C” is actually the most successful Spice Girl. Keep reading to find out how.
Melanie Chisholm’s albums on Virgin Records
A year before the group disbanded in 2000, Chisholm, like a couple of other Spice Girls, inked a deal with Virgin Records. Later that year, she released her debut album, Northern Star. The album peaked at number four in the UK and went triple platinum in the country. During the recording process of Northern Star, she wrote: “Ga Ga” for the Adam Sandler comedy Big Daddy and “(Hey You) Free Your Mind” for Pokemon: The First Movie.
Her first number one single was “Never Be the Same Again” featuring Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez and the song went gold. In early 2001, she embarked on her first world tour, called the Northern Star Tour, and visited 30 countries across four continents.
After returning from her tour, she began working on her second album, Reason. She went to America to record a few songs. Chisholm wrote a song for the movie Bend It Like Beckham and a single for Holly Valance’s album, Footprints. Reason dropped March 2003, and it peaked at number five in the UK and went gold in the country.
Melanie Chisholm’s independent label and Spice Girls reunion
Virgin Records then released Chisholm, so she founded her own label in 2004, Red Girl, inspired by her favorite football team, Liverpool F.C. In April 2005, she dropped her third studio album, Beautiful Intentions and it peaked at number 24 in the UK, certified gold in Germany and Switzerland.
In March 2007, she dropped her fourth studio album, This Time, and it peaked at number eight in Switzerland and became certified gold in the country. Later that year, the Spice Girls held a surprise conference where they announced they are reuniting for a worldwide tour, The Return of the Spice Girls.
The Spice Girls released “Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)” in November 2007, and it became their first song not to hit the top ten, peaking at number 11. The Return of the Spice Girls tour grossed over $70 million and produced $107.2 million in ticket sales and merch, earning them a 2008 Billboard Tour Award. After returning from the Spice Girls tour, Chisholm went on a solo tour, performing in nine Canadian cities.
Melanie Chisholm begins acting and joins a music collective
In 2009, Chisholm began acting and starred in the musical Blood Brothers. Chisholm then accepted a position as a judge on the ITV talent show, Superstar. She also starred in the musical as Mary Magdalene and her work earned her a Whatsonstage.com Award for Best Supporting Actress in a musical.
Chisholm continued to top the charts, this time as part of a group, The Justice Collective, which included other musicians Robbie Williams and Paul McCartney. They were established in 2012 as a fund-raising record to raise money for different charities associated with the Hillsborough disaster.
Melanie Chisholm’s accolades
Chisholm has co-written 11 UK number one hits, which is more than any other female artist in the chart’s history. She is also the only female performer to top the charts solo, after being a part of a duo or group. Chisholm is the second female artist with the most number one UK singles. She is also the female performer with the most number one UK songs in ranking history.
Chisholm won three World Music Awards, five Brit Awards, three American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three MTV Europe Music Awards, and one MTV Video Music Award. She has also received several other awards and nominations.
Since 1996, Chisholm has sold over 105 million records, including 85 million with the Spice Girls and more than 20 million solo albums. She has also earned over 325 worldwide certifications, including 40 silver, gold and platinum certifications as a solo artist.
