Melanie Jayne Chisholm, also known as Melanie C or Sporty Spice, says being a Spice Girl has both helped and hindered her solo career.
“I probably would never have had the funding and the experience to go out and be a solo artist,” Chisholm told The Associated Press. “It hinders me in a way that people have preconceptions about people from boy or girl pop bands. But that doesn’t bother me because I am very secure with my music and my ability.”
“Melanie C: Northern Star” (Virgin Records) is a reflection of her musical tastes, the 27-year-old British singer said.
“When we’re together, it’s something that we do collectively. It’s quite fun, fun music…. With my solo work, it’s very personal and I get inspiration from artists that I admire, or things that happen in the world,” Chisholm said.
Fiona Apple and Eminem are among her favorite artists, she said.
The Spice Girls burst onto the American pop scene in late 1996 with the bouncy dance hit “Wannabe.” Their debut album, “Spice,” sold millions of copies, as did the follow-up, “Spiceworld.”
