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OK, so everyone knows Sporty Spice - but get ready for the inside info on the real Melanie Chisholm...
Mel chose to record her solo material in LA to get as far away from the Spice Girls sound as she could. And, after just one listen to her kick-ass album, Northern Star, you can tell she's succeeded... it ain't no Wannabe! To get her new sound, Mel worked with Beastie Boys producer Rick Rubin and Madonna's mate, William Orbit. Oh, and Bryan Adams returned the favour after their duet last year, by writing the song, Follow.
She takes her new material much more seriously than the Spice Girls tunes. "Spice Girls, for me, is a hobby," Mel admits. "My solo stuff is my proper job. This is the real me. I've lived in the Spice Girls bubble for a long time." Oooh - wonder what the other gals think about that?!
Naughty Mel wanted to make the way-cool vid for Goin' Down as shocking as she could. And with it being banned from daytime MTV, we reckon she's succeeded, don't you?
Sure, Mel loves travelling the world with the Spicies - who wouldn't? - but she doesn't enjoy being away on her own... so what's a girl to do? Simple! Mel makes bessie mates with the people she works with, like Ying, her travelling assistant, Jenny, her stylist, Greg, her trainer, and members of her five-piece band.
She might always be smiling, but did you know poor Mel suffers from mood swings and loads of stress? So to relax her weary bones, Mel burns essence, spends lots of time on the phone to her family and lifts weights with her trainer, Greg...
Even though Melanie's single, when she was in LA recording her album, she was linked with v.famous American lads like Adam Sandler (The Water Boy) and Red Hot Chili Peppers singer, Anthony Keidis. Plus she's said to have caught up with Robbie Williams several times during his recent US promo tour.
Mel's blinding set at V99 proved she loves being on stage on her own, but the thought of playing live without the Spice Girls makes her go all wobbly inside. To beat her nerves, Mel's jumped up on stage with a few celebs over the past year, including Bruce Willis, who she performed a duet with at a Planet Hollywood opening.
Motor-mouth Mel says that as a solo artist, she's happy to talk about things she wouldn't dare mention in a Spice Girls interview. "It's more difficult to speak your mind in a band situation because everything you say represents three other people," she explains. "I don't want to spout off only to find out I've offended one of the other girls."
Although she doesn't talk about it much, Mel was once really close to Geri, and the pair often teamed up to co-write songs for the group. "She was one of my best friends," Mel admits. She even owns a copy of Geri's Schizophonic CD, and swears each of the Spice Girls has tried ohoning ol' Ginger, but none of their calls have been returned. "She can't seem to bring herself to talk to us," she shrugs. "It's a shame."
Even though Spice Girls tunes are totally poptastic, you're not likely to find a Steps tune in Mel's walkman! Her fave bands include Suede, Garbage, Blur, Hole and The Cardigans. "I like harder rock stuff - that's what does it for me."
Mel's happy to admit she's got tons of dosh - "I'm a multi-millionairess and I'm only 25!" she screams. She loves splashing out on gifts for family, and her prized possessions are her £200,000 flat in Albert Dock, Liverpool, and her penthouse in Hampstead, North London, which is in the same complex as Emma's new place!
Mel wants Spice Girls fans to know she isn't ditching the group - in fact they're only part of the way through a five-album deal... The gals are in the studio now making their third CD, and they'll have a new single out before the end of the year. "I'm not looking for a way out of the Spice Girls - I just want to be fulfilled," she promises. "It's taken a long time for Robbie to be respected as a solo artist, when he was great from the word go. I just want to do something that makes me happy..."
If you're quick, you can catch Spiky Spice in action in October, when Mel's first ever solo tour hits London, Liverpool, New York, Toronto, Tokyo and Sydney. Phew!
Mel was picked on a lot when she was at school. "One time this girl followed me home and beat me up," she tells us. "I had to defend myself so I hit her back! She was a big girl but I hurt her... in fact, she limped away!" Ohmigod!
But she's not all muscles... Mel admits she likes a good cry - whenever Liverpool lose a mega-important match, or even when she sees a sad ep of Brookside! And when she had to sing We Are Family on the final date of the Spice Girls' US tour, Mel blubbed her eyes out! "I was in bits!" she says. Awww... looks like Mel is an angel, after all!