Mel B facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mel B MBE
Mel B in 2016
Born	Melanie Janine Brown (1975-05-29) 29 May 1975 (age 50) Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Other names	Scary Spice Melanie B Mel G Melanie G Melanie Gulzar
Education	Leeds West Academy
Occupation	Singer songwriter television personality actress
Years active	1993–present
Works	Solo discography Spice Girls discography and songs
Spouse(s)	Jimmy Gulzar ​ ​ (m. 1998; div. 2000)​ Stephen Belafonte ​ ​ (m. 2007; div. 2017)​
Partner(s)	Fjölnir Thorgeirsson (1996–1997) Max Beesley (2000–2002) Christine Crokos (2002–2006) Eddie Murphy (2006) Rory McPhee (2018–present; engaged)
Children	3
Relatives	Christian Cooke (cousin) Tillie Amartey (niece)
Awards	Hon D Univ, Leeds Beckett University
Musical career
Genres	R&B pop hip hop dance
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Virgin Amber Café EMI

Melanie Janine Brown, also known as Mel B or Melanie B, is a famous English singer, songwriter, TV star, and actress. She became very well known in the mid-1990s as a member of the pop group the Spice Girls. In the group, she was nicknamed Scary Spice. The Spice Girls are the best-selling female group of all time, having sold over 100 million records worldwide.

The group took a break in 2000. Later, they reunited for a greatest hits album in 2007 and two concert tours: The Return of the Spice Girls (2007–2008) and Spice World (2019).

Mel B started her solo music career in 1998 with the song "I Want You Back". This song reached the top of the UK Singles Chart. Her first solo album, Hot (2000), included popular songs like "Tell Me" and "Feels So Good". She released another album, L.A. State of Mind (2005), which featured the single "Today". In 2013, Mel B released "For Once in My Life", which did well on the dance charts.

Since 2007, Mel B has become a popular TV personality and judge on talent shows. She competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2007 and came in second place. She was a judge on The X Factor in Australia and the UK between 2011 and 2016. She also judged America's Got Talent (2013–2018), The Voice Kids Australia (2014), and The Masked Singer Australia (2022–2023).

In 2022, Mel B was honored with the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award for her work with charities.

Early Life and Background

Melanie Janine Brown was born in Harehills, Leeds, England. She grew up in the Burley area of the city. Her father is from Saint Kitts and Nevis, and her mother is English. Mel B's cousin is the actor and director Christian Cooke.

Mel B studied performing arts at Intake High School in Bramley, Leeds. Before becoming famous, she worked as a dancer in Blackpool, Lancashire.

Music Career with the Spice Girls

How the Spice Girls Formed

In 1994, Mel B, along with Melanie C, Geri Halliwell, and Victoria Beckham, saw an advertisement in The Stage magazine. About 400 women auditioned in London. The original group, called Touch, included Halliwell, Melanie C, Beckham, Mel B, and Michelle Stephenson. Michelle Stephenson later left and Emma Bunton joined the group.

The group was not happy with their first managers. In 1995, they visited many record labels. After teaming up with music manager Simon Fuller, they signed a deal with Virgin Records. The group's name was then changed to Spice Girls.

Global Success and Hit Albums

The Spice Girls' first album, Spice, was a huge success worldwide. It reached number one in over 17 countries. The album sold 30 million copies globally, becoming the best-selling album by a girl group ever. The group's sudden popularity was compared to Beatlemania.

The first single from the album, "Wannabe", reached number one in 37 countries. Other singles from the album, like "Say You'll Be There", "2 Become 1", "Who Do You Think You Are", and "Mama", also hit number one in the UK.

In 1997, they released their second album, Spiceworld. The first two singles, "Spice Up Your Life" and "Too Much", both reached number one in the UK. This gave them seven number one singles in a row, a record for a music group. Spiceworld sold 20 million copies worldwide. The group also starred in their own movie, Spiceworld: The Movie, which made a lot of money.

After Geri Halliwell left the group in May 1998, the Spice Girls released "Goodbye" as a four-member group. It became their third Christmas number-one song in the UK, matching a record set by The Beatles.

Mel B's Solo Music and Acting Career

First Solo Album: Hot

Mel B's first solo song, "I Want You Back", came out in September 1998. It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. This song was also part of the soundtrack for the movie Why Do Fools Fall in Love.

In 1999, Mel B started working on her first solo album, Hot. The album was released in October 2000. The first single from Hot, "Tell Me", reached number 4 in the UK charts. This was followed by "Feels So Good" in February 2001, which peaked at number 5. Her song "Lullaby" was released in June and was dedicated to her daughter.

Acting and TV Roles

Mel B also started working in television. She hosted Pure Naughty, a BBC2 show about black music. She hosted the MOBO Awards twice. She also presented other TV shows like This Is My Moment and a documentary called Voodoo Princess.

In 2002, Mel B released her autobiography, Catch a Fire. Her first movie role was in the British drama Burn It in 2003. She also appeared in the movie The Seat Filler. In 2004, Mel B performed in the musical Rent in the Netherlands.

Spice Girls Reunion and TV Shows

Mel B performing with the Spice Girls in 2007.

After Rent, Mel B recorded new songs and released her second album, LA State of Mind, in June 2005. The only single from this album was "Today".

In September 2007, Mel B joined the American TV dance competition Dancing with the Stars. She and her partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, finished in second place.

Later that year, the Spice Girls reunited for a reunion tour. They also released a Greatest Hits album. The tour began in December 2007.

Mel B as a TV Judge and Presenter

Mel B at The New Face of Jenny Craig in 2011.

From 2009 onwards, Mel B became a well-known face on television. She appeared as a guest on Loose Women. In 2010, she hosted the weight loss show Dance Your ... Off and had her own reality show called Mel B: It's a Scary World.

Mel B became a judge on The X Factor Australia in 2011 and 2012. She also co-hosted the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars in 2012.

In July 2012, Mel B reunited with the Spice Girls for a special performance at the 2012 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony in London. They performed their hits "Wannabe" and "Spice Up Your Life". This performance was very popular online.

Mel B at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards in October 2012.

In 2013, Mel B became a judge on America's Got Talent. She judged seasons 8 through 13 and the first season of America's Got Talent: The Champions. She also judged the dancing show Stepping Out in the UK.

In 2014, Mel B was a coach on The Voice Kids Australia. Later that year, she became a permanent judge for The X Factor UK. In 2016, she started presenting Lip Sync Battle UK.

In 2017, Mel B returned to Broadway to star in the musical Chicago. She also appeared in the movies Chocolate City: Vegas Strip and Killing Hasselhoff.

Recent Projects and Honors

On 5 November 2018, Mel B announced another Spice Girls reunion tour on her Instagram. She, Melanie C, Emma Bunton, and Geri Halliwell (but not Victoria Beckham) went on a 13-date UK and Ireland stadium tour in 2019.

In 2021, Mel B appeared on The Masked Singer UK as "Seahorse". She also appeared on the Australian version of The Masked Singer in 2022 and 2023 as a judge.

Mel B was honored with the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award in 2022. This was for her work supporting charities and vulnerable women. She also became a tourism ambassador for Nevis.

In 2022, Mel B presented the BBC documentary Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip. She also starred in the Christmas TV movie A New Diva’s Christmas Carol. In 2023, Mel B was a judge on the reality series Queen of the Universe. In 2024, she returned to judge America's Got Talent: Fantasy League.

Personal Life and Family

Mel B has three children. Her first daughter, Phoenix Chi Gulzar, was born in 1999. Her second daughter, Angel Iris Murphy Brown, was born in 2007. Her third daughter, Madison Brown Belafonte, was born in 2011.

Mel B has spoken about her experiences and became a patron for Women's Aid, a charity that helps survivors of domestic violence.

In 2019, Mel B shared that she has been diagnosed with anxiety, dyspraxia, dyslexia, and ADHD. In October 2022, Mel B announced her engagement to Rory McPhee.

In July 2024, Mel B received an Honorary Doctorate from Leeds Beckett University. This award recognized her career and her important work for the charity Women's Aid.

Discography

• Hot (2000)
• L.A. State of Mind (2005)

Filmography

Television

Films

Theatre Credits

See also

In Spanish: Mel B para niños