THE ‘C’ WORD

Jodie Harsh chats to Melanie C on life as a Spice Girl past and present, music, clubbing and brand new EP ‘The Night’, which they’ve just collaborated on…

 

What are you listening to at the moment?

I am a big fan of so many different genres – I want to get the new Arctic Monkeys record, I love Fiona Apple for melancholic moments. I want to get Lana Del Rey’s album after you recommended it so highly, and I absolutely love her vocal style. Rita Ora is awesome, I love her attitude and she offers something quite different. So yeah, I’m going to be doing some music buying on iTunes tonight!

What about the new Madonna album?

For me, she was the ultimate icon. I aspired to be like her and absolutely worshiped her from ‘Like A Virgin’ right through to the ‘Music’ era but she’s kind of gone off my radar a bit since. We hung and had dinner in New York once, actually. She is a living legend.

Thoughts on Gaga?

I really loved the first album, I thought it was a really strong record. The second just hasn’t really done it for me.

She’s a phenomenal performer though…

Phenomenal performer! You can’t take that away from her. Her live shows are just beyond!

Do you watch X Factor and The Voice?

I’ve seen bits of things. I’ve been really excited about The Voice and I thought their concept was an interesting twist on a very tired format, how the judges don’t see their acts until they’ve heard them.

Which song of yours are you most proud of?

That’s a real toughie because you think about the ones that have been the most successful, and then you think about the ones that have been the most emotional – the ones that have come from very true and quite deep places from your own experiences. ‘Reason’ springs to mind, I really opened up and was honest about how I feel.

You were in Blood Brothers – would you do another musical?

I would love to. It’s really grueling… it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

Did you have to train your voice for it?

Absolutely, to do eight shows a week! As a pop singer you never have to sing and work that much. The score was quite low for me, so I did quite a bit of work on getting that bottom end stronger – as a result I left the show with much more control and strength in my voice.

What are the career highlights that you think ‘wow…I really did that’?

Everything the Spice Girls ever did: our first Number 1 with ‘Wannabe’, BRIT Awards, MTV awards in America, being number one on Billboard. My first number 1 as a solo artist was also really special to me… venturing into the West End and being nominated for an Olivier. And working with Jodie Harsh, of course! Personally, becoming a Mum has just been beautiful.

Do you ever Google yourself?

I haven’t actually Googled myself for a while. There are a couple of fan sites, which are great because they know what’s happening before I do really, so I check those.

Who in the Spice Girls are you closest to?

I’m closest to Emma, I see more of her. We were probably closest in the band as well.

“I started going out when I was 17 and I went out every weekend until the Spice Girls really started happening.”

Do you still have fans, in the crowd that you recognise from the early days?

Absolutely. I have so many fans that have followed the Spice Girls since their early days. Now they’re in their 20s and 30s, and I’ve literally watched them grow up.

And you’re doing a musical!

We are – a Spice Girls musical! When we last toured as a band in 2007 we decided to get the wheels in motion. Jennifer Saunders has written the story, inspired by our music. We’ve seen workshops of the show – we laughed, we cried! Fingers crossed it will be open at the end of this year or the beginning of next.

Do you ever go out clubbing? 

No, I wish! I used up all my goes I think. I started going out when I was 17 and I went out every weekend until, gosh, probably until the Spice Girls really started happening.

Where did you used to go out? 

I used to go to a club in Dalston called Labyrinth. I used to like hardcore rave music, and then it went all jungle. The memories are flooding back… I used to go to a place called Lazerdrome in Peckham!

Did you ever go to gay clubs?

You know what, I don’t think I ever went to gay clubs regularly. As a performer I’ve played G-A-Y many times when it was at the glorious Astoria, and I’ve played it once since it’s been at Heaven as well – that’s so much fun!

Do you have many gay friends?

I guess I do… Hmmm I’ve never really thought this. I don’t think ‘oh my gay friends/my straight friends’. But yeah, I think working in a creative environment you do tend to have a lot of gay friends.

 

• The Night, the EP by Jodie Harsh X Melanie C, is out now on iTunes

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