TT Meets Mel C

Solo sensation? Fat lesbian? Or just another
ex-Spice Girl? teentoday.co.uk’s editor Olly tries to discover the real Melanie C.

Hey Mel, been a busy day today has Every day’s a busy day when you’ve got a record coming Yeah okay… tell me about your new This album is very much a pop record. It’s a lot smoother than Yeah. And you release on your own I do. This is the second album I’ve released on Red Girl Are you a bit of a business Definitely more than I used to be but luckily I work with lots What’s your favourite song on the new It’s so hard for me to pick one because it’s so new.. I’m so I think you’ve named every I know..
You need to listen to it 5 years down Y’know my favourites come when I’m performing more. I’ve just Which song do you love to perform *straight away* You’ll Get Yours
I really love from Northern Oh yeahhhhhhhhh Closer’s lovely. There’s so many. I I loved some of the atmospheric There are a lot of atmospheric moments on this album you know. A lot of fans love that album, others I think you always just have to always really express So what about I Want Candy – *squeals* Ahhh! Brilliant

Yeah, it really was. I thought with doing the song and with it I mean I think sometimes people worry *Laughs manically*
Oh no! I don’t mean it No it’s fine it’s interesting to hear people’s opinions, But I don’t take myself seriously.
I think you take music seriously?< Yeah I suppose It’s always like I’ve got something to prove it?
out.
album?
my last album. My last album was quite rock inspired. It’s a lovely collection of songs. There are some ballads on there. But there’s some more up-tempo stuff as well. I’ve worked with some really cool people like Guy Chambers, Cathy Dennis…
record label now?
Records and it’s been brilliant learning so much more about the industry and having complete freedom when you’re in charge of your own destiny.
head now?
of people who are fantastic at their job. It such an intricate business, there’s so much to learn.
album?
excited about everything. I love the opener Understand.. one of my favs. I love Don’t Let Me Go, What If I Stayed, This Time is another one of my favourites.. and The Moment You Believe.. Of course I Want Candy is very different, single for the movie, so that’s more poppy and up-tempo and uplifting but I love that too.
song.
the line and look back?
been doing a few little small acoustic gigs, I did some radio sessions. That’s when you really fall in love with the songs.
more than any other?
Star… Closer?
love Reason as well, that’s one of my favourite songs.
sounds on Northern Star…
I think this album is probably more similar to my first album than my other two.
say you need to progress.
yourself, y’know. For me music is always about what’s going on in my life.
it’s got to be the campest video I have ever seen…
/> being so poppy I thought it was just a great opportunity for me to have loads of fun and do something really different.
that you take yourself too seriously?
nastily.
because I don’t know do I!
/strong>
because people are like “She’s a spice girl, she’s a spice girl” whatever and I am trying to show people there’s more to me than that. I’m just trying to prove a point.

Have you ever read unusual thing about yourself?
All the time… all the stuff about the Spice Girls reunion is bizarre to me.. I don’t know where that comes from because it’s completely untrue.. all the lesbian rumours. The list is kind of endless. The British press have got quite a bad reputation in the rest of the world. They’ve got too much imagination.
Do you think one day there will be something with the other girls?
Well.. I have spoken to a couple of the girls… ‘cos obviously these rumours are surfacing all the time… there are no plans for a tour with our without me. We’ve said we definitely would consider doing a one-off event for a fantastic cause but it’s not gonna be anytime soon because as I’m sure you know Emma’s pregnant, Mel B’s just about to have a baby. We’ve all got other priorities at the moment.
You’ve worked so hard to move away from that and express yourself. You don’t want to undo the hard work?
Well, I don’t know if that is the case. To be honest with you, I am so happy doing what I’m doing now. I am very proud of my Spice Girls past but I don’t think I want to go back there. I look back and it was a magical time, I don’t think we could do it again. I wouldn’t want to tarnish the memory and also I’m free, I’m independent. I do what I like, when I like. I don’t want to compromise again. Everybody has to work at the same time, has to take vacation at the same time… and it’s like you have to do music that suits everybody’s taste, you have to be careful in interviews what you say because you are representing 4 other people, it’s.. it’s tough.
Any really embarrassing moments?
Lots.. I’ve fallen over on stage.. I’ve dropped my mic: made a very loud noise, my trousers have ripped on stage. I forget the words..
Didn’t you hurt your leg once on stage?
Well I had a very serious knee injury in the TV show The Games… about 3 years ago in the judo competition.. I ended up in hospital. Had an operation and I couldn’t walk for about two months.
I noticed in your new video you’ve lost shitloads of weight?
*Laughs* I think y’know, when I did put on weight about seven years ago now I was having some personal problems at the time… I was suffering with depression, and I was recovering from an eating disorder. My metabolism was all over the place and I wasn’t able to exercise because I was just feeling so horrible. And just over time I’ve got balance in my life, I exercise regularly, I have a predominantly healthy diet but I don’t deprive myself of anything. The weight has just come off slowly and steadily.
What advice would you give teenagers who are going through depression?
I would say please, please talk to somebody. You can’t deal with it on your own. If you can’t speak to your friends or your parents go to your doctor. To me my doctor was the best person. He pointed me in the right direction to find people to talk to with therapy and counselling, even with medication. You really need to turn somebody professional to help you through it. I tried to cope on my own and I just ended up a lot, lot worse.
You’re in a much nicer place right now though?
Absolutely. After I sought help and I was very patient and I learnt how to look after myself. I made it through. I’m back to full health and I feel great.
Fantastic, thanks for taking time to talk to teentoday.co.uk Mel C.
It’s alright mate!