Mel B

Melanie Janine Brown, professionally known as Mel B or Melanie B, is a British singer, actress, and television personality. Born on 29 May 1975 in Harehills, Leeds, she grew up in the Burley area of the city. She attended Kirkstall Road Primary School and studied performing arts at Intake High School in Rodley, Leeds. Before entering the entertainment industry, she worked as a dancer in Blackpool, Lancashire.

In 1994, Brown auditioned for a group originally named Touch, which evolved into the Spice Girls after joining manager Simon Fuller and signing with Virgin Records. Nicknamed Scary Spice, she gained worldwide recognition as part of the group. Their debut album, Spice, achieved global commercial success, led by the hit single "Wannabe." The group followed with their second album, Spiceworld, and starred in Spiceworld: The Movie. The Spice Girls sold over 100 million records worldwide before entering an indefinite hiatus in 2000.

Brown debuted as a solo artist in September 1998 with the single "I Want You Back," which reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. Her debut solo studio album, Hot, followed in October 2000 and yielded the singles "Tell Me," "Feels So Good," and "Lullaby." She released her second studio album, L.A. State of Mind, in 2005 through the independent label Amber Café, preceded by the single "Today." In 2013, she released the single "For Once in My Life," which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.

Alongside her recording career, Brown expanded into acting and television hosting. In 2002, she released her autobiography, Catch a Fire. Her acting work includes roles in the British drama series Burn It, the film The Seat Filler, a stage production of the musical Rent in the Netherlands, and feature films such as Telling Lies and LD 50 Lethal Dose. She has also appeared in television projects including Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Twelve Trees of Christmas.

Brown has established a long career on competition and reality television. In 2007, she finished in second place on the fifth season of the American series Dancing with the Stars. She went on to serve as a judge or mentor across multiple international series, including The X Factor in Australia and the United Kingdom, America's Got Talent, The Voice Kids Australia, The Masked Singer Australia, Queen of the Universe, and America's Got Talent: Fantasy League.

Following the Spice Girls' 2000 hiatus, Brown reunited with the group for several high-profile projects, including the Return of the Spice Girls tour from 2007 to 2008, a performance at the London 2012 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony, and the Spice World tour in 2019. In the 2022 New Year Honours, she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to charitable causes.