Mel B insists Spice Girls ‘wouldn’t have happened’ without LGBT+ support

Mel B has insisted the LGBTQ+ community is to thank for Spice Girls’ legacy.

The 48-year-old rose to fame with Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell, and Melanie Chisholm in 1994, with the girl band before announcing their hiatus in 2000, before their reunion tours and one-off performances.

Along the way, the Wannabe singers sold 100 million records worldwide, becoming the best-selling girl group with their three studio albums.

And, according to Scary Spice, a lot of it is down to the gay community and the Drag scene ’embracing’ them from the very beginning.

In an exclusive chat with Metro.co.uk, she said: ‘I think it’s been everything and they’ve been there for us from the very, very start.

‘Without them, it wouldn’t have really happened, I don’t think.’

As well as being an influence on the LGBTQ+ community, Mel told us that she definitely thinks the Spice Girls have been influenced too.

She said: ‘I definitely think we’ve been influenced. Yeah, I mean, our hair and makeup, our platforms, our girl power, our kind of influence on ourselves and other women. Yeah, definitely.

‘And you can’t get better than the gays and the Drag scene embracing you, and we’ve been embraced by both since the start of our career.’

Mel is now judging the second season of Queen of the Universe, alongside Michelle Visage, Trixie Mattel and Vanessa Williams.

Talking about her new role, she told us: ‘It’s fabulous, I get the best seat in the house, I get to see them up close and personal.

‘I get to question their outfits, their hairstyles, their corsets, their song choices.

‘For me it’s really enjoyable because they’re singing live, which is a whole different twist to this kind of show right now, and it’s on a massive platform which is way more international than it was before.

‘We’ve got contestants from the Philippines, Los Angeles, from all over, the list is endless, it’s just a really good, international, fun show.’

She added: ‘I didn’t realise that Drag was so full on, I mean, what they have to go through and what they put their body through.

‘From the corsets, to this and that and their hair and makeup, it’s like putting on a whole different mask that stays flawless for hours.

‘I mean I know Drag but I didn’t actually know how much time, effort and energy goes into that one look which they had to recreate each week.’

Speaking about her role as a judge, Mel who insisted she needed ‘no advice’ from her fellow judges, added: ‘You have the best seat in the house, literally the best seat.

‘At the end of the day, I would have been watching the show from my own front room, but there’s nothing like a live performance, and they only get one chance to do it.

‘So as soon as their song starts, it’s off, there’s no turning back. So if they make mistakes, or fluff up their act, they have to make it look like it’s flawless or meant to be.’

Mel, who is replacing Leona Lewis as a judge, added: ‘I don’t need advice! I just do my thing, at the end of the day, I’m hired because I’m honest.

‘Some of the other judges have script writers, they go and watch the rehearsals, so they know what to say.

‘I just like to see everything live, as the viewers see it, so whatever I say, is because of what I’m seeing the first time round, which is more impulsive, but I feel like I’m giving a more honest, passionate response.’

Having previously guest judged Ru Paul’s Drag Race, she continued: ‘It is one of those things where you just wish it would have been more global and more accessible a lot, lot earlier, like decades ago, but there’s no time like the present.

‘So I’m just glad that I’m part of this first wave.’

She elsewhere teased plans for a reunion with Posh, Baby, Ginger and Sporty, saying: ‘I would love to but I’m just one of five. So we’ve got to figure that out.’

Mel added: ‘I mean, we’re constantly in talks. There is something that we’re going to be doing all five of us, but nothing’s going to be announced just yet.

‘But it will be pretty soon!’

Paramount+ Original, QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE, will be available weekly from Saturday, June 3 on Paramount+ in the UK.

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