Melanie C, known as Mel C or Sporty Spice from the iconic 1990s girl group the Spice Girls, is set to release her ninth studio album, Sweat, this Friday. The lead single, sampling Diana Ross's 'Work That Body' with sleek house-pop production, serves as both a club banger and a workout anthem, perfect for the DJ booth and a runner's playlist.
Return to Rave Roots
Eight years ago, Melanie C began DJing, reigniting her passion for rave and dance music—genres she loved before her Spice Girls days. 'DJing has brought so much joy into my life that it made it really important that this album, as an artist, was a lot closer to what I love to play as a DJ,' she told the Associated Press. She recalls discovering rave culture at 19 during a holiday with friends: 'I heard this music. I saw people dancing. It was like this utopia I'd never experienced.' For the first time, she says, 'I brought some of my life pre-Spice Girls into this album.'
Dance Floor Therapy
Melanie C spent two and a half years writing and recording Sweat across London, Stockholm, and Los Angeles. This period was transformative: 'My life had twists and turns. I had a long-term relationship that ended, a management change, and I'm back with Virgin Records. I'm in a new relationship. All of that is reflected in the album.' Catharsis emerges as a major theme, especially in tracks like 'Attitude,' which samples Inner Life's 'Moment Of My Life,' and 'Pressure,' where she sings 'Under the pressure... Release.' She explains, 'We're under such incredible pressure, and that's why I've loved bringing in this joy of the club. For me, that is the release.'
Honoring LGBTQ+ Roots
Melanie C emphasizes the longstanding connection between dance music, joy, and resilience in queer club culture. 'It's a community that's been important to myself and the Spice Girls for such a long time,' she says. 'It's always going to be a big part of the music that I make.'
From Sporty Spice to Melanie C
Three decades after the Spice Girls' peak, Melanie C acknowledges she is still Sporty Spice to many. 'I'm not Sporty Spice or Melanie C; I'm both of those things all of the time,' she says. 'It's really important to acknowledge that.' Her goal with Sweat is to make people feel good, empower them, and motivate them. But she also hopes they use the album as a break and escape. 'Recovery is a really important part of working out,' she laughs.
