Melanie C has addressed long-standing accusations that the Spice Girls appropriated the 'girl power' slogan from another band. In a Q&A with The Guardian, the singer, known as Sporty Spice, acknowledged that the phrase was previously used by the British punk band Shampoo for their 1996 debut album and title track.
“Well, I’m surprised this question doesn’t come up more often because, obviously, we are all aware that Shampoo had a single called ‘Girl Power’ way back in 1996 [it reached No 25],” Melanie C said. “I don’t really remember how we ended up going with it. But we loved Shampoo. We were big fans.”
The term 'girl power' has been traced further back to the Riot Grrrl feminist punk scene in Olympia, Washington. Bikini Kill singer Kathleen Hanna recalled first using the phrase in the early Nineties while creating a fanzine with drummer Tobi Vail. “Tobi and I were discussing what word just felt totally wrong next to girl,” Hanna said, “and we came up with power.”
Former Spice Girl Geri Horner (Baby Spice) confirmed to Vice that she first encountered 'girl power' through Shampoo, not Bikini Kill. “I saw them and I thought, ‘Oh my god, that is so good,’” she said. When asked if she felt she had ripped Shampoo off, Horner responded: “I think we all get influenced. When you’re a writer, you’re looking around and absorbing life. It’s just passing the baton on.”
The Spice Girls last performed together in 2019 for a series of stadium shows without Victoria Beckham. Last month, Mel B told Hello! magazine that a 30th anniversary reunion in 2026 would not be happening.
