S Poddar
Their classic hit “Wannabe” might have insisted that “friendship never ends,” but decades have seen the Spice Girls get bound up by their differences. Now, as the 30th anniversary of their first single approaches, tensions within the band could prevent future reunions—sticking fans in perpetual limbo regarding whether they’ll ever see them take the stage again.
Reports suggest that there has been some sort of fuming row between Geri Halliwell and Mel B, which threatens to cast a shadow over the new tour plans of the group. It has been reported that Geri, who recently turned 52, has already backed down from performing in any upcoming performances out of frustration with Mel B’s “little digs.” The move could put an end to the Spice Girls as a live act once and for all, considering Victoria Beckham has already ruled herself out of any future reunions.
An insider said that right from the start, the Spice Girls have always had personality clashes and disputes. Tension between Geri and Mel B dates back to when the band was starting out, and Geri joined much later than the rest, which had generated some initial friction. While Geri hadn’t gone through formal training or had much vocal talent to her credit, her raucous personality won her an entry into the band, though not everyone was very comfortable with this. In fact, there were even reports that she was going to be asked to leave the group before “Wannabe” was released.
Though these were tough times, Geri did rise to cultural icon status quite quickly as Ginger Spice, with outfits more risqué than any could have imagined, and an equally outspoken personality to match. It was when she left the group in 1998, though—on Mel B’s birthday of all days—that things really started to go into action. Mel B would go on to say that she not only felt hurt by the departure itself but also by the fact that she left without warning them, thereby feeding the flames of rumors of a deeper fallout between the two.
The Spice Girls have reunited many times over the years, but each time, there have been underlying tensions. According to sources close to the Spice World reunion tour in 2019, Geri and Mel B started arguing about anything from costumes to their public image. Geri was transforming into a more reserved, upper-class figure; her attempt at this new persona clashed terribly with Mel B’s efforts to maintain that edge from when they started the band.
It reached a whole new level when Mel B recently announced that she and Geri had a fling back in the day, during the heyday of Spice Girls. Geri, now married to Formula 1 boss Christian Horner, was reportedly furious that Mel B had spilled such a very private detail about the two of them, causing further strain between them. Though Mel B later tried to downplay what happened, the damage was already done.
The future of the Spice Girls performing is bleak. Seeing the full lineup on stage anytime soon is highly unlikely with Geri pulling out of potential tours and Victoria Beckham stepping out to pursue her fashion career. While the legacy that is the Spice Girls may stand firm as one of the most successful girl groups ever, personal conflicts that have torn them apart will likely prevent them from collectively sharing that legacy in the future.
