Timeline

A hugely accomplished artist in her own right, Melanie began her career in 1996 as one fifth of the iconic Spice Girls. Phenomenally triumphant across the world, they remain one of the most commercially successful acts in recent history. Winners of 4 Brit Awards amongst countless other prestigious accolades, they dominated the latter part of the 1990's with 9 UK Number 1 singles (including 3 Christmas Number 1's), 2 Number 1 albums and LP sales of 35 million within their first 2 years. By 2000, that figure rose to 53 million and preceded Melanie's burgeoning solo career.

Whilst on tour with the Spice Girls in America in the summer of 1998, Melanie bumped into singer songwriter Bryan Adams. No one realised at that moment this coincidental meeting would not only turn into a friendship between the two stars, but also a Top 3 hit single. After the massive success of When You're Gone, Melanie's first ever debut solo album, Northern Star followed in 1999 and peaked at Number 4. The first two singles off the album, Goin' Down and Northern Star, both reached number 4 in the UK singles chart, but it was the third single Never Be The Same Again, featuring TLC's Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, that became Melanie's first UK solo Number 1. The single quickly became a hit around Europe, selling in total over 1.5 million copies.

The fourth single to be released from Northern Star was a dance remix of I Turn To You by Grammy-winner Hex Hector, which not only reached the Number 1 spot in the UK and many other European countries but also topped the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart. Due to the large success of the singles the album was soon certified triple platinum in the UK, Gold in Australia, platinum in Europe and sold 3 million copies worldwide.

Melanie's second solo album, the Top 5 hit Reason, followed in March 2003. Containing tracks produced by former New Radicals frontman Gregg Alexander and Marius De Vries (Madonna, Rufus Wainwright), it boasted a vibrant, cohesive sound of increasing musical maturity and rapidly went Gold after the lead Top Ten single Here It Comes Again.

A year after Reason's release, Melanie founded her own independent label Red Girl Records. So-called after her beloved Liverpool Football Club and propensity to blush easily, it provided undiluted artistic freedom and saw the release of Melanie's third solo LP Beautiful Intentions. Prior to its release, Melanie performed a set of intimate concerts throughout the UK to showcase her new material.

Featuring the Top Ten single Next Best Superstar, Beautiful Intentions also boasted the smash hit track First Day Of My Life. Written by Guy Chambers and Enrique Iglesias, it reached Number 1 in Spain, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland and Portugal with combined sales of over 500,000 copies, making it one of the best-selling European singles of 2005. Beautiful Intentions was certified gold in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and platinum in Portugal, where it spent nine weeks at number one.

Melanie kicked off 2007 with the challenge of 2 new singles prior to the release of her fourth album This Time. In Europe, the lead single was The Moment You Believe - a beautiful love song written with long-time collaborator Peter Vettese. In the UK the single was a stellar reinvigoration of the 1982 hit I Want Candy which was taken from the British film of the same name.

The videos for both singles were directed by Tim Royes and have attracted considerable attention. The Moment You Believe was filmed in one continuous shot, while I Want Candy sees Melanie dancing for the first time since The Spice Girls. As a result, it was the Number 1 viewed video on YouTube the day it was added, gaining over 200,000 views.

Melanie continued to release two more singles from her fourth album: Carolyna and the title track This Time. However, due to the Spice Girls reunion tour Melanie had to put her solo career on hold temporarily.

After many weeks of rumours, Melanie and the other Spice Girls finally announced their long awaited reunion at the end of June 2007. Soon millions of fans from all over the world signed up for tickets online and the first UK date at the O2 Arena sold out in a staggering 38 seconds. Tour schedules were quickly amended and the girls ended up playing a total of 17 concerts at the O2 Arena in London and another 30 in the United States, Canada and Europe.

47 concerts in less than three months just weren’t enough for Melanie though. Wanting to give her overseas fans the chance to see her as a solo artist live, Melanie performs her first show in America in six years during the tour's first two-day break at The Mint in Los Angeles.

Besides touring the world, the Spice Girls also released a comeback single called Headlines (the 2007 Children in Need Charity single) and a Greatest Hits album which was soon declared platinum in Australia and the UK, and gold in the United States and Canada.

Once the Spice Girls tour comes to an end Melanie points her attention at Canada. The album This Time and single Carolyna are released and Melanie heads over to Canada to display her talents during a nine date tour throughout the country. A string of festival appearances in Europe follow during the summer before Melanie announces she is expecting her first baby!

But being pregnant didn't seem to stop Melanie. A special acoustic concert in Manchester was announced as part of Hard Rock Cafe's Pinktober campaign. Already five months pregnant, the mum-to-be performed a selection of her greatest hits along with some personal favourites during a 75 minute set in front of fans from all over the world.

It was this combination of fans and charity that led to the release of Melanie C live at The Hard Rock Cafe DVD. Armed with just three camcorders and a network of talented volunteer fans they created an impressive DVD that was released the next year.

Following Melanie's hugely successful run in the theatre with 'Blood Brothers' she returned to the studio to start on album 5. The confidence and strength gained from singing regularly over 6 months with the high demands of the West End profited Melanie both vocally and as a songwriter.

Writing and recording in London, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Hamburg, she worked alongside collaborators from previous albums – Richard 'Biff' Stannard, Adam Argyle and Peter Vettese, whilst also introducing, amongst others, Cutfather, Ina Wroldsen and Dee Adam to the project.

A track from these sessions, 'Rock Me', was used as part of German TV channel ZDF's coverage of the FIFA Women's World Cup. The energetic and vibrant track was perfectly suited for the sporting event and was released as the tournament took place in the country throughout June and July.

The debut single from 'The Sea' was announced as 'Think About It' – to be released at the end of August, beginning of September 2011. An uplifting summer track sees Melanie return with a refreshing new sound, incorporating a more electronic and layered production style while maintaining her ability to write and perform an infectious melody.

• June 2011: 'Rock Me' is released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to coincide with its use on ZDF's TV coverage of the Women's World Cup held in Germany.
• August/September 2011: UK and European release of 'Think About It', Melanie's first single in 4 years.
• September 2011: Release of Melanie's fifth solo studio album, 'The Sea'.