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Entertainment July 9, 2026

Spice Girls Reflect on Legacy of "Wannabe" 30 Years After Chart-Topping Debut

Spice Girls Reflect on Legacy of "Wannabe" 30 Years After Chart-Topping Debut

The 30th anniversary of the Spice Girls' debut single Wannabe marked a very emotional day for the girl group's members, according to Melanie C.

The singer, known as Sporty Spice, spoke at the Nordoff And Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday, where she took home the global impact award.

It was a milestone moment for the group, which formed in the 1990s and went on to become one of the biggest girl groups of all time, achieving nine UK number one singles and two UK number one albums.

Spice Girls, portrait, in the street in Paris, France, 1996. L-R Mel C, Emma Bunton, Mel B, Victoria Adams, Geri Halliwell. (Photo by Tim Roney/Getty Images)

On the anniversary, all five members of the group - Melanie Chisholm, Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, and Geri Halliwell-Horner - took to social media to celebrate, each posting heartfelt messages to their fans and to one another.

Mel B, known as Scary Spice, kept her tribute simple, writing 'Zigazig ahhhhYipppeeee,' while Emma wrote 'Happy birthday Wannabe, 30 years! Love you all.'

Mel C posted a longer message, saying '30 years of girl power! Happy Birthday Wannabe. I love you [@emmaleebunton, @victoriabeckham, @officialmelb, @gerihalliwellhorner, @biffco, and Matt Rowe], the song that changed our lives forever.'

This is a photo of The Spice Girls performing on stage at the Brit Awards ceremony in London in 1997. See PA Feature FASHION Spice Girls. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA feature FASHION Spice Girls. PA Photo. Picture credit should read: Fiona Hanson/PA. NOTE TO EDITORS: This picture must only be used to accompany FASHION Spice Girls.

Geri Halliwell-Horner also expressed her gratitude to her Spice Girls sisters and the fans who have supported the group over the years.

The Spice Girls' achievements are a testament to the power of female friendship and perseverance, and their music continues to inspire new generations of fans.

Other award winners at the Silver Clefs on Thursday included singer songwriter Sam Fender, Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, and singer Lily Allen.

UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 24: BRIT AWARDS, EARLS COURT Photo of SPICE GIRLS, Group accepting award L-R Melanie Chisholm (Mel C), Victoria Adams (Beckham), Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton and Melanie Brown (Mel B) (Photo by JMEnternational/Redferns)

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