The Spice Girls’ debut single Wannabe turns 30 on Friday, with fresh speculation over whether the group could reunite to mark the milestone.
Released on 26 June 1996, Wannabe launched the five-piece into global stardom, becoming a number one hit in the UK, Ireland, the United States and dozens of other countries.
The song introduced the group’s Girl Power message to a mass audience and helped make household names of Melanie Brown, Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell.
With its instantly recognisable opening and lyrics celebrating friendship, Wannabe became one of the defining pop songs of the 1990s. It has since been streamed more than 1.4 billion times on Spotify.
The group’s individual identities were central to their appeal, with Brown known as Scary Spice, Beckham as Posh Spice, Bunton as Baby Spice, Chisholm as Sporty Spice and Halliwell as Ginger Spice.
Their distinctive styles also became part of the group’s cultural impact, from Brown’s leopard-print outfits to Halliwell’s Union Jack dress, worn during the Spice Girls’ performance at the Brit Awards in 1997.
A London exhibition, 1996: 30 Years On, currently includes several items associated with the band, including the leopard-print catsuit worn by Brown at that Brit Awards performance.
The anniversary has also prompted renewed discussion about a possible Spice Girls reunion.
Brown said earlier this month that she believed the group should do something to mark 30 years since Wannabe, but stressed that nothing had been confirmed.
The Spice Girls last performed together as a five-piece at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Chisholm, Brown, Bunton and Halliwell later reunited for a UK and Ireland stadium tour in 2019, without Beckham.
The group have released anniversary merchandise including a limited-edition vinyl edition of Wannabe and commemorative T-shirts, but have not announced any new live dates.
Wannabe was the first single from the Spice Girls’ debut album Spice, which went on to become one of the best-selling albums of the decade.
Source: AFP