Early life
Brown was born in Harehills, and grew up in Burley, Leeds, West Yorkshire. She has a younger sister named Danielle who is an actress. She studied performing arts at Intake High School, in Leeds, before entering the entertainment industry. For a time she worked as a dancer in the holiday resort, Blackpool, Lancashire. After seeing an advertisement for an audition in a newspaper, Brown started her music career in a band known as Touch. The group left the original management team and eventually teamed up with music manager Simon Fuller. In this pairing, she and the other girls became known as the Spice Girls. After the group achieved worldwide success, she embarked on a solo music career in 1998. Her first solo album, Hot, produced by Virgin Records, was a moderate success, including a number one hit. However, it did not sell or chart very well. In 2005, she released a second solo album which did not attract much attention.
[edit] Musical career
[edit] 1994-2001: Scary Spice
In 1996 Brown, along with Melanie Chisholm, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, and Victoria Beckham (at that time Victoria Adams), shot to fame as a member of the Spice Girls with the release of "Wannabe". The debut album, Spice, shot to number one all over the globe, including the U.S.. Mel B was called Scary Spice because of her animal print clothing, big hair, loud Leeds accent, throaty laugh, and aggressive attitude. The Spice Girls were popular in the late 1990s, selling over thirty-five million albums in just two years. They went on to become one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, selling more than fifty-five million records worldwide. They had nine UK number-one singles and two number-one albums. After a third album release, Forever (UK number-two), the members went their separate ways, and Brown developed a solo career.
Solo Artist As a solo artist Melanie B has charted up five UK Top 20 singles, including two Top 5 hits and a number 1 hit. She has sold over half a million records.
[edit] 1998-1999: Early solo work
At the height of the Spice Girls' success, Brown was invited to work with Missy Elliott on the single "I Want You Back", a song for the soundtrack of the film Why Do Fools Fall in Love. It was recorded in just one afternoon, due to Brown's busy Spice Girls schedule. The video featured Brown's then husband Jimmy Gulzar, who appeared chained and submissive to his wife. Upon its British release in September 1998, I Want You Back sold 80,000 copies in its first week alone, giving Brown her first and only solo #1 in her home country. This was confirmed on the day that the Spice Girls played their last world tour concert at Wembley Stadium in front of 52,000 fans. Ultimately the single sold 218,000 copies and became the 82nd Bestselling British Single of 1998.[4]
At the suggestion of her then-husband Jimmy Gulzar, Brown covered Cameo's 1986 hit Word Up as her next solo release. The track was notable for being produced by Timbaland. The track was already released on the soundtrack to Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. This resulted in its flopping in the UK (peaking at #14), making it the lowest charting Spice Girls related single of the 90s.[5] The European video was a surreal animation, directed by Jimmy. A further video was shot which featured the mini me character from Austin Powers. The track was not included on Brown's UK version of her debut solo album, and speaking at the time of her album release she stated that she "didn't really like 'Word Up'".[citation needed]
Following the disappointing performance of Word Up , Brown stopped releasing records for a while, but worked quietly on tracks for her debut solo album and the third Spice Girls album. Turning to television work, she hosted Pure Naughty, a weekly BBC2 magazine show focusing on black music. She also hosted the MOBO Awards on two occasions, in 1998 with Bill Bellamy and in 1999 with Wyclef Jean, and took part in a BBC funded short film entitled Fish.
[edit] 2000-2001: Hot
As a way of dealing with the problems of her marriage, Brown continued working on her debut solo album.[citation needed] She worked with producers such as Sisqo, Teddy Riley, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (Janet Jackson, Prince), with whom she was also working on the Spice Girls' third album, Forever.
In September 2000, she said that she heard the first single release from the album, "Tell Me". The track debuted at #4 in the UK charts with about 40,000 copies sold in its first week. It finally sold approximately 100,000 copies, making it the 158th "best seller" of 2000.[6] The album, Hot, was released one month later on 3 October, was not a success and garnered mediocre reviews.[7] It sold a disappointing 7,419 copies in its first week and charted at a weak #28, before quickly falling out of the charts.[8]
Following the release of "Feels So Good", rumours began that if her next single flopped she would be dropped by her record company, Virgin Records. In May, Brown performed a small set at the London G-A-Y Astoria club, her only solo gig until 2004. A source said her introduction was too long, which prompted cries of "get on with it!" from the G-A-Y patrons. A third single was released in June 2001, "Lullaby", a pop number dedicated to her daughter. It was accompanied by a very simple video shot in Morocco and featured Brown with Phoenix Chi. The media criticised Brown for using her child in the music video and single artwork, labelling her Desperate Spice and insinuating that she was exploiting her child as a marketing tool. The single entered and peaked at a disappointing #13, and Virgin duly dumped Brown from their label.[9]
[edit] 2004-2005: L.A. State of Mind
In April 2004, Brown was approached to take part in the musical Rent. She played the role of Mimi Marquez and achieved positive reviews, but not from the show's fanbase. A few weeks after Brown finished her Rent stint, she played her second and last solo gig to date in a New York club, performing some songs from the musical and showcasing some new material she had written. As the songs received positive feedback,[citation needed] Brown decided to release them a year later through an independent label, Amber Café.
The only single from the album, "Today", saw a UK release in June 2005. Brown had stated it was just a gift to her fans, and minus a few small appearances no promotion was made. "Today" entered the singles chart at #41, selling around 1,000 copies in its first week.
The album, LA State Of Mind, was released on 27 June 2005 in two formats: as a regular CD and as a Limited Edition with a 30 minute DVD documentary detailing Brown's life in LA. The album fared even worse than its lead single, selling just 670 copies in its first week and charting at #453
Rumours of a second single were fuelled by "Beautiful Girl" bouncing around on the UK Singles Release Schedule for a couple of months. Allegedly a video was made, but due to the poor sales of both the previous single and the album, this release never materialised. Brown was not dropped from Amber Café; both parties decided to amicably part ways.
[edit] 2008-present: Third studio album
Brown revealed in June 2008 that she was recording tracks for a new album she expected to have ready for release late 2008. "It's an R&B-pop kind of thing, a cross between early Pink and Destiny's Child. Urban pop. That's what I do best, where I come from, what people know me for, I've recorded four songs so far with some really great people," she said. One of the producers behind the album was Rodney Jerkins, aka Darkchild, who previously worked with Brown on the Spice Girls' final studio album, Forever,[10] as well as on Melanie's first solo album, Hot, both released in 2000. Also Scott Storch revealed he was working on Brown’s album.[11] Brown later revealed that she had completed ten tracks and would be working with Lil' Kim for the possible first single. Brown made a brief appearance on British morning show GMTV and announced that she would be releasing a fitness DVD, and then continued to say the new album was not ready yet and said the expected arrival of the album would be in 2009. A track from those recording sessions called "Whose Is It" leaked in 2008 but Melanie later said that this track won't be on the album. At the end of 2009 Melanie had 15 songs recorded but due to legal problems concerning a guy who was working with her she was not able to release them. In early 2010 Brown stated that she started to work on new tracks. As of April 2010 she has recorded 3 new songs. In the next 2 or 3 months she will concentrate on writing and recording new music.
[edit] Non-musical works
From Melanie B concentrated on a variety of non-singing projects. She hosted a number of TV shows such as This Is My Moment (a talent show) for ITV1 and shot a documentary called Voodoo Princess for Channel 4 which got many good reviews. She took part in smaller projects as a presenter such as Top of the Pops, Party in the park for the Prince's Trust and The All Star Animal Awards. She has appeared as herself in an advert for the Yorkshire tourist board in a series which included contributions from other Yorkshire-born celebrities and in the film Happy Birthday Oscar Wilde.[12]
In 2002, Brown released her hit autobiography, Catch A Fire, which reached #7 in the official books chart [citation needed] and saw her touring the UK to promote it with a run of book signings.
In her autobiography "Catch a Fire" Brown talked about how she loses interest in her passions with time. She lost interest in dancing once she found music (with the Spice Girls), and after her album failed to meet expectations she found herself not interested in making another. With that she turned to acting. Outside of SpiceWorld and 'Fish' Brown's first real role came in the form of a British drama, Burn It. She appeared in a horror film entitled, LD 50 Lethal Dose, which was released directly to DVD in 2004. She acted in a long run of shows as part of the cast for the Vagina Monologues which was a big success in the UK. She was in the movie The Seat Filler, co-produced by Will Smith and starring Destiny's Child star Kelly Rowland. Melanie also appeared as Mimi in the broadway production of Rent.
In recent years, Brown has also been seen playing herself in episodes of the comedy series Bo' Selecta and A Bear's Tail. In 2003, Brown made a cameo appearance in the music video Bo Selecta's Proper Crimbo. In late 2007, she hosted a television special for Canada's MuchMoreMusic called Your Fave Videos of the 80's.
Feels So Good
Mel B. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Oh yeah) I love you baby (oh yeah)
(Oh yeah) I love you baby (oh yeah)
(Oh yeah) I love you baby (oh yeah)
Yipee!
I'm loving you like I should
Remembering how it feels
Letting go to have you near
Oh yeah, feels so good
I never thought that it could
My feelings all deep inside
This love I found won't ever hide
Let's go from the very start
When we met you and I were inseperable
All at once we swapped our hearts
Knowing that we had it right
People got involved with us
I should have pushed them all away
Now I know what went wrong
Why did it take me so long
Lovin' you, lovin' you, is the easy part
Now I know, now I know, what to do with it
Me and you, me and you, keeping it tight
Cos two of a kind makes us so right
Oh yeah, feels so good
I'm loving you like I should
Remembering how it feels
Letting go to have you near
Oh yeah, feels so good
I never thought that it could
My feelings all deep inside
This love I found won't ever hide
Partnerships have ups and downs
Understand you and I are not alone
Feeling real normality
Come on put your trust in me
Believe in me when I say
Everyone can keep away
Now I know what went wrong
Why did it take me so long
Lovin' you, lovin' you, is the easy part
Never know, never know, what to do with this
Me and you, me and you, keeping it tight
Cos two of a kind makes us so right
Oh yeah, feels so good
I'm loving you like I should
Remembering how it feels
Letting go to have you near
Oh yeah, feels so good
I never thought that it could
My feelings all deep inside
This love I found won't ever hide
I know how I want you (oh yeah)
I know how I need you (oh yeah)
Together we'll always be
Ever after happily
Feeling free (oh yeah)
You and me (oh yeah)
No one can touch us now
That is how it's got to be
Each passing day, we grow stronger still
Like the after taste of a bitter pill
Keep the hurt and pain far away from me
Warm me in your glow of sunny ecstacy
Ladies holler if you hear me (oh yeah)
Fellas holler if you feel me (oh yeah)
Everybody can you see me (oh yeah)
Cos two of a kind makes us so right (yippe)
Oh yeah, feels so good
I'm loving you like I should
Remembering how it feels
Letting go to have you near
Oh yeah, feels so good
I never thought that it could
My feelings all deep inside
This love I found won't ever hide
Oh yeah, feels so good
I'm loving you like I should
Remembering how it feels
Letting go to have you near
Oh yeah, feels so good
I never thought that it could
My feelings all deep inside
This love I found won't ever hide
Yippe (yipee)
Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Oh yeah, Oh yeah
Yipee (yipee)
I love you baby (oh yeah)
I love you baby (oh yeah)
I love you baby (oh yeah)
Oh yeah, feels so good
I'm loving you like I should
Remembering how it feels
Letting go to have you near
Oh yeah, feels so good
I never thought that it could
My feelings all deep inside
This love I found won't ever hide
In Mel B.'s Feels So Good, the lyrics speak to the joy and ease associated with being in a satisfying relationship. The song begins with the singer expressing her affection for her partner and reflecting on how good it feels to be in love with them. She then reflects on the early days of their relationship, acknowledging some of the struggles that they faced but ultimately realizing that they are perfect for each other. The song continues to emphasize the strength of their relationship and how it makes them feel invincible together. The repetition of "Oh yeah" and "Yippee" throughout the song lends to its celebratory and uplifting tone, conveying the joy and excitement that come with being in a loving and supportive partnership.
One interesting fact about Feels So Good is that it is the first single from Mel B.'s second studio album, L.A. State of Mind, which was released in 2005. The song was co-written by Mel B. and songwriter Rick Nowels, who has also written hits for artists such as Madonna and Lana Del Rey. Additionally, Feels So Good features backing vocals by Jamelia, another British R&B singer. The song received mixed reviews from critics upon its release but performed moderately well on various music charts in the UK, reaching #13 on the singles chart.
Another interesting detail about the song is that its music video was directed by Hype Williams, who has directed music videos for several major artists like Kanye West, Beyoncé, and Drake. The video features Mel B. and her partner in a variety of romantic settings, including a beach and a hotel room, as well as scenes of dancers performing choreographed routines. The video is notable for its use of vibrant colors and flashy visuals, which were typical of the era in which it was made.
Overall, Feels So Good is a vibrant and lively ode to the power and pleasure of romance, reminding listeners of the joys of being in a satisfying and loving relationship.
Chords (as played in the official music video):
Intro: Eb - Ab - Bb - Cm
Verse: Eb - Ab - Bb - Cm
Chorus: Ab - Eb - Bb - Cm
Bridge: Ab - Cm - Bb - Eb - Bb - Cm - Ab - Eb
Outro: Eb - Ab - Bb - Cm
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna get all soft and smoochy
I am going to act affectionate and loving towards you
(Oh yeah) I love you baby (oh yeah)
I am expressing my love for you
Yipee!
I am excited and happy
Oh yeah, feels so good
I am enjoying this moment
I'm loving you like I should
I am expressing my love for you appropriately
Remembering how it feels
I am recalling past experiences with you
Letting go to have you near
I am allowing myself to be vulnerable with you to be closer to you
I never thought that it could
I am surprised that I am experiencing this feeling
My feelings all deep inside
My emotions for you are intense
This love I found won't ever hide
I will always express my love for you
Let's go from the very start
Let's start from the beginning
When we met you and I were inseparable
When we first met, we were always together
All at once we swapped our hearts
We fell in love immediately
Knowing that we had it right
We knew that we were meant to be together
People got involved with us
Other people became involved in our relationship
I should have pushed them all away
I regret not having protected our relationship from interference
Partnerships have ups and downs
Relationships have their ups and downs
Understand you and I are not alone
We are not the only ones experiencing relationship issues
Believe in me when I say
Trust me when I tell you
Never know, never know, what to do with this
I am unsure how to act on these feelings
Cos two of a kind makes us so right
We are perfect for each other
Let's go from the very start
Let's start from the beginning
I know how I want you (oh yeah)
I know how I desire you
I know how I need you (oh yeah)
I know how I require you
Together we'll always be
We will always be together
Ever after happily
We will always be happy together
Feeling free (oh yeah)
I feel liberated in this relationship
No one can touch us now
No one can come between us now
Each passing day, we grow stronger still
Our relationship is continually strengthening
Like the after taste of a bitter pill
Our relationship has its challenges, but it is worth it
Warm me in your glow of sunny ecstacy
Your love and affection bring me absolute joy
Ladies holler if you hear me (oh yeah)
Women, show your support for this relationship
Fellas holler if you feel me (oh yeah)
Men, show your support for this relationship
Everybody can you see me (oh yeah)
Everyone can see the love we share
Oh yeah, feels so good
I am enjoying this moment
My feelings all deep inside
My emotions for you are intense
This love I found won't ever hide
I will always express my love for you
Yippe (yipee)
I am excited and happy
I love you baby (oh yeah)
I am expressing my love for you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@prinxessh1gh
she’s so known yet underrated.. the whole album is a bop and she’s so fine😭
@Jaquitita
I always had the highest hopes for Mel B, especially after the collab with Missy. I think she should've produced a full album with Missy E, and she would've done better.
@Joshdyisdifh
Missy Elliot and Timbo should've produced at least 2 or 3 Albums for Mel B. It would've been a perfect transition away from Spice Girls.
@chrisgurl3043
I 100 percent agree with that
@infamousgod802
@Free Thought Yes Mel needs more music right now while spice girls are on break
@dannydorko7075
@Free Thought they were too involved with artists like Aaliyah and Tweet
@allanmhanson
This is her best single.
I remember they played this song all the time when I was a kid.
@ojeladeadesoji9800
MTV
@kishikcm
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis did their thing with this production. Mel B is amazing!!
@steve_tovey
Is it me or is Mel b just a little underrated. Like these tunes were sooo good and still sound amazing