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 CafΓ©.
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 CafΓ©; 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 Brownβs 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.
Lullaby
Mel B. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What life was like before
Was it full of old remidies
That kept me reaching for the door
But I know this love is unconditional (yea e yeah)
Deep inside your my living joy (yea e yeah)
A thousand times or more
You're a sweet as a butterfly
Baby all I need and more
Gonna sing you my song
'cause I think the world about you
You're the only one that matters now
Since the day you were born
The first time I looked at you
On that friday afternoon
Your eyes were all a wonderin'
Who am I and who are you
But I know (our love) is unconditional (yes it is)
Deep inside your (my livin joy) yea e yeah
I'm gonna sing you a lullaby - all night
A thousand times or more - all night long yeah
You're a sweet as a butterfly - butterfly
Baby all I need and more - all I need and more
Gonna sing you my song
'cause I think so much about you
You're the only one that materes now
Since the day you were born
Oooooohhhhh ooohhhhh (a thousand times and more)
Oooooohhhhh ooohhhhh(all I need and more)
Sing you my song
Think the world about you
Day you were born
But I know this love is unconditional (yes it is)
Deep inside you're my living joy
I'm gonna sing you a lullaby
A thousand times or more
You're a sweet as a butterfly
Baby all I need and more
Gonna sing you my song
'cause I think the world about you
You're the only one that matters now
Since the day you were born
I'm gonna sing you a lullaby
A thousand times or more
You're a sweet as a butterfly
Baby all I need and more
Gonna sing you my song
'cause I think the world about you
You're the only one that matters now
Since the day you were born
The song 'Lullaby' by Mel B. is an ode to the power of love between a parent and their child, drawing on the memories of Mel's own experiences as a mother. The song speaks of the unconditional love and bond between a mother and her child that lasts a lifetime. Mel B. recalls reflecting on her own life before becoming a mother and the magical transformation that took place once she had her child. The lyrics reference the sense of amazement a mother feels when she looks into her child's eyes for the first time, wondering who they are and who they will become.
The chorus of the song mentions how the singer is going to sing her child a lullaby a thousand times and more, emphasizing the idea that a mother's love for her child is infinite and never-ending. This is further highlighted when Mel B. refers to her child as her "living joy," indicating that her child brings her immense happiness and contentment. The lyrics "since the day you were born" also emphasize the importance of the child and the impact they have had on the mother's life.
Overall, 'Lullaby' is a touching tribute to the powerful bond between a mother and her child, and the everlasting love that remains between them.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I think about
Occasionally I contemplate
What life was like before
How life was prior
Was it full of old remedies
Did it entail traditional solutions
That kept me reaching for the door
Which led me to strive for an exit
But I know this love is unconditional (yea e yeah)
But I am aware of the limitless nature of this affection
Deep inside your my living joy (yea e yeah)
The source of my vitality lies in you
I'm gonna sing you a lullaby
I will croon a soothing melody
A thousand times or more
Countless times
You're a sweet as a butterfly
You are as endearing as a butterfly
Baby all I need and more
You are all I require and more
Gonna sing you my song
I will perform my anthem
'cause I think the world of you
As I consider you extremely highly
You're the only one that matters now
You are the sole person of significance
Since the day you were born
Since your inception
The first time I looked at you
Initially I gazed upon you
On that Friday afternoon
On that particular Friday
Your eyes were all a wonderin'
Your eyes were filled with awe
Who am I and who are you
Asking who we were
But I know (our love) is unconditional (yes it is)
Nevertheless, I am cognizant that our love knows no bounds
Deep inside your (my living joy) yea e yeah
You are the source of my jubilation
I'm gonna sing you a lullaby - all night
I will serenade you throughout the night
A thousand times or more - all night long yeah
Innumerable times, all night long
You're a sweet as a butterfly - butterfly
You are as sweet as a butterfly
Baby all I need and more - all I need and more
You are all I require and more
Oooooohhhhh ooohhhhh (a thousand times and more)
Oooooohhhhh ooohhhhh (countless times)
Oooooohhhhh ooohhhhh(all I need and more)
Oooooohhhhh ooohhhhh (you are all I require and more)
Sing you my song
Performing my hymn
Think the world about you
Holding you in high esteem
Day you were born
The day you came into existence
You're the only one that matters now
You are the sole person of significance
Since the day you were born
Since your inception
I'm gonna sing you a lullaby
I will croon a soothing melody
A thousand times or more
Countless times
You're a sweet as a butterfly
You are as endearing as a butterfly
Baby all I need and more
You are all I require and more
Gonna sing you my song
I will perform my anthem
'cause I think the world of you
As I consider you extremely highly
You're the only one that matters now
You are the sole person of significance
Since the day you were born
Since your inception
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bRiTaNiiiKaYYY
GET 'EM, JESSI!!!
I'm ready to come through this laptop screen, like a horror movie, and fight for Mel! <3
Any of y'all notice how GORGEOUS she is, or HOW SEXY her deep vocals actually are?!!?
...Jessi... I guess these TROLLS don't know good music...
TROLLS, GO BACK HOME AND LISTEN TO YOUR BARNEY RECORDS, AND LEAVE THE AMAZING MUSIC TO THE PROS, LIKE MEL!!!
This is a song about her CHILD!
Any of you TROLLS know how to sing as good as Mel??!!??
...I didn't think so!!!
She should be RESPECTED, for the WORLD WONDER THAT SHE IS!!!
I'LL ALWAYS HAVE THIS GODDESS'S BACK!!!
~Much <3 & Respect, Mel!
Brit
@vimalanvicknesh4292
Sheβs always my favourite spice girl and her vocals πππ₯π₯ GO SCARY!!! This is definitely one of my fav solo songs of hers β€οΈ so beautiful and the fact that she, a mother wrote it for her daughter is π₯Ίπ₯°
@martinpugh1008
Beautiful and very haunting
@yohanbailey8709
Mel b has a beautiful, husky singing voice. So angelic, and loving β€. Oh, I do love her, so much! Truthfully!
@luisheredia845
Beautiful song!... I love U π MelB from Argentina
@davidlee1029
Beautiful lyrics, still listening to this song quite often
@TreenaBeena
This song is gorgeous. I love Mel B
@2srichardson
Just gorgeous; I sing this to my daughter xo
@aleguiric
OMG, I miss that year so much!
@Dee4467
I always said I would sing this to my child one day... A month ago whilst my 2 and half month daughter was crying at 2am or so and wouldn't settle, I remembered Mel B's song!!!! I was so happy that I found it quickly and sang it to her... Her name is Lailah Benjamin born in September 2023... I cried thinking about the Tuesday evening I met you, and your eyes were indeed wondering who am i and who are you... Lailah immediately stopped crying and i knew i would play this again and again to her... i am playing it again on 08.Dec 2023 and she settled to sleep... I love you Lailah, you are my everything π’π’π’
@jrreis8709
Love it! Kisses from Brazil