Pop music saw its boom with acts from the late 90's such as the Backstreet Boys, N'Sync, Britney Spears and probably one of the most hyped up, talked about, the Spice Girls. No doubt they all gave birth to a new era in pop music. And though some have gone on their own ways, some has definitely gone back from their long hiatuses and recorded new music and are enjoying moderate to excellent success.
This brings me back to the newest comebacking pop group as of late.
The Spice Girls swept the world by storm in 1996 with their monster of a hit, Wannabe, with the girls asking what guys really, really want. (had to put it in there...) Theirs was an in-your-face attitude, screaming and emphasizing what girl power was all about. It was all about female empowerment, an equality of the sexes type of encouragement for all women, old and young. Ginger (Geri Halliwell), Scary (Melanie B.), Baby (Emma Bunton), Sporty (Melanie C.) and Posh (Victoria Adams-Beckham) became the voice and inspiration of all women around the world, as each girl embodies a different personality that everyone can relate to.The Girls had a string of number ones in a span of about 3 to 4 years, and in this short amount of time, they became one of the biggest selling girl group of the 90's, moving in with the ranks of the Beatles, Elvis Presley and Madonna in terms of records sold. Indeed, in that short span of time, the girls have established themselves as one of the most influential groups in pop music.
But like in all groups, problems and issues are bound to arise. For the girls, it began w
hen they fired their manager, Simon Fuller and the girls had to manage themselves. Of course, personalities clashed, ultimately leading to Geri Halliwell leaving the group eventually. The girls forged on, finishing a big world tour as a foursome, an album followed but the same spark that ignited the world in 1996 was slowly dying out.Fast forward to late 2007. The girls announce that they will return to perform in a multi-continental world tour marked as "The Return of The Spice Girls". Fans, including yours truly, cannot hide surmounting excitement, as evidenced by lightning fast ticket sales, selling out in mere minutes, with fans scrambling for it like crazy. To further build up anticipation, the Girls release a new track, called Headlines (Friendship Never Ends).
I have never been so engrossed in a pop act like I have with the Spice Girls, as I feel they were the reflection of my teenage years. Cheeky, impulsive and inspired. The girls, cliche as it may sound, made me want to be a more assertive and confident person, and those two traits has brought me to where I am now. I'm very glad that they decided to reunite this time and show another generation of young girls what the 90's was about and what Girl Power is.
I just hope I can score tickets to see them here when the tour stops at Asia. Gosh, I'd pee my pants if that were to happen.
The Return of the Spice Girls
