Spice Girls announce comeback tour

Thursday, June 28, 2007

British girl group the Spice Girls today announced plans for a comeback tour and the release of a greatest hits album.

Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell – also known as Posh, Scary, Baby, Sporty and Ginger – will visit eleven countries on their tour, starting in Los Angeles on 7 December this year and finishing in Buenos Aires on 24 January 2008.

The band hit the big time in 1996 when their first single, Wannabe, reached number one in countries all over the world.  They would go on to release another nine singles - eight of which reached the top spot in the UK singles charts, including three consecutive Christmas number ones – before eventually splitting up in 2001.  Their third album, Forever, was released as a four piece after the departure of Geri in 1998.

As well as their undoubted musical success – girl groups in the UK constantly compare their successes to those of the Spice Girls – the band famously brought the “Girl Power” slogan into the lives of girls and women up and down the country.  The fivesome also starred in their own movie, Spiceworld: The Movie.

Since the break up, they have remained heavily in the spotlight.  As well as all of them embarking on solo careers of varying success, Victoria famously married footballer David Beckham, Mel B gave birth to Eddie Murphy’s baby earlier this year and Geri spent time working as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Rumours about a reunion have been circulating in tabloids and on the internet for a few years, most strongly around the time of London’s Live 8 concert in 2005 when it was reported that the get-together was only avoided because of Mel B’s commitments in the United States.

This will be the first time all five girls have performed together since Geri’s departure from the band nine years ago.