Spice Life
This is an account of my discovery of something massive that shaped me so much as an individual. It played such a crucial role in my development, I felt the need to digress.
In early 1997, in the United States, something was about to explode in the music business. In my own life, I was an awkward teenager just trying to figure out what I was all about. I was sassy and enthusiastic, but there was nothing in the music world that jived with that part of my personality. Out of the blue, a song began sweeping the radio waves, a song that had all the energy and attitude a girl could dream of, a song that eventually defined my life for a few years. It opened with footsteps and a cheeky laugh, edgy spoken words, and segued into peppy melodies and vocals traded from one voice to the next. The chorus was positive and fun, all five voices conveying their loyalty to friendship and each other. By the time I heard the ending vocals echo out the first time, I was hooked. What was that?!
For several weeks, I waited by my radio, mix tape at the ready, hoping to catch the song again. I had yet to figure out who sang the song, and at first couldn't even tell there were more than a couple voices in it. A radio announcer incorrectly called the group Spice, and since this was before the internet became everyone's first source of information, there was only one place left to go to figure out the truth. The local music, books and movies store, Mediaplay. I frequently made trips to Mediaplay on foot, so I slipped my shoes on and jogged anxiously to the store. I immediately made my way toward the back, to the CDs, to the pop section, and finally to the 'S' artists. Staring back in my face, there it was. Spice Girls.
At the time, it felt like a revelation. There was something altogether perfect about their marketing package. The uppity tune on the radio, the bright and colorful album cover (with a little ring at the bottom implying eternal attitude) and the confidence each of the girls exuded. I still wasn't sure what that song on the radio was called, and looking at the back of the album I didn't see anything containing 'be my lover'. I bought the album anyway, hoping this was what I'd been searching for. I think I ran all the way home. I popped the disc into my CD player and pushed play. Boom. There it was, laughing in my face, literally. The footsteps, the laugh, the rapping, the bouncy vocals and finally, the epic chorus. It was called 'Wannabe'. Wow, that was it!
I immediately became a crazy Spice Girl fan. I pinned the album art on my wall. I bought calendars. There was a Spice keychain on my backpack. I wore platform sneakers (and sprained my ankle several times in them). I bought books about the girls and took quizzes to find out which Spice Girl I was (I wanted to be Geri but inevitably ended up being Emma). I threw girl power poses everywhere all the time. My Mom probably worried the whole time, but through all that, I was gaining confidence and becoming more and more bubbly. I was growing up.
It was such an important part of my life. At an age when we're all so impressionable, I found a little bit of my true self through those five spicy girls. I stopped worrying so much about what people thought and put myself out there. Sure I went a little overboard sometimes, but we all do that when we're teenagers. I'm convinced if the Spice Girls had never existed my life would have been very different. They defined a generation, brought pop back on the map at a time when alternative and rock music were dominating, and empowered girls everywhere. They were on the cover of countless magazines, like Vogue, and were named one of People's 50 Most Beautiful in 1997. They dominated markets everywhere with their music, candy and dolls, and I loved every bit of it.
Call me what you want, what you really really want! I am and always will be a Spice Girl fan, and I look back on those glory days with fondness and a big cheesy smile.
In early 1997, in the United States, something was about to explode in the music business. In my own life, I was an awkward teenager just trying to figure out what I was all about. I was sassy and enthusiastic, but there was nothing in the music world that jived with that part of my personality. Out of the blue, a song began sweeping the radio waves, a song that had all the energy and attitude a girl could dream of, a song that eventually defined my life for a few years. It opened with footsteps and a cheeky laugh, edgy spoken words, and segued into peppy melodies and vocals traded from one voice to the next. The chorus was positive and fun, all five voices conveying their loyalty to friendship and each other. By the time I heard the ending vocals echo out the first time, I was hooked. What was that?!
For several weeks, I waited by my radio, mix tape at the ready, hoping to catch the song again. I had yet to figure out who sang the song, and at first couldn't even tell there were more than a couple voices in it. A radio announcer incorrectly called the group Spice, and since this was before the internet became everyone's first source of information, there was only one place left to go to figure out the truth. The local music, books and movies store, Mediaplay. I frequently made trips to Mediaplay on foot, so I slipped my shoes on and jogged anxiously to the store. I immediately made my way toward the back, to the CDs, to the pop section, and finally to the 'S' artists. Staring back in my face, there it was. Spice Girls.
At the time, it felt like a revelation. There was something altogether perfect about their marketing package. The uppity tune on the radio, the bright and colorful album cover (with a little ring at the bottom implying eternal attitude) and the confidence each of the girls exuded. I still wasn't sure what that song on the radio was called, and looking at the back of the album I didn't see anything containing 'be my lover'. I bought the album anyway, hoping this was what I'd been searching for. I think I ran all the way home. I popped the disc into my CD player and pushed play. Boom. There it was, laughing in my face, literally. The footsteps, the laugh, the rapping, the bouncy vocals and finally, the epic chorus. It was called 'Wannabe'. Wow, that was it!
I immediately became a crazy Spice Girl fan. I pinned the album art on my wall. I bought calendars. There was a Spice keychain on my backpack. I wore platform sneakers (and sprained my ankle several times in them). I bought books about the girls and took quizzes to find out which Spice Girl I was (I wanted to be Geri but inevitably ended up being Emma). I threw girl power poses everywhere all the time. My Mom probably worried the whole time, but through all that, I was gaining confidence and becoming more and more bubbly. I was growing up.
Call me what you want, what you really really want! I am and always will be a Spice Girl fan, and I look back on those glory days with fondness and a big cheesy smile.
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| Me, circa 2001 |
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