I have to admit that when I first heard Wannabe, I just thought it would be
another cheesy pop song that would be driven into the ground by incessant
radio play.  It's not that I didn't like it, it's just that I was getting
sick of all the mediocre pop music that had been released, and I wasn't ready
to open my mind to what I thought was another piece of crappy music.  Well,
of course, I was wrong.  But I wasn't really a fan yet.  Say You'll Be There,
and 2 Become 1 soon followed, and I liked those too - but I still didn't own
the CD.
  
Everything changed when the movie came along.  My friend and I, both cynical
and looking for a good laugh, said "let's go see just how bad this Spiceworld
movie can be!"  All I can say is kick me for being a complete and utter 
moron!  I came out of the movie in shock.  The Spice Girls were not only
talented (duh), but were very funny, likable girls.  They made fun of
themselves, and the movie even had a really good story behind it.  The last
twenty minutes of the movie alone are classic.  Needless to say, I went back
and saw it three more times, and also bought both CD's and some videos.  And
after absorbing myself in the world of Spice, it became apparent that one of
the Spice Girls was way more talented than the others - Melanie C.

And let me state right now that I am NOT a lesbian.  I do not lust after Mel
in the same way that you do, Chris.  I simply admire her and have become a
devoted fan.  (I just thought I would add that little tidbit of info, because
I cannot imagine that you get that many letters from adult, straight females.
Nuff' said.) 

The first thing that stuck out about Mel was her voice.  Jesus, that girl can
sing!  Whether it's a low string of notes, or the usual wailing, it's beyond
kick-ass.  She's got a large enough set of pipes that she should share some
with Victoria, who could sometimes desperately use them.  In short, she rocks.

The second thing I noticed was her attitude.  She is extremely down to earth
and has a take-no-crap attitude that is refreshing in the glossy and
image-heavy world of pop.   In a lot of their television and magazine
interviews, it's very noticeable how "coached" the Spice Girls are.  That is,
all of them except Melanie C.  She comes across as open, and not afraid to
speak her mind.  She is very well-spoken, and seems like one of the few
intelligent ones of the group (other than Mel B), one that thinks about
things other than clothes or how rich they are.  I must add right now that
Mel B is my second favorite.  She is just too crazy - how could anyone not
like her!?   Anyways, back to Melanie.  Her attitude is beyond cool.  Anyone
who can stay that low-key after achieving world-wide success has obviously
got a good head on her shoulders.  She is definitely the thinker of the group. 

Another point I'd like to bring up concerning her attitude involves her 
choice of clothing.  Again, she is the smart one of the group.  Besides
looking damn cool in Adidas gear, she was smart enough to realize, "I'm going
to be dancing around quite a bit, so I had better wear some comfortable
clothing."   While the rest of the girls (excluding Mel B) stumble around
stage in heels and platforms, there is Melanie dancing perfectly and still
looking completely comfy.  I myself hate wearing dresses and heels, so I have
to respect any woman who has enough intelligence and stubborness to wear
exactly what she wants.  If I could find a job where I could wear my sneakers
and track pants to work, I'd be a much happier girl.  

The third thing that makes me respect Melanie is the fact that she is smart
enough to know that she has to change and grow as an artist to keep people
interested.  She must have learned more from Madonna than the rest of the
girls.  Her makeover was a good idea, even if it was a little on the heavy
side (maybe Geri got a hold of her!)  She also changes her hair every so
often, and maybe dresses a little differently.  But even when she does change
something about herself, she never loses her edge or her attitude.  I saw a
picture of the group recently, and Melanie was wearing a very smart looking
black leather jacket.  She looked more elegant than she usually does, but you
could still tell she was the bad-ass of the group.  So kudos to her for
growing as an artist, while still retaining her identity...

The fourth and final thing that makes me a fan of Melanie is a little
embarrassing to admit, but it's an important reason.  It involves the whole
"Holland" thing.  Being a little on the flat-chested side myself, I can fully
identify with Melanie when she says she was teased in high school.  I think
it is beyond cool that a famous woman with a LOT of money who just happens to
have a little chest doesn't run right out and get a boob job when she could
very easily do just that.  And I would also like to thank you, Chris, and the
other guys who have said that not all girls have to be well endowed and
drop-dead gorgeous to be considered attractive.  It's enlightening to know
that men like you do exist, even if you are across the Atlantic.  So, again, 
Melanie is cool because she doesn't try to surgically enhance herself, and
she's happy with who she is;  and that is a refreshing thing in this day and 
age.

So now that I've stated my undying fandom for Melanie C and probably made a
complete ass of myself, I think I'll go back to surfing the net or maybe
re-reading my favorite parts of your web-site.  I know that you probably
won't even waste your time reading this, or if you do you'll think I'm a
moron.  But I don't care - I needed to vent.  My friends make fun of me
because I'm a grown adult and I still like the Spice Girls.  But, it's hard
not to like a group of fun-loving girls who speak their mind and make good
music to boot.  They've made pop music fun again, and have given me a reason
to sing at the top of my lungs in the car or dance at the drop of a hat.  And
the coolest one out of all of them, miss Sporty Spice herself, has had a big
hand in that.  She is beyond cool, a great vocalist, and seems like the kind
of girl I'd like to have as a friend.