A hospital worker has revealed how she could have been the sixth member of the Spice Girls – had it not been for her “too strong” voice.
Mel Coloma has recalled auditioning for the all-conquering pop group at London’s Pineapple Studios in March 1994. There, she was applauded by 400 others after performing the Dreamgirls ballad, And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.
After each girl had performed, casting agents called back a handful they wanted to see again – including Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown and Victoria Adams. Mel – whose name perhaps would have posed a problem as a second “Mel C” had she ultimately been successful, was also told by an executive they’d like to see her again.
READ MORE: Spice Girls’ dressing room demands – ‘hardcore’ request, spiritual guru and Wotsits
READ MORE: Mel B exits interview as she says ‘I’m gonna get in trouble’ for Spice Girls comment
“There was a huge selection of girls,” Mel recalled to the Sun. “It was competitive, other girls were better singers and some girls on their very first try-out. We all wanted to be noticed. You had to stand out and bring the magic.”
(Image: ITV)
Unbeknownst to Mel at the time, those auditions would go on to thrust the aforementioned Mel C, Mel B, Victoria, Emma Bunton and Geri Horner into a world wide phenomenon just a year later. The five-piece rocketed to fame with their Spice nicknames, with debut single Wannabe topping charts across the world.
After making it to the final eight, however, Mel – along with two other unlucky applicants – missed the final cut. Now, she is a mum-of-two working in a hospital.
(Image: Getty Images)
“People are stunned I got to sing with Geri Halliwell and Mel B making it through to the final group,” she continued. “It was an amazing experience. I’m still singing and entertaining today. I perform at weekends at weddings and posh events. Music is in my DNA.”
She has no regrets, however, having gone on to perform “all over the world” herself as a singer and dancer after auditioning for roles relentlessly, “seven days a week” in her younger days. Now an operating theatre store manager, Mel also remembered being put into a group of three with Mel B and Geri in her final Spice Girls audition.
(Image: WireImage)
There, she became good pals with the future Scary Spice, with the girls told that those were successful would go onto form Touch – a girl band to compete with the boys who were dominating the charts at the time. Mel later heard from bosses her voice was “too strong” and may have “dominated” the others, however.
“It wasn’t until two years later that I switched on the TV and saw the video for Wannabe and saw someone that looked familiar,” Mel added. “Mel B’s face flashed up on the screen and everything fell into place. This was the group I’d so nearly been a part of.”
Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
