Geri Halliwell
Encyclopedia
Geraldine Estelle "Geri" Halliwell (born 6 August 1972) is an English pop singer-songwriter, author and actress. After coming to international prominence in the late 1990s as Ginger Spice, a member of the girl group
the Spice Girls
, Halliwell launched her solo career in 1998 and released her album Schizophonic
. Since then, she has released two more studio albums – Scream If You Wanna Go Faster
and Passion
– and four number one singles at the UK Singles Chart
, "Mi Chico Latino
", "Lift Me Up
", "Bag It Up
" and "It's Raining Men". In 2008, Halliwell published a book series named Ugenia Lavender
. As a solo artist, Halliwell has sold 12 million records worldwide and been nominated for two Brit Awards in 2000 and 2002. In 1999, she wrote an autobiography
If Only
, in which described her life as a Spice Girl.
, Hertfordshire
England, to Laurence Francis Halliwell (1922–1993), who was of English descent, and his wife Ana María (née Hidalgo), who is a Spaniard from Huesca
. Halliwell grew up on a council estate in North Watford
. Halliwell took her A-Level
s at Camden School for Girls
, obtaining an A-level in English
at A grade standard, having taken her GCSEs at Watford Girls Grammar School. Before starting her music career, Halliwell had worked as a nightclub dancer in Majorca, a presenter on the Turkish
version of Let's Make a Deal
and as a glamour model
. Following her rise to fame with the Spice Girls, nude photos of Halliwell were re-published in a number of magazines in 1992 and 1995 including Playboy
and Penthouse
.
magazine in 1996. Geri became renowned for wearing outrageous stage costumes and often garnered extensive publicity. The group sold over 65 million records and are the best selling girl group of all time. Their debut single "Wannabe
" became the first of nine number-ones in the United Kingdom and reached the top position in 41 countries around the globe, including Australia, Canada and the United States. Other successful releases followed, including "Say You'll Be There
" and "2 Become 1
" from Spice, and "Spice Up Your Life
", "Too Much
" and "Stop
" from Spiceworld.
On 30 May 1998, Halliwell left the Spice Girls due to depression and differences between the group. The first official confirmation was an announcement to the media by her solicitor on 31 May. Her action aroused controversy, her former group being due to embark on a North American tour, which they eventually completed without her. Although she had already left the group, the Spice Girls released "Viva Forever
", the final music video to feature Halliwell's likeness. After she left, the other girls co-wrote a few songs about her, which appeared on their album Forever
: "Goodbye" and "Let Love Lead the Way
".
by Molly Dineen
. In 1999, Halliwell launched her solo career and released her debut album Schizophonic
, with the lead single "Look at Me
", produced by Absolute
and Phil Bucknall. "Look at Me" would go on to sell over one million copies worldwide, followed by further number ones at the UK Singles Chart
"Mi Chico Latino
", "Lift Me Up
" and "Bag It Up
". Halliwell performed "Bag It Up" during the BRIT Awards
ceremony in 2000, emerging between giant inflatable legs, ripping off her shirt and walking in stiletto heels over the backs of topless pink-haired men whilst performing the song.
"Look at Me" was released to radio in the United States in late 1999, receiving limited airplay. With only a radio single, Schizophonic debuted at number forty-two on the Billboard 200
before dropping out within the next month. The album was eventually certified Gold, distributing over 500,000 copies. "Mi Chico Latino" did not have a big impact on American radio, and no further singles from Schizophonic or albums were released in the United States. In 1999, she wrote an autobiography
If Only
, in which described her life as a Spice Girl.
. It also included her cover version of The Weather Girls' 1983 hit, "It's Raining Men", used on the Bridget Jones's Diary
film soundtrack
, and the video game, DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution 7thMix. The song also won her the International Song of the Year award at the 2002 NRJ Music Awards
. The song has been added to the album at the last minute, and another song "Feels Like Sex" had already been slated as the lead single. The singles that followed, "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster
" and "Calling
", reached, respectively, number eight and number seven in the United Kingdom. Halliwell released a special French edition of the single, entitled "Au Nom de L'amour
". Scream If You Wanna Go Faster was not released in the United States.
In 2002, Halliwell was featured alongside Pete Waterman
and Louis Walsh
as a judge on the television series Popstars: The rivals
which created Girls Aloud
. The following year, she released her second autobiography, Just for the Record, detailing her rise to fame and her turbulent celebrity lifestyle. She has also released two Yoga
DVDs with her yoga teacher Katy Appleton, Geri Yoga and Geri Body Yoga. In the United States, Halliwell appeared as a judge on the reality programme All American Girl
and as a guest reporter on celebrity-based series Extra
. She has also made appearances in the television series Sex and the City
and in the 2004 film
Fat Slags, based on characters from Viz Magazine. In 2004, Halliwell appeared on channel Five as one of the hosts of the Party in the Park
event for The Prince's Trust
, the presenter and main performer of the Tickled Pink Girls' night in Live! event and an appearance in a documentary There's Something About Geri.
", was released on 30 May 2005, reaching number 22 in the UK Singles Chart and number one on the UK Dance Charts. Released shortly after, the album Passion
similarly received little attention from the public or critics, and stalled at number 41 in the UK charts. Halliwell's recording contract with EMI
was subsequently not renewed, and in recent interviews Halliwell has stated that she is not interested in recording another album at the moment and was content with writing children's books and being a mother.
On 28 June 2007, Halliwell announced she was joining her former group-mates for a concert tour "Return of the Spice Girls". Part of the setlist of the reunion tour features Halliwell performing solo, singing her cover of It's Raining Men. It was announced on 1 February that the tour would end early, on 26 February 2008.
On 12 April 2007, it was announced that Halliwell had signed a six-book deal with Macmillan Children's Books. The books follow the adventures of nine-year-old Ugenia, a character based on Halliwell, alongside her friends Bronte, Rudy and Trevor. Other characters are said by Halliwell to be loosely based on Gordon Ramsay
, George Michael
, Marilyn Monroe
, Vincent van Gogh
, Wayne Rooney
and the character Justin Suarez
from the TV series Ugly Betty
. The character Princess Posh Vattoria, a caricature of Halliwell's bandmate Victoria Beckham
, was featured in early drafts but has not appeared in the book series.
Halliwell appeared in the film Crank: High Voltage alongside friend, actor, John Damon and on the BBC 1's The One Show
on 7 May 2009. On 24 May 2009, she spoke to the Speed TV reporter Peter Windsor in the pit lane just prior to the start of the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix
. In interviews to promote the book series Ugenia Lavender
, Halliwell said she had no plans to return to a solo musical career in the near future.
announced on ITV1
's The Alan Titchmarsh Show
that Halliwell would be making a return to music. The following month, Halliwell announced through her official website that she was back in the studio and recording. In 2010, Halliwell stood in as a guest judge on The X Factor
for Dannii Minogue
at the Glasgow auditions. Halliwell is to release her own range of bikini
's through retailer Next in January 2011. On Christmas Day 2010 she played a cameo in the mockumentary Come Fly with Me
. In July 2011 Halliwell confirmed the album was ready.
at London's Portland Hospital
. Sacha Gervasi
is reported to be the child's father, but Halliwell has never publicly confirmed that.
(UNFPA). In 2000, Halliwell appeared in the two part documentary series Geri's World Walkabout for the BBC
, which followed her work with the UN and other travels. Halliwell picked up further UN work in 2006, by visiting Zambia
from 14–16 November, to promote greater international awareness of the urgent need to reduce maternal death and halt the spread of HIV/AIDS.
, Halliwell declared: "I saw a lot of what Mrs Thatcher
did. She was definitely the original Spice Girl rising from the greengrocer's daughter to Prime Minister." For this, Lauren Laverne
called her "Tory scum". She claimed that her background was deeply-rooted in support for the Conservative Party
and that Thatcher was the pioneer of 'Girl Power
' and the spiritual sixth member of the Spice Girls. She claimed in 1996 that Tony Blair
was "not a safe pair of hands for the economy". By the 2001 General Election
Halliwell had switched her support to Tony Blair and the Labour Party
, making a cameo appearance in one of their party election broadcasts.
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
the Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
, Halliwell launched her solo career in 1998 and released her album Schizophonic
Schizophonic (Geri Halliwell album)
Schizophonic is the debut solo album by pop singer Geri Halliwell. The album was released after her split from popular girl group the Spice Girls...
. Since then, she has released two more studio albums – Scream If You Wanna Go Faster
Scream if You Wanna Go Faster
Scream If You Wanna Go Faster is the second solo album by British pop singer Geri Halliwell. It was released by EMI Records on May 14, 2001 and yielded the UK number-one single "It's Raining Men". Although not as successful as her debut album Schizophonic, it reached a peak position of number five...
and Passion
Passion (Geri Halliwell album)
Passion is the third album by English pop singer Geri Halliwell, released on 6 June, 2005) in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Canada. Two singles were released from the album, "Ride It" and "Desire", which both made the UK top 30...
– and four number one singles at the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, "Mi Chico Latino
Mi Chico Latino
"Mi Chico Latino" , is a song by English singer Geri Halliwell and second single from her debut solo album Schizophonic. It was released on 16 August 1999...
", "Lift Me Up
Lift Me Up (Geri Halliwell song)
"Lift Me Up" is a song by Geri Halliwell, the third single from her debut solo album Schizophonic. It was released on 1 November 1999, and debuted and peaked at number-one in the United Kingdom, winning the battle against Emma Bunton's "What I Am" by 33,000 copies.-Chart performance:Geri released...
", "Bag It Up
Bag It Up
"Bag It Up" is a pop–dance song recorded by Geri Halliwell. It was released on 13 March 2000 as the fourth and final single from Halliwell's debut solo album Schizophonic . It became Halliwell's third solo number one single in the United Kingdom selling 255,516 copies in total being certified Silver...
" and "It's Raining Men". In 2008, Halliwell published a book series named Ugenia Lavender
Ugenia Lavender
Ugenia Lavender is the title character in a series of children's novels written by Geri Halliwell, who achieved fame as a member of the Spice Girls and as a solo singer-songwriter before deciding to pursue a career as an author. Halliwell began writing the books in 2004...
. As a solo artist, Halliwell has sold 12 million records worldwide and been nominated for two Brit Awards in 2000 and 2002. In 1999, she wrote an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
If Only
If Only (autobiography)
If Only is a 1999 autobiography by Geri Halliwell, written after she left the Spice Girls.-Synopsis introduction:From her childhood in Watford to her rise to international fame with the Spice Girls, Geri Halliwell tells of her never-ending quest for fulfilment and coming of age, at a time when she...
, in which described her life as a Spice Girl.
Early life
Halliwell was born at Watford General Hospital, WatfordWatford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
England, to Laurence Francis Halliwell (1922–1993), who was of English descent, and his wife Ana María (née Hidalgo), who is a Spaniard from Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
. Halliwell grew up on a council estate in North Watford
North Watford
North Watford is an area in Watford, Hertfordshire.- Location :North Watford is situated between Central Watford and Garston. It links Watford to the M1 and M25 via the A41...
. Halliwell took her A-Level
GCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
s at Camden School for Girls
Camden School for Girls
The Camden School for Girls is a comprehensive secondary school for girls, with a co-educational sixth form, in the London Borough of Camden in North London. It has about one thousand students of ages eleven to eighteen, and specialist-school status as a Music College...
, obtaining an A-level in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
at A grade standard, having taken her GCSEs at Watford Girls Grammar School. Before starting her music career, Halliwell had worked as a nightclub dancer in Majorca, a presenter on the Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
version of Let's Make a Deal
Let's Make a Deal
Let's Make a Deal is a television game show which originated in the United States and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The traders usually have to weigh the possibility of an offer being...
and as a glamour model
Glamour photography
Glamour photography is a genre of photography whereby the subjects, usually female, are portrayed in a romantic or sexually alluring way. The subjects may be fully clothed or seminude, but glamour photography stops short of deliberately arousing the viewer and being pornographic photography.Glamour...
. Following her rise to fame with the Spice Girls, nude photos of Halliwell were re-published in a number of magazines in 1992 and 1995 including Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
and Penthouse
Penthouse (magazine)
Penthouse, a men's magazine founded by Bob Guccione, combines urban lifestyle articles and softcore pornographic pictorials that, in the 1990s, evolved into hardcore. Penthouse is owned by FriendFinder Network. formerly known as General Media, Inc. whose parent company was Penthouse International...
.
1994–98: Spice Girls
Halliwell first found fame as one of the five members of the girl group the Spice Girls, and was dubbed "Ginger Spice" by Top of the PopsTop of the Pops (magazine)
Top of the Pops magazine is a monthly publication published by BBC Magazines. It features chart information, star gossip, fashion and beauty advice, quizzes, song lyrics and posters. It is a supplementary magazine for the TV show Top of the Pops....
magazine in 1996. Geri became renowned for wearing outrageous stage costumes and often garnered extensive publicity. The group sold over 65 million records and are the best selling girl group of all time. Their debut single "Wannabe
Wannabe (song)
"Wannabe" is the debut song by British pop group Spice Girls. Written by the group members with Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard during the group's first professional songwriting session, it was produced by Rowe and Stannard for the group's debut album Spice, released in November 1996...
" became the first of nine number-ones in the United Kingdom and reached the top position in 41 countries around the globe, including Australia, Canada and the United States. Other successful releases followed, including "Say You'll Be There
Say You'll Be There
"Say You'll Be There" is a song by British pop group Spice Girls. It was written by the Spice Girls and Eliot Kennedy, for their debut album Spice, released in November 1996. Production duo Absolute incorporated a mix of pop and R&B into the song, which includes an harmonica solo, played by Judd...
" and "2 Become 1
2 Become 1
"2 Become 1" is a song by the British pop group Spice Girls. Written by the group members, Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard during the group's first professional songwriting session, it was produced by Rowe and Stannard for the group's debut album Spice, released in November 1996...
" from Spice, and "Spice Up Your Life
Spice Up Your Life
"Spice Up Your Life" is a song by the British pop group Spice Girls. It was written by the group members, with Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard, at the same time as the group was filming scenes for their movie Spice World...
", "Too Much
Too Much (Spice Girls song)
"Too Much" is a song by the British pop group Spice Girls. Written by the group members with Paul Wilson and Andy Watkins—the songwriters and production duo known as Absolute—at the same time as the group was filming scenes for their movie Spice World, it was produced by Wilson and Watkins for the...
" and "Stop
Stop (Spice Girls song)
"Stop" is a song by the British pop group Spice Girls. It was written by the group members with Paul Wilson and Andy Watkins—the songwriters and production duo known as Absolute—at the same time as the group was filming scenes for their movie Spice World...
" from Spiceworld.
On 30 May 1998, Halliwell left the Spice Girls due to depression and differences between the group. The first official confirmation was an announcement to the media by her solicitor on 31 May. Her action aroused controversy, her former group being due to embark on a North American tour, which they eventually completed without her. Although she had already left the group, the Spice Girls released "Viva Forever
Viva Forever
"Viva Forever" is a song by the Spice Girls from their second album, Spiceworld. Originally set to be released alongside the track “Never Give Up on the Good Times” the B-Side was then pulled as member Geri Halliwell left the group. The song was released on July 20, 1998 in the United Kingdom and...
", the final music video to feature Halliwell's likeness. After she left, the other girls co-wrote a few songs about her, which appeared on their album Forever
Forever (Spice Girls album)
Forever is the third and final studio album by the English pop girl group the Spice Girls, released in 2000. It is their only album without Geri Halliwell, who later reunited with the group for their Greatest Hits release in 2007...
: "Goodbye" and "Let Love Lead the Way
Let Love Lead the Way
"Let Love Lead the Way" is a song by the Spice Girls, released as a double-A side single with "Holler" as the final single from the Spice Girls' third album Forever, released in 2000. The single was released internationally as a double A-side single with "Holler"...
".
1999–2000: Schizophonic
Halliwell appeared in a 90 minute documentary Geri for the British television channel Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
by Molly Dineen
Molly Dineen
Molly Dineen is a BAFTA and Royal Television Society award winning UK television documentary director, cinematographer and producer....
. In 1999, Halliwell launched her solo career and released her debut album Schizophonic
Schizophonic (Geri Halliwell album)
Schizophonic is the debut solo album by pop singer Geri Halliwell. The album was released after her split from popular girl group the Spice Girls...
, with the lead single "Look at Me
Look at Me (Geri Halliwell song)
"Look at Me" is a pop song written by British singer-songwriter Geri Halliwell and Paul Wilson and Andy Watkins PKA Absolute. It was released as the first single from her debut solo album Schizophonic. It peaked at number two in the United Kingdom, and at number three in both Australia and...
", produced by Absolute
Absolute (production team)
Absolute are a music production team responsible for a number of hits in the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century.-History:Absolute was formed in 1988, by Paul Wilson and Andy Watkins after they met at university and decided to pursue a career in music...
and Phil Bucknall. "Look at Me" would go on to sell over one million copies worldwide, followed by further number ones at the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
"Mi Chico Latino
Mi Chico Latino
"Mi Chico Latino" , is a song by English singer Geri Halliwell and second single from her debut solo album Schizophonic. It was released on 16 August 1999...
", "Lift Me Up
Lift Me Up (Geri Halliwell song)
"Lift Me Up" is a song by Geri Halliwell, the third single from her debut solo album Schizophonic. It was released on 1 November 1999, and debuted and peaked at number-one in the United Kingdom, winning the battle against Emma Bunton's "What I Am" by 33,000 copies.-Chart performance:Geri released...
" and "Bag It Up
Bag It Up
"Bag It Up" is a pop–dance song recorded by Geri Halliwell. It was released on 13 March 2000 as the fourth and final single from Halliwell's debut solo album Schizophonic . It became Halliwell's third solo number one single in the United Kingdom selling 255,516 copies in total being certified Silver...
". Halliwell performed "Bag It Up" during the BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
ceremony in 2000, emerging between giant inflatable legs, ripping off her shirt and walking in stiletto heels over the backs of topless pink-haired men whilst performing the song.
"Look at Me" was released to radio in the United States in late 1999, receiving limited airplay. With only a radio single, Schizophonic debuted at number forty-two on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
before dropping out within the next month. The album was eventually certified Gold, distributing over 500,000 copies. "Mi Chico Latino" did not have a big impact on American radio, and no further singles from Schizophonic or albums were released in the United States. In 1999, she wrote an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
If Only
If Only (autobiography)
If Only is a 1999 autobiography by Geri Halliwell, written after she left the Spice Girls.-Synopsis introduction:From her childhood in Watford to her rise to international fame with the Spice Girls, Geri Halliwell tells of her never-ending quest for fulfilment and coming of age, at a time when she...
, in which described her life as a Spice Girl.
2001–04: Scream If You Wanna Go Faster
In 2001, Halliwell followed up with her second album, Scream If You Wanna Go FasterScream if You Wanna Go Faster
Scream If You Wanna Go Faster is the second solo album by British pop singer Geri Halliwell. It was released by EMI Records on May 14, 2001 and yielded the UK number-one single "It's Raining Men". Although not as successful as her debut album Schizophonic, it reached a peak position of number five...
. It also included her cover version of The Weather Girls' 1983 hit, "It's Raining Men", used on the Bridget Jones's Diary
Bridget Jones's Diary (film)
Bridget Jones's Diary is a 2001 British romantic comedy film based on Helen Fielding's novel of the same name. The adaptation stars Renée Zellweger as Bridget, Hugh Grant as the caddish Daniel Cleaver, and Colin Firth as Bridget's "true love", Mark Darcy...
film soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
, and the video game, DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution 7thMix. The song also won her the International Song of the Year award at the 2002 NRJ Music Awards
NRJ Music Awards
The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM...
. The song has been added to the album at the last minute, and another song "Feels Like Sex" had already been slated as the lead single. The singles that followed, "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster
Scream If You Wanna Go Faster (song)
"Scream If You Wanna Go Faster" is a song by Geri Halliwell, released as the second song from her second solo album. It was released on 30 July 2001. The song was written by Halliwell on the day of her first recovery meeting for bulimia...
" and "Calling
Calling (song)
"Calling" is a song by Geri Halliwell, released as the third and final single from the album Scream if You Wanna Go Faster. Just like the previous single, "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster", success was limited...
", reached, respectively, number eight and number seven in the United Kingdom. Halliwell released a special French edition of the single, entitled "Au Nom de L'amour
Calling (song)
"Calling" is a song by Geri Halliwell, released as the third and final single from the album Scream if You Wanna Go Faster. Just like the previous single, "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster", success was limited...
". Scream If You Wanna Go Faster was not released in the United States.
In 2002, Halliwell was featured alongside Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
and Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
as a judge on the television series Popstars: The rivals
Popstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
which created Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
. The following year, she released her second autobiography, Just for the Record, detailing her rise to fame and her turbulent celebrity lifestyle. She has also released two Yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
DVDs with her yoga teacher Katy Appleton, Geri Yoga and Geri Body Yoga. In the United States, Halliwell appeared as a judge on the reality programme All American Girl
All American Girl (2003 TV series)
All American Girl is a 2003 reality competition that started with 45 females vying for the title of the same name. In the first episode the field of 45 is cut down to 15 by means of a talent show competition and obstacle course. At the talent show and obstacle course, three coaches decided who...
and as a guest reporter on celebrity-based series Extra
Extra (TV series)
Extra is an American entertainment television news program covering events and celebrities which debuted on September 5, 1994 in syndication. It is produced at Victory Studios in Glendale, California by Telepictures Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution...
. She has also made appearances in the television series Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
and in the 2004 film
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
Fat Slags, based on characters from Viz Magazine. In 2004, Halliwell appeared on channel Five as one of the hosts of the Party in the Park
Party in the Park
Party in the Park is the generic name given to music concerts organised by various radio stations and local authorities in England and Wales, typically in large parks during the summer.-Leeds' Party in the Park:...
event for The Prince's Trust
The Prince's Trust
The Prince's Trust is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by Charles, Prince of Wales to help young people. They run a range of training programmes, provide mentoring support and offer financial grants to build the confidence and motivation of disadvantaged young people...
, the presenter and main performer of the Tickled Pink Girls' night in Live! event and an appearance in a documentary There's Something About Geri.
2005–06: Passion
In late 2004, Halliwell made a return to music with the single "Ride It", which reached number four in the United Kingdom and number one on the dance charts. However, several months elapsed before another single was released, during which time she was apparently instructed to record some new tracks for the as yet unreleased album by her record company, which was unhappy with the setlist. Halliwell planned her first solo tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland, but due to lack of ticket sales, compounded by the label's pressure on Halliwell to record additional songs, led to the cancellation of the tour. Eventually a new single, "DesireDesire (Geri Halliwell song)
"Desire" is a song by English recording artist Geri Halliwell from her third studio album, Passion . The song metaphorically describes the persona as a feline with sexual desires...
", was released on 30 May 2005, reaching number 22 in the UK Singles Chart and number one on the UK Dance Charts. Released shortly after, the album Passion
Passion (Geri Halliwell album)
Passion is the third album by English pop singer Geri Halliwell, released on 6 June, 2005) in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Canada. Two singles were released from the album, "Ride It" and "Desire", which both made the UK top 30...
similarly received little attention from the public or critics, and stalled at number 41 in the UK charts. Halliwell's recording contract with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
was subsequently not renewed, and in recent interviews Halliwell has stated that she is not interested in recording another album at the moment and was content with writing children's books and being a mother.
2007–09: Spice Girls re-union and Ugenia Lavender
On 12 April 2007, it was announced that Halliwell had signed a six-book deal with Macmillan Children's Books. The books follow the adventures of nine-year-old Ugenia, a character based on Halliwell, alongside her friends Bronte, Rudy and Trevor. Other characters are said by Halliwell to be loosely based on Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars....
, George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
, Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
, Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
, Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
and the character Justin Suarez
Justin Suarez
Justin Suarez is a fictional character on the American comedy-drama series Ugly Betty which is an adaptation of the Colombian telenovela Betty la fea. He is portrayed by actor Mark Indelicato. Justin lives with his mother Hilda, his aunt Betty, and his grandfather Ignacio...
from the TV series Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
. The character Princess Posh Vattoria, a caricature of Halliwell's bandmate Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Caroline Beckham is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, fashion designer and businesswoman. In the late 1990s, Beckham rose to fame with the all-female pop group Spice Girls and was dubbed Posh Spice by the July 1996 issue of the British pop music magazine Top of the Pops...
, was featured in early drafts but has not appeared in the book series.
Halliwell appeared in the film Crank: High Voltage alongside friend, actor, John Damon and on the BBC 1's The One Show
The One Show
The One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday...
on 7 May 2009. On 24 May 2009, she spoke to the Speed TV reporter Peter Windsor in the pit lane just prior to the start of the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix
2009 Monaco Grand Prix
The 2009 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on the 24 May, 2009 at the Circuit de Monaco, in Monaco. The race, which was contested over 78 laps, was the sixth round of the 2009 Formula One season...
. In interviews to promote the book series Ugenia Lavender
Ugenia Lavender
Ugenia Lavender is the title character in a series of children's novels written by Geri Halliwell, who achieved fame as a member of the Spice Girls and as a solo singer-songwriter before deciding to pursue a career as an author. Halliwell began writing the books in 2004...
, Halliwell said she had no plans to return to a solo musical career in the near future.
2010–present: fourth solo album
In March 2010, vocal coach and singer Carrie GrantCarrie Grant
Carrie Grant is a British vocal coach and session singer. She is best known for her work on the television talent contests Fame Academy, Comic Relief does Fame Academy and Pop Idol, together with her husband and colleague David Grant. She is also personal voice coach to many successful pop stars...
announced on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
's The Alan Titchmarsh Show
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
The Alan Titchmarsh Show is a British daytime TV chat show broadcast between 3 and 4pm weekdays on the ITV Network.-Format:The programme made its debut on ITV in 2007. It focused on the theme of "The Best of British" focusing on food, entertainment and celebrities in a mid-afternoon slot...
that Halliwell would be making a return to music. The following month, Halliwell announced through her official website that she was back in the studio and recording. In 2010, Halliwell stood in as a guest judge on The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
for Dannii Minogue
Dannii Minogue
Danielle Jane "Dannii" Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, television personality, radio personality, fashion designer and model...
at the Glasgow auditions. Halliwell is to release her own range of bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
's through retailer Next in January 2011. On Christmas Day 2010 she played a cameo in the mockumentary Come Fly with Me
Come Fly with Me (2010 TV series)
Come Fly with Me is a British mockumentary television comedy series created by and starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams. Narrated by Lindsay Duncan, the series launched on 25 December 2010 on BBC One and BBC One HD...
. In July 2011 Halliwell confirmed the album was ready.
Personal and media life
On 14 May 2006, Halliwell gave birth to her daughter, Bluebell Madonna, by caesarean sectionCaesarean section
A Caesarean section, is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies, or, rarely, to remove a dead fetus...
at London's Portland Hospital
Portland Hospital
The Portland Hospital for Women and Children, usually referred to simply as the Portland Hospital, is a hospital in Great Portland Street, London...
. Sacha Gervasi
Sacha Gervasi
-Early life and career in screen-writing:Born Alexander Gervasi in London in 1966, Gervasi was educated at Westminster School, and then read modern history at King's College London...
is reported to be the child's father, but Halliwell has never publicly confirmed that.
Charity work
In 1999, Halliwell became a representative for the United Nations Population FundUnited Nations Population Fund
The United Nations Population Fund is a UN organization. The work of the UNFPA involves promotion of the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. This is done through major national and demographic surveys and with population censuses...
(UNFPA). In 2000, Halliwell appeared in the two part documentary series Geri's World Walkabout for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, which followed her work with the UN and other travels. Halliwell picked up further UN work in 2006, by visiting Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
from 14–16 November, to promote greater international awareness of the urgent need to reduce maternal death and halt the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Political affiliations
In the run-up to the 1997 UK General ElectionUnited Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, Halliwell declared: "I saw a lot of what Mrs Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
did. She was definitely the original Spice Girl rising from the greengrocer's daughter to Prime Minister." For this, Lauren Laverne
Lauren Laverne
Lauren Cecilia Fisher , known professionally as Lauren Laverne, is an English radio DJ, television presenter, author and singer...
called her "Tory scum". She claimed that her background was deeply-rooted in support for the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and that Thatcher was the pioneer of 'Girl Power
Girl Power
The phrase "girl power", as a term of empowerment, expressed a cultural phenomenon of the 1990s and early 2000s. It is also linked to third-wave feminism...
' and the spiritual sixth member of the Spice Girls. She claimed in 1996 that Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
was "not a safe pair of hands for the economy". By the 2001 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
Halliwell had switched her support to Tony Blair and the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, making a cameo appearance in one of their party election broadcasts.
Discography
- 1999: SchizophonicSchizophonic (Geri Halliwell album)Schizophonic is the debut solo album by pop singer Geri Halliwell. The album was released after her split from popular girl group the Spice Girls...
- 2001: Scream If You Wanna Go FasterScream if You Wanna Go FasterScream If You Wanna Go Faster is the second solo album by British pop singer Geri Halliwell. It was released by EMI Records on May 14, 2001 and yielded the UK number-one single "It's Raining Men". Although not as successful as her debut album Schizophonic, it reached a peak position of number five...
- 2005: PassionPassion (Geri Halliwell album)Passion is the third album by English pop singer Geri Halliwell, released on 6 June, 2005) in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Canada. Two singles were released from the album, "Ride It" and "Desire", which both made the UK top 30...
- 2012: New album
Television
| TV shows | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
| 1991 | Let's Make A Deal Let's Make a Deal Let's Make a Deal is a television game show which originated in the United States and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The traders usually have to weigh the possibility of an offer being... |
Dancer | |
| 1997 | An Audience with Elton John An Audience with... An Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by ITV Studios, in which a host, usually a singer or comedian, performs for an invited audience of celebrity guests, interspersed with questions from the audience, in a light hearted revue/tribute style.The show began as An... |
Herself | documentary about Elton John |
| 1999 | Geri | Herself | documentary |
| 1999 | 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll | Presenter | |
| 2000 | Geri's World Walkabouts | Herself | documentary |
| 2002 | Popstars The Rivals Popstars The Rivals Popstars The Rivals was a British television talent show series that was broadcast on ITV1 in late 2002. It was the second UK series of the international Popstars franchise... |
Herself/judge | |
| 2003 | All American Girl All American Girl (2003 TV series) All American Girl is a 2003 reality competition that started with 45 females vying for the title of the same name. In the first episode the field of 45 is cut down to 15 by means of a talent show competition and obstacle course. At the talent show and obstacle course, three coaches decided who... |
Herself/judge | |
| 2005 | There's Something About Geri | Herself | documentary |
| 2005 | George Michael: A Different Story | Herself | documentary about George Michael |
| 2007 | Dancing with the Stars Dancing with the Stars Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries... |
Herself | 1 episode |
| 2008 | Giving You Everything | Herself | documentary |
| 2008 | American Idol: The Search for a Superstar | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2010 | Piers Morgan's Life Stories Piers Morgan's Life Stories Piers Morgan's Life Stories, also known as Life Stories, is a British television chat show presented by journalist Piers Morgan. Filmed in front of a studio audience, each programme is devoted to one special celebrity guest. The interviews are intimate, in-depth and emotionally-charged as Piers... |
Herself | 1 episode, interview |
| 2010 | The X Factor The X Factor (UK series 7) The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent; the winner of which receives a £1 million recording contract with the Syco Music record label. The seventh series started on ITV on 21 August 2010 and ended on 12 December 2010. The winner was Matt Cardle and... |
Herself/judge | Series 7 |
| 2010 | Come Fly with Me Come Fly with Me (2010 TV series) Come Fly with Me is a British mockumentary television comedy series created by and starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams. Narrated by Lindsay Duncan, the series launched on 25 December 2010 on BBC One and BBC One HD... |
Herself | series 1 |
| TV series | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
| 1990 | Dance Energy | Sue | casting helper |
| 1999 | Al Salir de Clase | Herself | Appearance |
| 2002 | Bo' Selecta! Bo' Selecta! Bo' Selecta! is a British sketch show written and performed by Leigh Francis, known for its often deeply surreal, abstract toilet humour, which lampoons popular culture. It was broadcast on Channel 4 and ran for three series between 2002 and 2004, spawning several spin-offs... |
Herself | Appearance |
| 2003 | Sex And The City Sex and the City Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes... |
Phoebe | 1 episode |
| 2004 | Top Gear | Herself | Star in Reasonably Priced Car |
| 2007 | Comic Relief: The Apprentice | Lisa | 1 episode |
| 2008 | Friday Night Project | Sely | 1 episode |
| 2009 | Head Case | Susan | 1 episode |
| 2009 | Ant & Dec's Christmas Show | Geri Doll | |
| 2010 | Come Fly With Me Come Fly with Me (2010 TV series) Come Fly with Me is a British mockumentary television comedy series created by and starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams. Narrated by Lindsay Duncan, the series launched on 25 December 2010 on BBC One and BBC One HD... |
Herself | 1 episode |
Films
| Films | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | |
| 1995 | Foggy Notion | Sami | |
| 1997 | Spiceworld | Herself (Ginger Spice) | |
| 2004 | The Fat Slags | Paige Stonach | |
| 2009 | Crank 2: High Voltage Crank 2: High Voltage Crank: High Voltage is a 2009 American action-thriller comedy film and sequel to the 2006 action film, Crank. The story of the film resumes shortly after the first film left off, retaining its "real-time" presentation and adding more special effects... |
Karen Chelios | |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | For | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Blockbuster Entertainment Award | Favourite Actress – Comedy | Spiceworld Spiceworld (film) Spice World is a 1997 British musical comedy film directed by Bob Spiers, written by Kim Fuller and Jamie Curtis, and starring the best-selling pop girl group the Spice Girls... |
Shared with the Spice Girls Spice Girls The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30... |
|
| MTV Europe Music Awards MTV Europe Music Awards The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Networks Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider... |
Best Female | ||||
| 2000 | Brit Awards Brit Awards The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust... |
Best British Female Solo Artist | |||
| Best Pop Act | |||||
| Capital FM Awards | Best British Female Singer | ||||
| 2001 | Comet Awards | Best International Female Singer | |||
| 2002 | Brit Awards Brit Awards The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust... |
Best British Female Solo Artist | |||
| Best British Single | "It's Raining Men" | ||||
| NRJ Music Awards NRJ Music Awards The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM... |
International Song of the Year | "It's Raining Men" | |||
| International Female Artist of the Year |
External links
- Geri Halliwell at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...