May 29: Melanie Brown – AKA Scary Spice of the Spice Girls – is 38-years-old today.

(Courtesy of Melanie Brown's Website)

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Melanie Janine Brown was born 29 May 1975 in Harehills, Leeds, England. She rose to fame as a member of the Brit-pop girl group the Spice Girls. In the group, she was known both Mel B. and Scary Spice.

Brown studied performing arts at Intake High School, in Leeds. Befroe the Spice Girls, she worked as a dancer in the holiday resort, Blackpool, Lancashire. Brown started her music career in a band known as Touch After seeing an advertisement for an audition in a newspaper. After changing management, she and the other girls became known as the Spice Girls.

The Spice Girls signed with Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe,” which hit number 1 in more than 30 countries and helped establish the group as a "global phenomenon.” It was followed by their debut album, Spice, which sold more than 28 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album by a female group in music history.

The band's second album, Spiceworld, went on to sell over 20 million copies world wide. As of 2013, the Spice Girls have sold over 75 million records worldwide, making them the biggest selling female group in history and also one of the best-selling music artists in the world.

Brown is also known for supporting Girl Power and their global grosses estimated at $500–800 million between 1996 and 1998.

Return of the Spice Girls was the band's comeback turn and said to have grossed US$100 million and won the Billboard 2008 Touring Award.

Brown began her solo career when she released "I Want You Back" with Missy Elliott on Virgin Records. The single charted at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart, followed by the release of debut album, Hot. The album also saw release of top 10 singles "Tell Me" and "Feels So Good.”

L.A. State of Mind was Brown's second studio album, released in 2005 on the independent label Amber Café, and saw the release of only one single—"Today.”

In mid-2012, Brown announced a return to her solo recording career with the release of her third studio album by signing with EMI Music Australia.

Brown returned to television in 2011 when she joined the judging panel of the Australian version of The X Factor.  She later became the co-presenter of the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars. It was later announced that Brown would appear as a guest judge on the UK's version of The X Factor.  

In February 2013, it was announced that Brown was hired as a judge on the variety talent show America's Got Talent.

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For more about Melanie, visit her Website at – http://www.melaniebrown.com/

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