Not bad for a bunch of young unknowns who were living together in a tiny house and relying on government benefits right before their debut single Wannabe shot them to international stardom in 1996.
And while Scary, Sporty, Baby and Ginger still have a lot of catching up to do to reach Posh’s level, one thing is for sure: it still pays to be a Spice Girl.
Posh Spice, Victoria Beckham: US$450 million
As the matriarch of Brand Beckham, it’s no secret that Victoria Beckham is the wealthiest Spice Girl. But looking back we never imagined that sultry Posh Spice, who had the least lines to sing, would be way richer than all her bandmates combined.As a member of the Spice Girls, Victoria earned an impressive US$75 million annually, and when the group reunited for their 2007 reunion tour, they grossed another cool US$70 million. Even in 2019, when the band reunited for a tour without her, she continued to rake in a percentage of the band’s sales and merchandise.
Since her Posh days, Victoria has done everything from solo albums and reality TV to books and perfumes, but it’s her Victoria Beckham fashion brand that has really seen the former pop star find her passion.
Victoria Beckham Ltd has a reported net worth of £100 million (US$140 million), but the company has yet to turn a profit after more than a decade in business. It stated it was back on the path to profitability ahead of the pandemic, but then needed a cash injection from shareholders to get through the crisis.
During her early days, Victoria, husband David Beckham and former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller created Beckham Brand Holdings, which oversees all the Beckham businesses and projects. And considering kids Romeo, Cruz, Brooklyn and Harper are all growing up in the spotlight, we suspect that are plenty more Beckham millions to be made.
Ginger Spice, Geri Horner: US$40 million
Posh isn’t the only Spice Girl married to a rich sportsman. Formerly Halliwell, 48-year-old Geri married Christian Horner in 2015. The Red Bull Racing Formula One manager, and former racing driver, is worth an estimated US$50 million.
Since her Spice Girls days, Ginger has proved to be a “Union Jack” of all trades (see what we did there?). After famously ditching the Spice Girls in 1998, Geri embarked on a surprisingly lucrative solo career, releasing three albums and racking up four number one hits. She also ventured into reality TV on Australia’s Got Talent, wrote two autobiographies and some children’s books, and released a clothing line and her Body Yoga DVDs.
But nothing was as lucrative as those Spice millions, so it’s no surprise Geri apologised for her departure and rejoined the band on their reunion tours in 2007 and 2019. The most recent concerts grossed US$78.2 million for only 13 shows, so we’re sure she’s happy to be dusting off her old dance moves in recent years.
Baby Spice, Emma Bunton: US$30 million
Baby grew up, and got rich on the way! Emma, 45, has released four solo albums to date, the most recent in 2019, and even celebrated it with a sold-out concert at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall.
Music aside, she’s also had a high-profile radio slot on Britain’s Heart FM, judged reality shows Dancing on Ice and Boy Band, competed on Strictly Come Dancing and even acted in the Absolutely Fabulous series and film.
These days Baby Spice is staying true to her name as the co-founder of eco-friendly family brand Kit & Kin. The brand offers a range of biodegradable nappies and certified natural skincare for mothers and babies.
Sporty Spice, Melanie C: US$20 million
Arguably the best singer of the band (fact, if you ask us), 47-year-old Melanie C is also arguably the hardest working member. She’s an acclaimed actress following her West End stints in Blood Brothers and Jesus Christ Superstar, a highly-paid celebrity DJ, and she even dabbled in reality TV as a judge on Asia’s Got Talent and The Voice Kids UK. But it’s her passion and dedication to her music career that keeps Sporty spinning.
The Spice Girl wowed critics and fans with her 1999 debut album Northern Star, and eventually started her own record company Red Girl Records in 2005. Over the years she’s released eight solo albums and continues to tour the world as a musician and DJ. From headlining New York City’s Pride festival to spinning the decks at the Formula One parties in Singapore, Melanie C works hard and collects cash around the globe.
Fortunately her hard work is paying off. Melanie’s 2020 self-titled album made the UK’s top 10 and became her highest charting release since 2003.
Scary Spice, Mel B: US$6 million
Is there anything Scary Spice hasn’t done? She had a short-lived solo music career and did acting stints on Broadway, but it’s 45-year-old Mel B’s famous outspoken attitude that saw her become international reality TV royalty over the years.
As a judge on the The X Factor in both Australia and the UK, America’s Got Talent in the US, a contestant on Dancing with the Stars US and a presenter on Australia’s Dancing with the Stars, you’d think Mel B is rolling in cash. After six seasons on America’s Got Talent, she earned US$3 million for her final season in 2018.
Sadly for Scary, excessive spending, expensive tastes and a very expensive custody battle and divorce from ex-husband Stephan Belafonte has seen Mel B blow through most of her Spice Girls millions in recent years.
In 2020, she asked a judge to lower the US$500,000 in legal and accounting fees she was ordered to pay her ex, claiming she’d go bankrupt. She told the court in a written declaration: “I will effectively be insolvent and will in all likelihood have to file for bankruptcy. I simply do not have the ability to pay such an exorbitant sum.”
Ouch. Maybe she can ask Posh for a loan?
Will the Spice Girls get richer?
Before the pandemic, the Spice Girls’ Spice World 2019 reunion concerts in the UK were an instant success, selling out 13 stadiums and grossing almost US$80 million. So it’s no surprise the band were in talks to tour the lucrative shows internationally, with Australia, Asia and the US interested. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the biggest girl band in history, which was expected to be celebrated with more concerts.
Will the Spice Girls be back to spice up our lives again after the pandemic? With an instant cash injection like that, they’d be insane not to. A few of those, and the others might even catch up to Posh.
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