Happy Birthday Geri Halliwell!

Geraldine Estelle Halliwell was born 6 August 1972. In 1994 she answered an ad for a musical group and just two year later on 7 June 1996 Wannabe was released by the Spice Girls. Geri Halliwell, Ginger Spice, was my absolute favorite Spice Girl growing up. The spice girls first two albums 1. Spice and 2. Spiceworld were outstanding! It was fun, pop music any young gay boy could dance to, and I did.

When the terribly sad news broke on 31 May 1998 that Geri Halliwell had officially split from the Spice Girls I was devastated. I had tickets to see their first tour of the US and with only the other four girls it just wasn’t the same. Geri spent her time after leaving the Spice Girls to promote Breast Cancer Awareness and join the United Nations as Goodwill Ambassador. In less than a year, which seems like a lifetime to a middle school child, Geri Halliwell was back. 10 May 1999 her first solo single Look at Me was released, and I was more excited than I thought I could be. I addictively listened and memorized the entire album, Schizophonic, and wanted more. In 2001 Scream if you wanna go faster was released, along with Geri’s cover of It’s Raining Men. Followed by her album Passion released in 2005.

Every year on 6 August, I raise a glass(or 7 or 8) and toast Geri Halliwell a happy birthday. Now that she is married and has two children, writing children’s books, it seems like she is happy in life. The numerous reunions of the Spice Girls has been a bit of an overload for my taste. However, I am glad to see that my Spice Girls addiction wasn’t just mine alone.

So, today being 6 August, I want to wish a very Happy Birthday to Geri Halliwell. Thanks for the memories!

Geri Halliwell has written a series of children’s books inspired by ex-Spice Girls bandmate Victoria Beckham. Geri’s tales feature a nine-year-old girl who bears a striking resemblance to her creator, as well as a princess called Posh Vatoria. The series follows a schoolgirl called Ugenia Lavender, who shares Geri’s red hair and striking blue eyes, and has a talent for solving mysteries. She describes Ugenia as “flawed, demanding and obnoxious” but adds that she “cares about the world she lives in”. Posh Vatoria, created with Victoria’s blessing, intimidates the flame-haired heroine in one story by arriving at a party in a limousine. Geri said: “She was very flattered and I hope she is going to read the books to her boys. I have only cast people if it is authentic to the story. I don’t know if the other Spice Girls will be in there.” Geri, 34, started writing the book while pregnant with 11-month-old daughter Bluebell Madonna. Her decision to follow the path of other star children’s authors Madonna and Will Smith doesn’t signal the end of Geri’s music career though. She plans to record a theme song in conjunction with her books. Books will hit shelves each month, starting in May 2008, up until October.