Just before she changed the trajectory of pop music and culture at large as part of the Spice Girls, Melanie C was out raving.

After discovering dance music as a teenager while on holiday in Spain, the artist got into the scene in her native U.K. during its hallowed early ’90s era, finding the self expression, freedom and high energy of this world aligned with her own interests. While her club kid days were put aside when she was reborn as Sporty Spice, the artist born Melanie Chisolm brought the pep and individualism of the rave into her work as a pop star.

More recently, she’s revisited and honed this early era of her musical evolution when she started DJing nearly seven years ago. Now, Melanie C is taking herself and her music fully to the club via her ninth studio album Sweat. Out today (May 1), the album’s 13 tracks are variously thumping, slick, sensual and stylish. The project comes at a point in Chisolm’s life where she says she’s “really happy,” with her goal being to spread such happiness through the album and its upcoming tour, which will take her across the United States, Europe and the U.K. this summer and fall.

Here, she talks about the new music, how the rave world influenced the Spice Girls and more.

1. Where are you in the world right now, and what’s the setting like?

I’m in LA. I’m in an Airbnb, and it’s very lovely to be back in this city. I actually had some writing sessions here, so it always feels special to me, because my first album, Northern Star, mostly was written and recorded here. I have such fond memories, and it’s a very creative place for me, so I always enjoy being here.

2. What is the first album or piece of music you bought for yourself, and what was the medium?

Oh, my goodness. The first album I saved up for, I went to a store in the U.K. called Woolworths, which we sadly no longer have, but that’s where everybody went for their singles and albums. I bought on vinyl The Kids From “Fame”. It’s obviously been very influential in my life, and with this new album in particular, I’ve been able to really lean into that whole ’80s vibe, with “Sweat” especially.

3. What did your parents do for a living when you were a kid, and what do or did they think of what you do for a living now?

My mum has always sung; she was in bands from the age of 14 and continues to perform now. She’s in her 70s, and she’s also done other jobs. She was very busy. She used to work for the NHS, our health service, until a couple of years ago. My dad, when I was a kid, he was a holiday rep. My mum and dad are divorced, and he went to work in France and Spain with holiday companies. As I’ve got older, he went into more sports travel and still does a little bit of stuff with premiership soccer teams. That’s like his dream job. Mum obviously was always super supportive. Dad was a little nervous, thought I needed a plan B, but now, obviously, is very happy that it all worked out.

4. What is the first non-gear thing that you bought for yourself when you started making money as an artist?

The first thing I bought with my very first paycheck, and it was a paper check from Virgin Records, I went and bought some sneakers. Very on brand. I went to JD Sports, which is our high street sports store, and bought myself some Nike Air Max.

5. If you had to recommend one album for someone looking to get into dance music, what album would you give them?

Oh gosh, that’s a good question. My go-to would be The Prodigy‘s Experience, but I wouldn’t want to scare anybody off, because that’s going in quite hard. Maybe I’d look at something a bit more mellow, like Groove Armada, just to ease them in gently.

6. What is the last song you listened to?

Ooh, a song that I’m loving at the moment is Aluna, Will Sass and Timbaland’s “Houseboy.” Aluna is an artist I love. I’ve listened to a lot of her work and actually did a festival with her a couple of years ago and got to see her do her thing live. You know when you see an artist, and it just completely cements your love for them? I think it’s not until you’ve seen an artist live that you truly understand who they are, and for me there are so many artists where I’ve loved the music, I loved their record, I’ve seen them and then I became obsessed. She’s one of those.

7. How did you first get into dance music?

So I was on holiday, and it was my first holiday without parents. I was 17, and I was with three college friends. We were all at dance college. We were going out to bars and clubs in Spain, and we were hearing this music and seeing people like, really dancing, really expressing themselves in a way we’d never seen before. Because the ’80s in the U.K., everyone danced like, step-touch, step-touch. There was no creativity. So when we were seeing these people who were like, arms everywhere and jumping around, we were like, “Wow.” We just fell in love. When I got back to London after that holiday, we were seeking out all the raves, finding all the flyers, finding out where to go. That was my introduction to dance music in, I would say, 1990.

8. That is such a mythological time and place for dance music. What are your are some of your strongest memories of it all?

I think it was just the community… I feel like raving, and the ’90s, really shaped myself and the other Spice Girls, because it was so important to us to celebrate our individuality, and that was something dance music did. It brought together cultures and communities that had never socialized together before. I think people had been quite separate. That’s what really blew my mind and made me gravitate towards raving and dance music culture, that everyone was just together, unified. That’s a really strong memory of that time.

And also how we just felt like we were so rebellious. When I look back now, it was so innocent, but it felt like a really rebellious time, I suppose because we were doing things our parents hadn’t done before. It was our own revolution after they’d had everything that had happened in the ’60s.

9. When you joined the Spice Girls, did dance music and rave culture remain part of your life?

It was put on the back burner quite strongly, because obviously, going into the band, we had to be so focused. We were spending so much time together, working on material, choreography, building ourselves up as a band. And then, of course, once music was released, we were so busy promoting and traveling around the world. So there wasn’t a lot of time for socializing. But I always had, whether it was The Prodigy or all of my tunes, on my CD Walkman or my little cassette, in the gym keeping me motivated. But, yeah, going out and clubbing took a backseat for a long time.

10. Is this new this album a return to that part of your life? Is it a reclamation?

I would say a reclamation. The whole process of making this album has been so beautiful, because I’ve been DJing for eight years, and as a DJ, I do play a lot of the old stuff I used to rave to as a kid. But what I play as a DJ and what I am as a solo artist are quite different, and I’ve wanted to bring those two worlds together without alienating any of my fans who’ve followed my career and while also being true to who I am as a pop artist, because I write pop music, and I’m a pop singer.

11. How have you done that?

It’s been fun to really play with those genres, and I think it’s something we’ve seen more of in pop music over the years. So this was a moment to acknowledge that that is such a huge influence on me musically. I get so much joy from DJing and viewing music from such a different perspective. I see how other people’s music affects the dance floor, which is very different to when you’re out there singing your own stuff.

That’s really informed this record, and it’s gathered up that little bit of my past I think I had left behind. As a songwriter, I learned how to write songs with the Spice Girls and all of the great collaborators we had, so that’s always there within me. This was just bringing more of my teenage self to this record, which has meant that it’s more fun as well. I found more humor in this album making process.

12. This part from your bio also stuck out to me: “There are so many horrific things going on in the world. When you make pop and dance music, it can seem almost churlish, but music is what gets me through tough moments. I’m really happy I’m bringing out a joyful record at this very dark time.” Will touring and bringing this album to a live setting expand on that idea for you?

I’ve toured forever, obviously, with the girls and then as a solo artist, but not playing the U.S. or many regions in the world for a long, long time. I want to approach the creative very differently. The whole aesthetic of the record is something I want to bring to life. I want it to be a really energetic show, which is something I always do, but I think visually as well… I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ve got a really fun idea about how to approach this differently with the setlist, not just going song, song, song, back to back. I want to get a bit more interesting with it.

13. You kind of just referenced it talking about the introversion of being a solo artist, but your bio also says “I’ve done a lot of soul searching, now I just want to have some fun and get people dancing again.” Unpack that for me. What was the soul searching?

I think as a solo artist and songwriter, it’s something you do. I’ve always used life and the experiences I’m having as inspiration, and it’s very cathartic, isn’t it? You’re drawing off those things and sometimes healing and figuring things out within your songwriting. For a long time I was trying to figure out who I am, and where I wanted to be.

I’ve done that for a long time, and I feel like I’m in a good place personally. I’m really happy in my life, in my work, with my family, and I just want to have fun.

14. Has DJing helped you along on this process in any way?

DJing has done literally so much for me. It’s opened up this part of me that was locked away. This joy, enjoying other people, having a great time. I hope to DJ forever and ever. Last year was the first year I had an equal amount of DJ sets and live shows. [For the Sweat tour] it felt really important to represent that on stage, so I had to make that in the studio, to make that possible.

15. What are your essential tracks when you’re DJing?

The one that always springs to mind, that you know people are going to go off if you play any remix, is Robyn S’ “Show Me Love. That’s just a no brainer. One that I’ve been really enjoying in the last couple of years is Justice vs. Simian’s “We Are Your Friends.” That one always hits. And then the A-Trak remix of Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Heads Will Roll.” If those are in your set, you’re going to have a good night.

16. What are the proudest moments of your career thus far?

Oh, wow. Being a Spice Girl. Obviously, our beginnings were so out of this world. Just the impact we made on the world, the legacy we’ve created. We’re impacted every day, because people will approach me and the other girls. We talk about it all the time, how much we did affect people growing up and new generations that are discovering the Spice Girls. To try and put that in a nutshell, it’s like everything the Spice Girls achieved.

And also breaking the U.S. as a British act. All British artists, really, that is what they want. We were so lucky to have that and the international success that we did. That’s something we’re very proud of. And playing stadiums — in 2019, being able to come back and do a stadium tour. Sadly it was only in the U.K., but that was momentous, and it was also a time for us to really enjoy it, be present and really witness all of that beautiful success we’d accomplished in the ’90s, but sometimes were too busy to fully appreciate.

17. If you weren’t a musician, what would you do for work?

It would probably be in the fitness world. If I’m not working, making musical performing, I’m in the gym. That’s my second happy place after being on stage.

18. What’s the best business decision you’ve ever made?

That was one with the Spice Girls, when we overrode our record company and insisted that “Wannabe” was going to be the first single. Can you imagine that we were allowed to make that decision? But, yeah, they were nervous, and we were like, “No, it’s the first single. Has to be.”

19. Who was your greatest mentor and what’s the best advice they’ve given you?

I think it would be my mum. I grew up watching her on stage being so proud of her. It’s so lovely actually, sharing something like performing with your parent, because you understand the love and the passion for it. She rehearses more now than she performs, just because she loves it. It brings her so much pleasure. She always said to me, “Don’t do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing.” I think in any industry that is a really important piece of advice, especially the music industry.

20. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?

Be more present. Enjoy it more. I think that thing about youth — we’re in the present but we don’t think about the thing ending or changing. I wish that there was more appreciation for the moment.

Allison Crutchfield is best known as a musician, both under her own name and with the bands P.S. Eliot, Swearin‘ and Snocaps. But seven years ago, she began working at the indie label ANTI- Records, where she headed the A&R department and signed artists including MJ Lenderman, Death Cab For Cutie, The Beths and Waxahatchee, the recording project of her twin sister (and P.S. Eliot and Snocaps bandmate), Katie.

Today (May 1), Another Management Company, the boutique management firm that’s home to artists including Kurt Vile, Waxahatchee and Alvvays, announced Crutchfield’s next chapter as an artist manager for the company.

“I wound up being at [ANTI-] for so long and having such a great run there, and really loving it,” Crutchfield says, but “a couple years ago, I really started to think about, just spiritually, what I loved about that work. And I feel like [it was] the advocacy for artists element. I realized at a certain point that the best way for me to get to really tune in to that part of the work, to really get to advocate for the artists that I work with, was to move over to the management side. I’ve been ambiently thinking about that for years.”

Rennie Jaffe and Eric Dimenstein founded AMC in 2017, and Crutchfield’s relationship with them goes back even further than that, through their work with Waxahatchee via Ground Control Touring, the agency co-founded by Dimenstein that has represented both Crutchfield sisters throughout their careers.

“Eric has been such a guiding light for both of us, Katie and me,” Crutchfield says. “I trust them so much, I feel so aligned with them, the way that they interface with the rest of the business, that it was a no-brainer that [AMC] is where I would want to go.”

Based in Los Angeles, Crutchfield will immediately begin co-managing AMC clients Twisted Teens, Brennan Wedl and Ryan Davis, three rising indie artists whose careers she is excited to guide under what she describes as the firm’s “inherent bird’s-eye view approach.”

“[AMC] really wants to grow with their artists’ careers; they really want to build sustainability for them,” she explains. “They really care about their artists’ longevity and lives as humans. That’s something I know firsthand working with them — they’re really focused on just development, which is the thing that is the most exciting to me about being in the business, just being someone who can help advocate and support artists.”

As for what this means for Crutchfield’s career as an artist: “To be determined.” She most recently hit the road in late 2025 with Snocaps, her supergroup with Katie, Lenderman and Brad Cook, for a short tour in support of its surprise album from last year. “I would love to do another Snocaps record; I think we all would,” she says, though she notes that the easygoing, limited-engagement aspect of the Snocaps campaign is part of what made it so fun — and that she and her three bandmates have such busy schedules that getting those stars to align again would be tough.

“As things pop up, we’ll see. It was always tricky for me to write and work on music as an A&R, and I feel like that will remain true as a manager,” she admits. “It’s not that I don’t miss it. I just find this work more fulfilling, and it’s something that feels a little more exciting for me at this point in my life.”

Plus, she says, her perspective as someone with an artist background “has always been a little bit of a superpower” when it comes to her ability to advise active artists.

Crutchfield’s hiring wasn’t the only personnel addition AMC announced Friday. The firm is also adding Hannah McElroy as a Nashville-based day-to-day manager, where she will support clients including Youth Lagoon and Twisted Teens. McElroy previously logged time as a digital strategist at Venture Music and iHeartMedia, and she started her management career at Left Right Management.

“Joining AMC feels like a really natural next step for me,” McElroy said in a statement. “I’ve always been a fan of the way they support and develop their artists, and I’m excited to bring my experience across artist management and digital strategy, as well as a perspective shaped by years in Nashville’s music community, into such a creatively aligned environment.”

K-pop girl group MAMAMOO will be back together on U.S. stages this summer for a reunion tour that will bring members Solar, Moon Byul, Whee In and Hwa Sa to seven arenas across the country. The shows co-promoted by Sugar Monkey Live and MAMMOTH are slated to kick off on Aug. 12 at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, N.Y., followed by gigs in Chicago, Fort Worth and Cedar Park, Texas, Los Angeles and San Jose, winding down on Aug. 30 at the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash.

It will mark the first run of shows in the U.S. by the group since their 2023 My Con world tour, after which the quartet took a brief hiatus to allow its members to focus on solo and side projects. According to a release announcing the tour, the group is prepping an as-yet-untitled album due for release this summer, the follow-up to their 2019 Reality in Black LP. Their most recent group project was their 12th EP, 2022’s Mic On.

“More than just a milestone, the 2026 U.S. tour marks a defining new chapter for MAMAMOO – reuniting the group to celebrate their legacy while ushering in a bold new era of music and performance,” read the release. “Fans can expect a dynamic, unforgettable live experience as MAMAMOO brings their signature vocals, energy, and artistry to stages across the country.”

Presale registration for the tour will open today (May 1) at 10 a.m. ET, with fans able to register via 237 for access to the presale and on-sale information. Presales will begin on May 13 at 10 a.m. local time, followed by a general on sale on May 15 at 10 a.m. local time; click here for more information on tickets.

Check out the dates for MAMAMOO’s 2026 U.S. tour below.

SYDNEY, Australia — Six the best independent artists from the state of New South Wales take their places in MusicNSW’s inaugural Ambassador Program.

Alex The Astronaut, Jamaica Moana, Jannah Beth, SPEED’s Jem Siow, Velvet Trip’s Zeppelin Hamilton and The Buoys’ Zoe Catterall are the first cohort, announced Friday, May 1.

“Each of the artists joining us as ambassadors are already so embedded as role models within the NSW music ecosystem – shaping what independent music scenes can look like, leading through their actions and bringing their communities with them,” says MusicNSW managing director Joe Muller.

Representing a broad range of genres, communities and regions, each ambassador has chosen to lend their voice to the work of the state’s trade body for contemporary music.

The ambassadors “don’t just make incredible music, they are each active in building a music culture that supports those around them to do the same,” Muller adds. “We are honored to stand alongside them as we continue to shape our work as an organisation, in service of a NSW music ecosystem where artists can grow sustainable careers, communities are connected and supported, and music culture is properly valued – with the wellbeing of artists at the center.”

The ambassadors program is announced as MusicNSW launches a new brand and unveils a new website, which is intended to help and connect artists and industry workers in their pursuit of skills, opportunities and more. This includes a NSW music industry directory, tools for finding grants, opportunities and jobs in music, and a dedicated resource library for artists. New programs for NSW artists right across the state will be announced in the coming weeks, reps say.

The not-for-profit organization was established in 1998. One of its biggest wins came in 2023, when its team led the non-partisan Vote Music campaign, calling on government to invest A$100 million in the contemporary music sector in New South Wales. The NSW Labor Government responded with a A$103 million commitment, establishing Sound NSW, a 10-year Contemporary Music Strategy, and unprecedented sector investment across four years.

Noah Kahan brings a nation together as The Great Divide opens its account at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart.

The Great Divide is Kahan’s fourth studio collection, and second consecutive leader in Australia after Stick Season logged three weeks atop the chart in early 2024.  

The American singer and songwriter will reward his loyal Australian fans when his The Great Divide Tour stops by Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena and Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena for eight total concerts this September and October.

Foo Fighters enjoy another stint on the podium as Your Favorite Toy unwraps its debut ARIA Chart position at No. 3. The Foos have landed all 12 of their studio albums in the ARIA Top 10, with eight going all the way to No. 1: One By One (in 2002), In Your Honor (2005), Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007), Wasting Light (2011), Sonic Highways (2014), Concrete And Gold (2017), Medicine At Midnight (2021) and their last record, But Here We Are (2023). The Rock Hall-inducted band also led the list in 2009 with Greatest Hits.

Homegrown metal merchants The Amity Affliction enjoy a No. 4 start with House of Cards, their ninth studio album. It’s the eighth straight top 10 appearance from the Gympie, Queensland rockers, after Youngbloods (No. 6 in 2010), Chasing Ghosts (No. 1 in 2012), Let The Ocean Take Me (No. 1 in 2014), This Could Be The Heartbreak (No. 1 in 2016), Misery (No. 1 in 2018), Everyone Loves You…Once You Leave Them (No. 2 in 2020) and Not Without My Ghost (No. 2 in 2023).

Also new to the latest frame, published Friday, May 1, is the soundtrack from the new Michael Jackson biopic, which moonwalks its way to No. 17. Michael: Songs From The Motion Picture is the late king of pop’s 24th solo appearance on the ARIA Top 50, the trade body reports, stretching back to 1973’s Music And Me. That tally includes chart leaders Off The Wall (from 1979), Thriller (1983), Dangerous (1991), HIStory: Past, Present And Future, Book I (1995), Invincible (2001) and The Essential Michael Jackson (2005).

Kehlani is close behind with her self-titled effort, new at No. 18, while new releases from Masayoshi Takanaka (Takanaka Super Live 2025 Black Ship in L.A. at No. 22), Ruby Fields (Small Achievements at No. 29), Nessa Barrett (Jesus Loves a Primadonna at No. 41) and Pink Floyd (Live From The Los Angeles Sports Arena, April 26th, 1975 at No. 43) impact the top 50.

Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Olivia Dean and Sam Fender’s “Rein Me In” enters a third non-consecutive week at No. 1, ahead of her former leader “Man I Need” (holding at No. 2) and Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” up 8-3 for a new peak position.