Mel C on World Pop

Rule 1. Don't let the tabloids get you down
Sent in by Jessica Morgan from London
How do you cope when the press criticise you all the time?
Mel: Obviously there's been loads of stuff in the press about my appearance. I think it's really rude and irresponsible of the media and yes I get insecure. There's actually a lot of pictures that haven't surfaced yet. Ones of me coming out of bars when I've had a little bit to drink, you know. Once you've been pictured on a beach in your bikini not looking too great then what more can they say?

Rule 2. Be your own best friend
worldpop: What's the song about?
Mel: Originally when I wrote the song it was about my mum and my really good friends, people I turn to when I'm feeling down, but as time's gone on it's changed. Now I'd say I Turn To You is about myself cos at the end of the day no matter how much support and love you've got around you there's only one person who can make things better and that's yourself. It's like turning to your strong bit. Don't listen to the devil, listen to the angel.

Rule 3. Work with Eminem
Sent in by Maggie C from France
Do you have new material for your next album?
Mel: Yes. I've been very inspired for my new album. It's gonna be very bitter and twisted! I still really want to work with Madonna one day and Lenny Kravitz too. I'd also love to work with Eminem and Dr Dre. But I don't know whether they'd want to work with me.

worldpop: Working with Eminem, wouldn't you feel a responsibility to say, 'Now Eminem, no swearing!'
Mel: No. You can't put boundaries on people's creativities. I know what his music's about and I like it, so I think we'd have to do a song that was right for both of us.

worldpop: Do you fancy Eminem?
Mel: Hahahahha! No. There's only one man in my life and that's my dad.

Rule 4. Don't forget your friends
worldpop: How's the Spice album coming along?
Mel: The Spice album is written and it's gonna be out this year. Finally. Sorry fans but we've been busy girls having babies and what not. We've been working with Rodney Jerkins who does that modern R&B sound. He really stretched us vocally. There's also songs that we performed at our live shows, like Holler Holler, and there's one we wrote with Elliot called Right Back Atcha. It's a good album.

Rule 5. Get into surfing and posh art
worldpop: Do you surf the net?
Mel: I got a computer two years ago but I still don't know what to do. I just log on to the Spice Girl website or look at rude ones. I found one website called Melanie C For Girls. It's dedicated to lesbians. There's an apology to me saying, 'If you're not gay then I'm sorry and if you let me know this website won't exist any more.' So I tried to e-mail her but I couldn't get through.

worldpop: What else are you into?
Mel: I've started buying art! I'm trying to furnish my new flat but it gets a bit boring furniture shopping so one day my interior designer took me to a gallery. I ended up getting all arty and I bought loads.

Rule 6. Sort yer hair out!
Mel: Good question. What's going on with my hair?! I've had the short thing. Thing is I'm not trying to present an image, I'm just doing what I want. It's like any girl or even boy for that matter, sometimes you just get bored and you chop it off. It's not like 'new single, new image' but yeah I'm growing it. In my new video it's long and blond and I'm trying to grow it to be like that.

Rule 7. Do a Robbie - donate loads of cash to charity
worldpop: Do you have other projects on the go?
Mel: Charity work yes. I do a lot of stuff for cancer charities cos like almost everyone it's touched my life but the other thing I feel very strongly about is homelessness. The last single from the album is gonna be If That Were Me. It's inspired by homeless people and I'm going to give all my royalties from the sales in each region across the world to the local homeless charities.