Interracial

Emma is best known for being a member of the successful ’90s girl group, Spice Girls. Emma was known as “Baby Spice”, in the group, as she was the youngest member, had an “innocent” demeanour, and often wore “baby doll” dresses.

With her U.S. solo debut for 19 Recordings, Free Me, Emma Bunton is ready.

“I’ve had a chance to grow up and find out who the real Emma Bunton is,” she explains. “This album shows me learning who I am and being able to open up.”
Emma Lee Bunton was born on January 21, 1976, in Barnet in north London. Her father, Trevor, and mother, Pauline, split when Emma was 11, but the event wasn’t traumatic like it is for most children of divorce. She was already busy with extracurricular activities such as modeling and doing commercials. Bunton’s time spent at St. Theresa’s Roman Catholic primary school was typical, yet Bunton’s passion for her hobbies turned full-scale as she spent her formal theater years at Sylvia Young Theatre School.
Emma returned to her favorite era, the swinging ’60s, channeling such influences as songbirds Dusty Springfield and Petula Clark, songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Motown and the sultry sounds of Brazilian pop singer Astrud Gilberto.

Emma took charge on Free Me, co-writing 11 of the 12 songs on the album, while collaborating with the likes of U.K. hit singer-songwriter Cathy Dennis and Zero 7’s Henry Binns.

“When it came to start writing, I just wanted to put in elements of things I’ve always loved to hear,” she says. “I was brought up with Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. And, just like in the ’60s, we brought musicians into the studio to play live. I’ve just become so much more comfortable recording. I was in there going, “Turn the bass up… Where are the strings?”

Successful Spice
Emma’s solo career has proven to be the most successful of all the Spice Girls. Free Me has already sold more than 100,000 albums in the U.K. and produced three hit singles in “Free Me,” “Maybe” and “I’ll Be There”, with a fourth just released in the bossa nova beat of “Crickets Sing for Anamaria,” originally covered in the ’60s by Astrud Gilberto. All four were accompanied by videos inspired by the songs.
Learning From the Masters
Songs like “Tomorrow,” “Breathing” and “No Sign of Life” are reminiscent of the brassy, sophisticated pop of Bacharach/David, evoking such torch singers as Dionne Warwick and Shirley Bassey.

“I listened to so much music when I was younger,” says Emma. “My mum and dad would play Motown records every morning. That passionate, raw feeling influenced every song on this album. The fullness of the melodies. It wasn’t taken over by the productionä I wanted it to be simple.”

“Lay Your Love on Me,” which Emma co-wrote with good friend and U.K. pop diva Cathy Dennis, shows she’s not afraid to be playful with her own sexual image, either.

“Before we went into the studio to record, we ate some Chinese food and drank some wine,” says Emma. “We get on so well, it was comfortable for me to be open and have a bit of a laugh about things. It’s a sexy song.” With a remix of “Free Me”, already garnering club play and dance chart action in the U.S., Emma is ready to conquer America all over againä this time as a solo artist.

“I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” she says. I want people to see how I’ve grown. I am going to work hard and spend lots of time in the States. Because you can’t just go over for a couple of weeks and expect to be accepted.”

“I’ve always remained close with the people at 19,” says Emma. “They all really believe in me as an artist. Simon Fuller has given me the space to create an album I love and make great videos.”

“I’m comfortable with my past and learned a great deal from it,” concludes Emma. “Baby’s grown upä I am much more independent now, a different person.”