This week’s From The Vault selection helped the Spice Girls to become a global phenomenon. ‘2 Become 1’ was third single to be released from their massively successful ‘Spice’ debut (which sold over 23 million records worldwide since being released in 1996).
Co-written by all of the group members alongside Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard, the song peaked at #1 in the UK and #4 in the US, achieving platinum and gold status in both territories respectively. The song was praised by critics for the clever inclusion of a safe sex message and some even compared the composition to a Mariah Carey-styled ballad.
The best feature of this song is that all 5 was members of the group had the opportunity to sing. While it is clear that Sporty Spice was by far the most talented vocalist, every member was able to lend her voice (or lack thereof) to the record.
Very few groups often give all members the chance to shine like that. In fact, with the exception of Danity Kane, En Vogue and Rich Girl, it is difficult to find other examples.