Emma Bunton has set the record straight on one of the most persistent pop rumours of the 1990s — the supposed feud between the Spice Girls and All Saints.
Catching up with All Saints’ Nicole Appleton and Natalie Appleton in a radio studio, Bunton was quick to address decades of speculation.
“Now I need to start off by saying we are mates,” Emma began.
“We are mates!” Nicole affirmed, with Natalie in full agreement.
“We are bessie mates! And I think, only because someone just the other day said, ‘Oh, I thought you and All Saints back in the 90s, you didn't get on.’ We are mates! We went to school together!” Emma added.
Natalie replied: “We have always been mates! I mean, we've known you since we were eleven. And do you know what? I've always said you've always been exactly the same.”
Nicola then sweetly quipped: “You have not changed!” as Natalie added: “The sweetest, most beautiful, most loving person.”
@thisisheart Spice Girls and All Saints night out in the 90s sounds incredible 🤩 Watch @Emma Bunton’s full interview with Nicole and Natalie Appleton on Global Player and Heart’s YouTube now ❤️ #spicegirls #emmabunton #allsaints #90sthrowback #girlgroup ♬ original sound - Heart
For fans of 80s and 90s pop, however, the rumours didn’t come from nowhere.
At the height of Britpop and girl-group mania, the Spice Girls and All Saints were routinely pitted against each other by tabloids eager for a rivalry narrative. The Spice Girls exploded onto the scene in 1996 with Wannabe, preaching “Girl Power” in platform trainers and Union Jack dresses. By contrast, All Saints emerged in 1997 with a cooler, R&B-infused image and tracks like Never Ever and Pure Shores — less bubblegum, more understated swagger.
The press quickly framed it as a battle of styles: brash versus aloof, technicolour versus cargo pants.
Headlines at the time frequently suggested tension. Stories swirled around backstage snubs at the BRIT Awards, where both groups were regular nominees and performers in the late 90s. There were claims of frosty encounters at industry parties and speculation that All Saints resented constantly being labelled “the anti-Spice Girls.”
In particular, Melanie Blatt, or Mel B, was often portrayed as outspoken about the comparison. Over the years she has acknowledged frustration at the narrative that All Saints were somehow in competition, insisting the groups operated in different musical lanes. Just last November, Blatt jokingly said she would “forever have beef” with the Spice Girls after social media users accused her of being “bitter” about their global dominance — a tongue-in-cheek comment that reignited chatter among fans.
Commercially, there was certainly overlap. The Spice Girls became a global phenomenon, selling over 80 million records worldwide and dominating charts from Dublin to Los Angeles. All Saints, meanwhile, were far from minor players — their debut album sold over 10 million copies, and Never Ever became one of the biggest-selling singles by a girl group in UK chart history.
Award show seasons in 1997 and 1998 often saw both acts nominated in similar categories, fuelling the narrative. At the BRITs and Smash Hits Poll Winners Party, cameras would cut between the groups, prompting endless tabloid analysis of facial expressions and applause levels.
@spicegirls On this day in 1997 ✌️ A @BRITs ♬ Who Do You Think You Are - Spice Girls
Yet behind the scenes, personal connections ran deep. Emma Bunton and the Appleton sisters attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London, a well-known performing arts school that produced numerous British pop and acting talents. Their shared teenage years predated fame — something Bunton was keen to remind listeners of.
The supposed feud also reflected the wider culture of the time. The late 90s thrived on pop rivalries: Blur vs Oasis, Britney vs Christina, East 17 vs Take That. Girl groups were rarely allowed to coexist without being framed as adversaries.
@people @pinkofficial reflects on being pitted against #BritneySpears & #ChristinaAguilera during their early pop star days #pink #womenempowerment ♬ original sound - People Magazine
In reality, the Spice Girls and All Saints even moved in overlapping social circles. Natalie Appleton later married Liam Gallagher of Oasis, embedding the group further into the Britpop scene that often intersected with Spice Girls headlines.
Nearly three decades on, the message is simple: no beef, no bad blood — just pop history, re-examined.
