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It’s been 20 years since the Spice Girls’ iconic 1997 Brit Awards performance

By Samuel McManus

Back in February 1997, Spice Girls hysteria officially reached a peak.

Scary, Sporty, Baby, Ginger and Posh had burst on to the scene just seven months before, as Girl Power swept the globe and the band’s first three singles rode a cultural revolution all the way to the top of the charts – but the girls’ impact would be soon be felt even more with a single performance which would go on to become one of the defining images of  Nineties ‘Cool Britannia’.

The 1997 Brit Awards saw the Spice Girls pick up two awards – Best British Video (for ‘Say You’ll Be There’) and Best British Single (for ‘Wannabe’) – but it was the band’s onstage performance of ‘Wannabe’ and  ‘Who Do You Think You Are’, featuring the iconic image of Geri Halliwell decked out in a Union Jack dress (if you could call it a dress), that would become the night’s standout moment.

Two decades later, and the performance still ranks as one of the greatest moments in British pop history – and however much we hope for that official 20-year reunion, which has even got as far a leaked song, nothing will ever match the sight of Spice Girls at the height of their (girl) power.

Related: Geri Halliwell talks Spice Girls, solo regrets, and her kinship with the gay community

Get ready for the ultimate nostalgia-fest and relive the performance below:

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Spice Girls Brit Awards 1997 from Machine Shop SFX on Vimeo.

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