Melanie C has revealed Diana Ross was among the "incredible women" who inspired the Spice Girls.

Sporty Spice, 51, has sampled the late Motown star's 1981 hit Work That Body on her latest solo track Sweat, and she has revealed that the I'm Coming Out hitmaker was hugely influential on the '90s girl group.

Speaking to PEOPLE, she said: "Well, with the Spice Girls, obviously we started in the '90s, and we had so many influences, and there'd been so many incredible women that had gone before us, and Diana was one of those women.

"We were lucky enough to watch her perform in London very early in our career, and I think a lot of us had our parents be big fans of Diana Ross and The Supremes, and I personally grew up in a lot of Motown as well."

On sampling the 81-year-old disco legend, she added: "My mum was a huge fan. So it's something that's just always been there.

"I think as an artist, everything that's been in your life, through your life, is what inspires you. So it's wonderful now to have her fantastic sample in my new song."

Meanwhile, Mel "remains optimistic" for a Spice Girls reunion ahead of the girl band's 30th anniversary in 2026.

The Spice Girls - completed by Mel B, 50, Emma Bunton, 49, Geri Horner, 53, and 51-year-old Victoria Beckham - last performed as a fivesome at the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, and without fashion designer Victoria in 2019, because she wanted to focus on her family and her fashion and beauty businesses.

With the group's milestone anniversary approaching, Melanie says they are all talking and exploring "what opportunities are out there" so that the band can all "agree on the right thing" to do.

Appearing on ABC's Good Morning America in November, she said: "I remain optimistic. It's our 30th anniversary next year.

"We toured in 2019, we did a few stadium shows in the UK, and it was incredible.

"We're just so proud of the legacy that we have, and we have fans now from new generations are just loving the Spice Girls, so I would like to get back on stage with the girls.

"We're talking, and we're seeing what opportunities are out there. The thing that stops us is we feel so precious about it, we want to make sure it's the right thing and agree on the right thing."

However, the Wannabe hitmaker admitted that the band has an agreement not to speak to Mel B about the plans, as she cannot keep a secret.

In a recent appearance on the No Filter with Kate Langbroek podcast, Melanie said: "We've decided now we're not going to tell Mel anything because she can't keep her mouth shut.

"So don't listen to Mel B because she doesn't know, because we're not telling her."

In September, Victoria - nicknamed Posh Spice - hinted that she wanted to reunite with her bandmates after attending an Oasis Live '25 tour show at Wembley Stadium with her family.

Captioning one clip, she wrote: "Tempting," and tagged her bandmates.