The former Spice Girl will celebrate her first wedding anniversary with hairstylist Rory McPhee in July

NEED TO KNOW

• Melanie “Mel B” Brown opened up about her husband Rory McPhee’s dance moves during an exclusive interview with PEOPLE at SXSW in London on June 2
• The former Spice Girl revealed she and husband dance together at home and prioritize movement to stay healthy
• “I think whatever I dance to, he’ll have a go, but he likes a bit of a two-step,” Brown explained

Melanie “Mel B” Brown is opening up about her husband Rory McPhee's dance moves.

The singer, 51, who rose to fame as Scary Spice in the Spice Girls, spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about dancing not just to keep fit as she led an intimate Zumba class at SXSW in London on June 2.

When asked if she spent her birthday on May 29 dancing, Brown gushed that she and McPhee, 39, never stop enjoying movement at their home in Leeds. 

“My husband and I always dance around our farm and our living room,” she told PEOPLE. “In fact, at our [second] wedding that we had in Morocco, we danced, which was completely improvised because we had no choreography like normal people do for their wedding first dance.” 

“We danced to ‘I Would Die 4 U' [by Prince], and we just kind of went nuts,” she continued. “You know, I think any song and album are like the diary of your life. So if you put on that one song that just makes you lose it, just move. That's all I say, just to move.”

After three years of dating, Brown and McPhee tied the knot in The Crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral in London on July 5, 2025. They then had a "gorgeous, spiritual and very private" second wedding at Selman Marrakech in Morocco on Aug. 2. 

During a panel at SXSW, Brown told Zumba's CMO Carolina Moraes and moderator Louise Gannon that her first dance song of choice was something she and McPhee would always listen to.

“I think when you play a certain song and you get that like high in your brain because it gives you that memory, there's nothing better than just letting loose, singing and screaming and just dancing,” she said.

Speaking about her first dance, she continued, “We had a song that me and my husband always always listened to called ‘I Will Die 4 U' by Prince. I think people thought we were a bit nuts.” 

“We got on the dance floor and we just jumped and did this improvisation dance,” said Brown. “Everyone was like is this real? Are they okay? But it was that expression. I think it's just so important to do that.”

When PEOPLE asked if McPhee shares her love of Zumba, the “2 Become 1” singer revealed that, despite not being a professional dancer, he has some moves of his own.

“I think whatever I dance to, he'll have a go, but he likes a bit of a two-step. Absolutely,” she said.

The “Spice Up Your Life” singer also revealed exclusively to PEOPLE that she and McPhee “walk around a few blocks” to get “some kind of movement” when they're not dancing together. 

“I think moving and keeping some kind of movement in your body is so key to kind of being healthy,” she told PEOPLE. “At the end of the day, who wants to be a couch potato?”

“Though I do have days like that,” she continued, adding, “I live on a farm, so I've got lots of land to walk around and I have my little sauna and ice bath and this LED sun shower, so I like to look after myself. 

“I have an Oura ring,” said Brown. “Sometimes I put a heart rate monitor on if I can be bothered. I also have a sleep aid bed so it kind of detects your REM and your deep sleep. So I like to keep track of that because I think your circadian rhythm is really important.”

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