She was once a member of one of the world’s most successful girl bands, and amassed a fortune to match. But now, former All Saint Melanie Blatt says she’s broke and has to embark upon a solo career in order to support her two-year-old daughter.
Less than four months after the top-selling outfit split up, Melanie says she has blown her estimated £4-million share of their earnings and that the majority of the money they earned went to the group’s record company. “A lot of people at the record label made a lot of money out of All Saints. Sadly, us four hardly saw any of it.”
All Saints sold 11 million albums worldwide and signed lucrative endorsement deals with major brands including Levi jeans. The four-piece group – which also included Natalie and Nicole Appleton – split up acrimoniously in January after being together for seven years. Their best known hits included Never Ever and Pure Shores, which was featured on the soundtrack for the Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle The Beach.
“I would love to have retired when the band split,” says the 25-year-old vocalist, who owns a home in Hampstead, west London, and has just bought a retirement villa in France for her parents. “I would love to have spent all day washing up, gardening taking kids to school and all that. But it's not going to happen.
The band’s fourth member, Shaznay Lewis, is its biggest earner and is now estimated to be worth £10.5 million, due to royalties earned from her songwriting. Following the band’s break-up, she and Melanie have been offered £2 million to write a tell-all book about life with the Appleton sisters. Melanie plans to start recording with her boyfriend of four years Stuart Zender, former bass player with Jamiroquai.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
"I would love to have retired when the band split" says Melanie Blatt, but after blowing her £4 million fortune she needs to start a solo career to support her daughter
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Band member and songwriter Shaznay Lewis (above right) is the All Saints' highest earner and is estimated to be worth £10.5 million
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Melanie and Shaznay have been offered £2 million to write a tell all book about the groups other members - Natalie and Nicole Appleton
