The UK’s Leading Ginger Spice Impersonator On Why Geri Means So Much

A quarter of a century after the release of their groundbreaking debut album, nostalgia for all things the Spice Girls has reached fever pitch. With a limited edition album re-release and the reflective Channel 4 docuseries Spice Girls: How Girl Power Changed Britain, the spirit of Ginger, Scary, Sporty, Baby, and Posh continues to thrive in the year 2021.

In the midst of this renewed appreciation for the legendary girl band is East London drag performer Just May, who has been banging the Spice Girls drum since their drag career began.

Throughout their eight years in the industry, May has crafted an onstage persona dedicated to the Ginger Spice and has firmly cemented themselves as one of the world’s leading Geri impersonators. With drag shows including What Made Geri Ginger, May regularly delves into the music, fashion, and attitude of their favourite Spice Girl, paying homage (and poking some good-natured fun) at the woman who continues to influence their life and career so profoundly.

Below, I speak to Just May about their earliest memories of the BRIT Award winner, how she still manages to inspire their style of drag to this day, and the lasting impact of the Spice Girls.

First things first: Geri or Ginger?

For me, she is 100% Ginger. I base all of my looks and everything that I do on Ginger Spice rather than Geri herself.

What’s your earliest memory of Ginger Spice?

The Spice Girls were performing “Wannabe” on GMTV and Ginger was wearing this bluey-green outfit. I remember it so clearly.

It’s funny because when the Spice Girls first came out, Baby Spice was my favourite, but that quickly changed. I remember seeing so much of myself in Ginger. She was always the loud ginger one and I was the loud ginger kid.

Have you ever met Ginger?

I once went to a taping of Room 101 and she was one of the guests. I showed up dressed in full Ginger Spice drag and someone pointed me out to her. I waved frantically and she just kind of looked at me and said “hello.”

When did you decide to become a Ginger impersonator?

I’ve just always been obsessed with her. Even in my core teenage years, I’d have Spice Girls records hidden behind whatever emo CD I was pretending to be into at the time.

One night I arrived at a friend’s ’90s-themed birthday party straight from my normal people job. I had no time to get an outfit, but my mate had popped out and bought me a really crappy union jack dress from a charity shop. I put it on and was like “Wow, this is it,” and that’s kind of where it all started.

How has Ginger Spice informed your style of drag?

I have all the famous Ginger outfits, but I don’t necessarily dress how she would have. I do love red and ‘90s cut fashion, but I generally just stick to the Ginger Spice hair with the blonde highlights. I love wearing outfits like the union jack dress because it’s so fun and silly. But, for me, the hair is what made Geri ‘Ginger Spice.’

“I’ve just always been obsessed with Ginger. Even in my core teenage years, I’d have Spice Girls records hidden behind whatever emo CD I was pretending to be into at the time.”

What are your favourite Ginger Spice looks?

One is a white dress that she wears at the start of the Spice World movie. It has “girl power” written across her chest and “female” up the leg. Another is a two-piece she wore at the Cannes Film Festival. It was a rainbow colour strapless tube with flared trousers. So, so ugly. But I love it.

Ginger famously quit the Spice Girls in 1998. Tell me about your memories of that fateful day.

My mum worked in a school as a cleaner and I would sometimes have to go in with her. One day her colleague walked up to me and said, “I bet you’re really sad that Ginger left the band.” So, my mum had to show me the newspaper she’d been hiding from me. I just ran into a classroom and cried.

I loved it when she went solo, though. I was like “give this to me” and completely digested it. I bought all the CDs and still have all the cassettes. She did really well on her own, and for a long time, she was the biggest selling UK female solo artist.

What are your favourite solo Geri songs?

If I’m performing, I love “Mi Chico Latino.” Mainly because of the Spanish rap at the end, even though it doesn’t make any sense. She also did a song called “Lovey Dovey Stuff” with Sean Paul. It’s only available on Youtube and it’s actually quite camp. You have to listen to this because I single-handedly want to get that song into the top 10 one day.

You had a show called What Made Geri Ginger. So, what exactly did make Geri Ginger?

The show is an exploration of that question. It breaks down everything from the clothes, to the hair and the attitude. And, really, the thing that made Geri Ginger was everyone else projecting those things onto her. So deep.

How do audiences react when you’re performing as Ginger?

When people look at me blank I can usually tell they're in their early 20s. But, the majority of people are in on the joke — they understand the act is a big cartoon character of Ginger Spice.

How has your relationship with Ginger Spice changed over the years?

It’s the same. I loved her back then because she was a kind of human cartoon character, and now she’s adapted that Ginger persona into who she is today. But, I’m sure the old Ginger Spice still lives deep down inside Geri Horner somewhere.

The Spice Girls just made great pop music, which means they’re always going to stand the test of time. Each song had a fun message about stuff we could all relate to, like friendship, getting laid, wearing condoms, and saying goodbye. It’s just perfect pop.

Moving on to the Spice Girls as a group, what’s your favourite song from the band?

“Who Do You Think You Are.” It’s 100% a bop. But, my favourite song to perform is an acoustic version of “Wannabe.” Geri once performed it on Australia’s Got Talent. It’s so earnest and completely different from the original.

We recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of “Wannabe” and people still love the Spice Girls today. What is their appeal?

The Spice Girls just made great pop music, which means they’re always going to stand the test of time. Each song had a fun message about stuff we could all relate to, like friendship, getting laid, wearing condoms, and saying goodbye. It’s just perfect pop.