Victoria Beckham was inspired to "step away" from the Spice Girls by Sir Elton John.
The 46-year-old star shot to fame as a member of the girl group and though she stayed with them throughout their chart career, their 2007 reunion and 2012 appearance at the London Olympics, she declined to join in with their later plans - including a 2016 reunion, which was axed after Geri Horner fell pregnant, and a 2019 concert tour - and admitted it was seeing her "dear friend" perform that made her realise she'd never be passionate about music.
Writing a letter to her future self in Britain's Vogue magazine, she recalled: “Remember years ago, watching your dear friend Elton John on stage in Las Vegas. He performed ‘Tiny Dancer,’ as if it were the first time, and you realised this was like oxygen for him. It was a life-changing moment — while singing and dancing was fun for you, it wasn’t your passion.
“That day, you started your quest to uncover your own dreams. It was time to step away from being a Spice Girl. For the first time, you were venturing out on your own, and it was terrifying. It was scary to close a chapter that defined you.”
After launching her own fashion empire and diversifying into beauty, Victoria - who has four children with husband David Beckham - hinted she also has other projects in the pipeline and will continue to ignore her critics.
She continued in her letter: "I know you are still reinventing yourself, taking on new challenges, and ignoring the naysayers. You always look beyond the conventional wisdom to pave your own path.
"First, you found this passion in fashion, and most recently, beauty. What comes next? I’m dying to know.