I was never going to give Mariah Carey any competition.

People I respect complimenting me on my work in fashion is more exciting to me than anything I ever achieved as a Spice Girl. I am now competing in an arena where I can hold my head high. I feel quite confident in what I'm doing now, much more than the singing. I was never going to give Mariah Carey any competition.

There's nothing wrong with constructive criticism, and I learn from that and better myself. I'm not expecting anyone to be sycophantic in any way; I never expected that.

I'm feminine, but I wouldn't say that I'm girly in any way at all.

I can relax in L.A. I think I'm the only person in that town who doesn't want to act. I was an OK singer. I was an OK dancer. But acting? Never could do it.

The kind of person who's going to stand on the red carpet and love the attention and have the big grin - I'm just not like that. I want to get in there, do what I've got to do, and get home to my kids.