Originally managed by Alan Whitehead, they achieved success between 1986 and 1988, before Melanie lost her battle with cancer in January 1990 at the age of 23.
"I remember we were shocked that these were the guys who produced the Princess track "Say I'm Your Number One" because we were expecting someone like Quincy Jones," Kim said of her first meeting with the production team.
"[3] A sedate soul-pop track "System" was intended as their first single, but their producers were unhappy with it, and it became the "B-side" of their first release "Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)".
After getting to know the girls, producer Pete Waterman became convinced the act's music should reflect their feisty and streetwise personalities, with the then-emerging Chicago House sound chosen as a perfect vehicle.
"[4] The sisters became well-known celebrities in Europe, particularly in Britain, and were known for their visual style which combined urban street wear with high fashion (prior to their music career Mel had worked as a glamour model).
[citation needed] In 1985, prior to the duo's recording career, Mel was treated for malignant paraganglioma,[5] a form of cancer, on her liver.
[8] During a promotional visit to Japan in June 1987, Mel's back pain worsened, rendering her unable to perform,[6] and she returned to the UK in a wheelchair.
Both sisters appeared on the Wogan show in April 1988 while Mel was still undergoing treatment, as part of European Cancer Week.
[14] Later in late summer 1988, after Mel had finished chemotherapy, the duo appeared on Good Morning Britain to promote the need for teenage cancer wards in British hospitals.
In January 2018, the release of a previously unreleased unfinished demo track, "Where Is Love", was announced on the official Mel & Kim website.
The album, Kim Appleby, contained her debut solo single "Don't Worry", which reached number two on the British charts in November 1990.
In October 2019, Cherry Red Records released a seven-disc Mel & Kim CD singles box set.