Phoenix Brown, 25, defies nepo baby critics with debut art exhibition

Regardless of your thoughts on nepotism, it’s safe to say the ‘nepo baby’ discourse has reached fever pitch in recent years. 

Coined by a Twitter user in 2022 who was shocked to learn their favourite actress had famous parents, a fierce debate was sparked on whether the offspring of the rich and famous have been getting an unfair leg up.

For those who have been saddled with the term it’s often led to them having to ‘prove themselves’ to the public in order to be taken seriously in their chosen field. 

No one knows this more than Phoenix Chi Brown. 

As the daughter of Spice Girl legend Mel B, Phoenix tells me she’s always expected to receive hate because of her famous connections. 

Now more than ever she’s putting herself out there to the world, and we’re speaking at the Sarah Kravitz Gallery in London’s affluent Soho, where Phoenix, 25, is unveiling her debut art collection, Emosh – a collection of eight paintings ranged from £800 to £2500.

Simultaneously, she is filming a Channel 4 documentary about her experience in the art world and the lead up to her first show. 

It’s a collection that has been years in the making, although the influencer-turned-DJ does admit that she fell into the process. 

‘It just kind of came about,’ Phoenix confesses. ‘I feel like anything artistic, it kind of just forms just as you go.  I was like, “I wanna be in the arts world.”

‘So I kind of just did a bunch of things. DJ, picked up a pen and paper, just kind of went for it.

‘It took a little time before I actually made it legit and then I was just like, “OK, I actually enjoy this.” Put the music on, kind of got in my space and slow with it. 

‘There wasn’t really a certain moment where I was like, “I wanna be an artist,” you know.’ 

Entitled Emosh, Phoenix’s collection uses bold colours and cartoon-style figures and is described as an ‘unique blend of joy and melancholy, mirroring the complexities of human feelings.’ 

The paintings are certainly striking. 

My personal favourite is ‘Spice Up Your Life’, a vibrant portrait of three chillies against a splash of blue and pink, which is on sale for £2,500. 

Of course, I have to ask if a certain Spice Girl had any influence on her work. 

‘Not any say but I would FaceTime her and ask what she thinks’, Phoenix explains. ‘I’d get that motherly support and instinct from her but that was it. They’re not based on anyone.

‘It’s just how I was feeling in the moment and what I wanted people to see when they look at it. I think they’re very diverse.

‘When you look at it, you don’t really think one thing, you think a bunch of different things and the colors make you feel different and then the pain can make you feel different. It’s you, it’s how you relate to it.’

While Phoenix is on a mission to bring out emotion with her paintings, there must be part of her that worries she won’t be taken seriously because of her famous connections? 

Asked for her thoughts on the nepo baby backlash, Phoenix sighs: ‘I’ve been asked this so many times and I feel like it’ll never change because I was born into this life.

‘I can’t change the dictionary definition of nepo baby! You can only give people a chance to form second opinion and get them to open their minds and realise that it’s not all bad. It’s just a label that the press gives you. 

‘But if you dig deep and you actually pay attention to the person you can find them cool and that’s that.’ 

So is this exhibition Phoenix’s attempt to prove the critics wrong? 

‘Yes,’ she replies bluntly. ‘I don’t think there’s any proof needed. I am a nepo baby. I’m not going to be able to shy away from that.

‘The most I can do is just respect where I came from and where I got the name from – my mum – and then live my life…

‘I’m 25 so I’m filling out the spaces and seeing where  my head is at. This is where my head is at now and I’m really enjoying it so I don’t really care what people say!’ 

It’s a philosophy that’s been passed down to her by her mother. 

Recalling the important advice Scary Spice gave her, Phoenix mused: ‘All parent wants their kids to be very successful and have a good life.

‘Mum said, “whatever you do, just make sure you’re happy and don’t listen to the outside noise. You just do what you want to do.” So that’s kind of what I did.’ 

Indeed, Phoenix’s artwork is deeply personal. 

She explains that she’s poured her emotions out onto the canvas and is described by the gallery as a ‘budding artist who explores the highs and lows of existence.’ 

The collection itself, is said to represent ‘Happy hues intertwine with hints of sadness, creating a captivating juxtaposition that resonates with audiences on a deep level.’ 

So there must have been a range of emotions that inspired Phoenix? 

It’s undoubtable that she’s been through her fair share of trauma. 

While Phoenix’s father is Dutch backing dancer Jimmy Gulzar, she grew up in a house with stepdad, Stephen Belafonte.

Stephen and Mel were married from 2007 to 2017 and share daughter Madison, 13, together.

Mel – now a prominent domestic abuse campaigner – has accused Stephen of physical and emotional abuse over the years, which he claims are ‘fraudulent’.

Phoenix has previously spoken about witnessing abuse at home when she was growing up and alleged Stephen would be emotionally abusive to her, calling her ‘ugly and retarded.’ 

While she doesn’t mention her childhood as an influence on her artwork, Phoenix confesses: ‘I’m a very emotional person. 

‘All these paintings are very emotional – the happy and sad faces – I went along with that. I put it on paper.

‘These are very core emotions. You’re happy, you’re sad, you’re super excited.  I  went with how I felt and what music was playing and just did it. It was very much in the moment.’

As part of her artistic journey, Phoenix has worked closely with gallerist Sarah Kravitz, whose eponymous gallery specialises in helping to nurture young talent. 

For Sarah, this is no quick deal and is looking forward to seeing how Phoenix will develop as an artist. 

‘We’ll work together for at least five years’, she muses. ‘It’s a partnership and I’m excited to see how her work grows and develops. 

‘Like all artists she’ll look back in five years time and be shocked how much she’s progressed.’ 

Sarah is also impressed by how Phoenix knows her audience – targeting the Gen Z crowd who have grown up communicating via emojis. 

The patrons agree. 

As the doors to the gallery officially open potential customers – as well as reality star Joey Essex – look pleased as they come in. 

‘It reminds me of being younger and carefree’, one tells me. ‘Like doodling!’  

The homage to Phoenix’s mother – Spice Up Your Life – proves to be the biggest crowd pleaser. 

‘It’s fun!’ seems to be the most verbalised reaction to the piece. 

It’s not clear if she made any sales from the exhibition. Phoenix’s team did not respond to my enquiry. 

However, I doubt whether her exhibition was a commercial success or not holds much weight to Phoenix. 

‘I just don’t really think about the outside noise and think what people are gonna think about it’, she explains. 

‘My mum always said to me, “sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” So that just goes with everything that I do.’ 

With this in mind is there any fear at all that she may be written off in the nepo baby discourse?  

Sizing me up, Phoenix remarks: ‘I feel like you came today because of my name. But now that you’re here you’ve got to see it’s a different story.’ 

And she’s correct.

Having spoken with Phoenix I can tell she’s passionate about her work and I wish her nothing but luck with her artistic journey. Whether my feelings are mirrored by the general public, however, remains to be seen. 

But after all, isn’t art supposed to subjective?