Scarlet is like her mum - she has grown up with music and loves it.
"She said she wants to be a musician... or a vet."
Melanie said music was her passion, always had been.
Her mother sang and her father loved music - "and my stepfather is a bass player".
"I just grew up with music and it is a constant in my life. It can spark memories and if I'm a little bit down I listen to it," she said, adding that the range was a wide one.
She loves classical music (she studied ballet from the age of eight) as well as rock, dance music, pop and embraced Motown while she was growing up.
It was the Spice Girls which ignited her career which is still burning brightly in the wake of a string of solo top-selling singles, albums, concerts and stage appearances - she has received rave reviews for her West End roles in Blood Brothers and the UK arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.
With the Spice Girls she was part of a musical phenomenon which sold 100 million records between 1994 and 2000.
She said it was almost like living a fairy tale - at times difficult to believe what was happening, and when the girls did go their separate ways she initially had what she called some difficult times - "a tricky couple of years" but friends and family were close as she built her new career.
She still sees the other girls.
"Geri (Halliwell) came round and saw me last weekend and I'm seeing Emma (Bunton) in a couple of weeks for a bit of a girly get-together."
The last time the Spice Girls appeared together was the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London and she said they were blown away by the massive crowd reaction.
"Afterwards we were just looking at each other and laughing - can you believe this?"
And she doesn't rule out getting together again.
"We hope to get back together but it's just trying to co-ordinate our diaries to make it work. That's the thing."
But for now it is her spectacular and diverse solo career which is being steered along very nicely.
She released her first solo album Northern Star in 1999 and has gone on to record and release five further albums - the most recent being Stages which includes I Don't Know How to Love Him from Jesus Christ Superstar as well as I Know Him So Well which she recorded with Emma.
The figures are more than impressive - 12 million record sales.
She has been involved in 12 UK No1s, and holds an extraordinary record - she is the only woman to reach the top spot on the charts as a soloist, with a duo, a quartet and a quintet.
"I'll have to work on the trio side of that," she said with a laugh.
She said the last two years had been full on - blending music and musical theatre, and she is currently touring with the iconic Jools Holland and his band.
She nearly made it to New Zealand with the Jesus Christ Superstar show which came as far south as Australia.
"Only got as far as Auckland airport so I've never really been there but it's been on the top of my list for years - so this is going to be so good."
She checked out the Mission Estate Winery site and the concert online and was blown away by what she saw, and is relishing having the 72-piece Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra on stage with her.
"I've sung with an orchestra as part of the proms and it is so wonderful to be able to do that."
And the expected big crowd across an arena framed by rolling hillsides?
"Every show is different and there is something about a big audience - the atmosphere and you cater for that. And with a bigger stage you can be a bit bolder with the actions."
She is targeting some songs she says work better with an orchestra, along with a few of her solo hits and a couple of popular covers.
Away from the stage Melanie has been heavily involved in charity work through the Comic Relief group.
She said the fame generated by the Spice Girls gave them to ability to grab people's attention - and that was utilised to highlight charities.
She "dodged hippos and crocs" in Zambia during charity work there where one million pounds was raised.
"It resulted in a school being built - it was so lovely to see that going up."
Next year she is engaging in a Sport Relief charity.
"Being Sporty I have to," she laughed, adding it involved taking part in a full fundraising triathlon.
But her mind is currently on preparing for the Christmas break, her "big 40" birthday in January, little Scarlet's fifth birthday and, of course, the big Mission Concert.
And trying some of the Hawke's Bay wines.
"I've always enjoyed a good wine - especially a good red."
