GERI HALLIWELL - GERI TO TAKE CRITICS BY SURPRISE WITH NEW 'MATURE' VOICE

Former SPICE GIRL GERI HALLIWELL is set to stun critics with her new solo album - as her voice has significantly "matured".

The LOOK AT ME singer - who underwent surgery to remove nodules on her vocal chords in April (04) - is delighted with the new album, especially since she penned most of it herself.

And insiders predict many fans and journalists will be surprised by the results.

A source says, "It's taken Geri two years to get this album together, there are a lot of ballads and she has written most of it herself.

"We were thinking of a Christmas release but that's the silly season for records."