You'd think that after performing for world leaders and millions of fans, Spice Girl-gone-solo Melanie Chisholm would have conquered stage fright.

However, as the artist occasionally known as Sporty Spice prepares to introduce Stateside fans to her solo sounds on a brief tour, tension is at an all time high.

"Whatever I'm doing, no matter if I'm performing or whether I've got an interview, I always get nervous, but to what degree? It differs," Mel C. told MTV News on Thursday, the day before her U.S. solo debut at New York's Irving Plaza. "With the girls, the girls take the Mickey out of me, actually, because I do get so nervous. They think it's quite funny. I go all quiet, and I have to sit in a corner and get all calm, but on my own it's double."

Hard to believe, considering that the woman who (with her Spice counterparts) played to a sea of thousands at London's Wembley Stadium will be kicking off her three-date American promo tour at a venue that holds a few hundred.

Chisholm recently wrapped up a brief tour abroad, and cut her club teeth in the States in April when she joined the Neurotic Outsiders onstage at L.A.'s infamous Viper Room (see "Sporty Spice, The Cult Join Neurotic Outsiders For Viper Room Farewell"). However, the notion of going it alone here remains daunting.

"Sometimes I think I'm going to get adrenaline poisoning because I can feel it pumping through my veins, and I know Friday night's going to be no different," Chisholm said.

After playing New York on Friday, Chisholm will go on to play Toronto on Monday and Los Angeles on Thursday before heading off to play dates in Australia, Japan, and Europe. She hopes to return to the U.S. in February of next year for a full-blown solo tour.

Chisholm is making the rounds trumpeting the November 2 release of "Northern Star," a solo debut that finds the Spicy one teaming with producers such as Rick Rubin and William Orbit, among others.