Chico Slimani
Background information
Birth name	Yousseph Slimani
Also known as	Chico
Origin	Wales
Genre(s)	Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instrument(s)	Vocals
Years active	2006–present
Label(s)	Sony BMG

Yousseph Slimani (born April 2, 1971), known as Chico, is a British pop singer of Moroccan descent who rose to prominence in the United Kingdom after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2005 series of the talent show The X Factor. Image File history File links Flag_of_Wales_2. ... This article is about the country. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Depending on context, pop music is either an abbreviation of popular music or, more recently, a term for a sub-genre of it. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Bertelsmann is a transnational media corporation founded in 1835, based in G tersloh, Germany. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation). ... The second UK series of The X Factor ran from 20 August to 17 December 2005. ... The X Factor is a British popular music talent show, broadcast on Saturdays on ITV1 (with spinoff behind-the-scenes shows The Xtra Factor and X Factor 24/7 screened on ITV2). ...

Early life

Chico Slimani was born in Bridgend, South Wales to a Sunni Muslim mother and Sufi Muslim father, but when his parents split up he went to live with his grandparents in Morocco when Chico was two. During his time in Oujda city (Morocco), Chico worked as a mountain goat herder but when he was thirteen years old, he decided to move back to the UK, living in Crawley, West Sussex.^[1] Rocky Mountain Goat and Mountain Goats redirect here. ... Crawley is a town and local government district in West Sussex, England. ... West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex (with Brighton and Hove), Hampshire and Surrey. ...

Chico was popular in school but was bullied as well. He joined exotic dance troupe Extreme Force and became a stripping duo with his friend Matt Linham. They then became fairly big in the profession and went by the name of mac attack. When he desperately needed to raise money to help his grandmother back to health, Chico had several different jobs, including hairdresser and electrician. A hairdresser is someone WHO IS EXTREMELY GAY LIKE NEIL AND HIS DREAM JOB IS TO BE A HAIRDRESSSER whose occupation is to cut or style hair, in order to change or maintain a persons image as they desire. ... TVA electricians, Tennessee, 1942. ...

In 2005, Chico auditioned for The X Factor. He says he practiced his singing mostly in the bathroom, and he grew up with Arabic. Bathroom singing, also known as singing in the bathroom, singing in the bath, or singing in the shower is a widespread phenomenon. ... Arabic music includes several genres and styles of music ranging from Arab classical to Arabic pop music and from secular to sacred music. ...

The X Factor

Chico's initial audition was notable because judge Simon Cowell walked out in disgust after Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne voted him through to the second round. Simon Cowell (born 7 October 1959) is an English artist and repertoire (A&R) executive for Sony BMG in the United Kingdom, but is known as a judge on television programmes such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, American Idol and Britains Got Talent. ... Louis Walsh Louis Walsh (born Kiltimagh, County Mayo, Republic of Ireland, August 5, 1952) is a manager in the music industry, and a judge on the ITV1 show The X Factor, which made him famous as a television personality rather than a manager. ... Sharon Rachel Osbourne(née Levy, then Arden; born October 9, 1952) is an English music manager and promoter, television personality and presenter. ...

His category was mentored by Osbourne, who put him through to the live television phase, after particularly memorable performance at the Osbournes' home, in which he jumped into a shallow pool and danced in the water (still holding a live microphone).

After the initial live shows, he was widely mocked in the press, but after changing the style of his performances, to become more slightly more self-mocking, he began to win voters over. He also became notable for being the first contestant in a Simon Cowell show (Pop Idol, American Idol, The X Factor) to sing a self-written song, the suitably camp and ironic It's Chico Time, named after his catchphrase (Chico: "What time is it?", audience: "It's Chico time!") This article is about the British television series. ... AMERICAN IDOL HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO DEATH OF SIMON ... The X Factor is a British and Irish TV music talent show contested by aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions. ... Its Chico Time is the first single by X Factor contestant Chico Slimani. ...

As well as judges, it was notable that Cowell himself was won over during the course of the series, commenting that Chico was a born entertainer, even if he wasn't the recording artist the show was supposedly looking to discover. He failed to reach the final of the ITV talent show, being voted out in the third from last episode. It was eventually won by singer Shayne Ward in December 2005. Slimani had originally planned to release a single of It's Chico Time before Christmas, but had to wait due to contractual reasons. On its eventual release, it toppled Madonna from the UK Number 1 spot. "I'm absolutely loving every minute of it, and looking forward to releasing the single at last," he was stated as saying. Independent Television (generally known as ITV, but also as ITV Network) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK. Since 1990 and the Broadcasting... Shayne Thomas Ward (born 16 October 1984 in Clayton, Manchester) is an English pop singer of Irish background, who rose to prominence in the UK and Ireland after becoming the winner of the 2005 series of the talent show The X Factor. ... Its Chico Time is the first single by X Factor contestant Chico Slimani. ... Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16, 1958), better known as simply Madonna, is a six-time Grammy[1] and one-time Golden Globe award winning American pop singer, songwriter, record and film producer, dancer, actress, author and fashion icon. ...

Since then, he has appeared on the X Factor tour, and continues to make numerous public appearances all over the UK. Chico is currently on tour at Butlins, performing full 45 minute sets along with live band and dancers as part of The Chico Experience. Butlins Holiday Camps were founded by (later Sir) Billy Butlin to provide economical holidays in the United Kingdom and Ireland. ...

Music and film career

Chico released his debut single, "It's Chico Time", in February 2006, entering the UK Singles Chart at number one on 5 March 2006. He also took part in a nationwide Z Factor tour, which began in Newcastle upon Tyne. "It's Chico Time" remained at number one for two weeks. Chico's follow up single, a cover of the song "D.I.S.C.O." entered the chart at number twenty-four the following August because it was terrible. Its Chico Time is the first single by X Factor contestant Chico Slimani. ... “British Hit Singles” redirects here. ... This article is about the day. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about a city in the United Kingdom. ... D.I.S.C.O was a disco song by the French band Ottawan. ...

Chico is involved with a Columbian drug company, and a production company called Unity Films, and his daughter appeared in one of their short films, Left Holding Baby, for which Chico composed the music. He also stars in the BAFTA nominated short film 'Winner Takes All', along with his brother, actor JC Mac. Chico will also appear in the company's upcoming feature film Lunchbox, which is loosely based upon his days as a stripper. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... Winner Takes All is a 2004 Welsh short film directed by Helen M Grace, written by Machico Bros & Helen M Grace. ... JC Mac is an actor and producer based in London, UK. JC Mac was born in London, his acting talent first came to the attention of his school teachers. ...

Chico's next single 'Curvy Cola Bottle Body" will be released on 8th October 2007.

Personal life

Chico is currently living with his long-time girlfriend Daniyela. They have a daughter named Lalla-Khira.^[1] Chico is a devout Sufi Muslim.

Charity work

Slimani has helped the Rainbow Child Foundation to open an orphanage in Cambodia.

Chico's new single 'Curvy Cola Bottle Body' is a protest song against recent issues regarding the 'Size Zero' phenomenom and as such he has teamed up with the eating disorder charity BEAT.

Discography

Singles

• "It's Chico Time" (2006) — 27 February 2006, UK #1 (two weeks)
• "D.I.S.C.O." (2006) — 14 August 2006, UK #24
• "Curvy Cola Bottle Body Baby" 8 October 2007

Its Chico Time is the first single by X Factor contestant Chico Slimani. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... D.I.S.C.O was a disco song by the French band Ottawan. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ...

See also

• The X Factor (UK series 2)
• Shayne Ward, winner of X Factor series 2
• Andy Abraham, 2nd placed finalist
• Journey South, 3rd placed finalist

The second UK series of The X Factor ran from 20 August to 17 December 2005. ... Shayne Thomas Ward (born 16 October 1984 in Clayton, Manchester) is an English pop singer of Irish background, who rose to prominence in the UK and Ireland after becoming the winner of the 2005 series of the talent show The X Factor. ... Andrew Abraham (born 1964 in London) is an English male vocalist. ... Journey South were a musical duo originating from Middlesbrough, England, consisting of brothers Carl and Andy Pemberton. ...

References

External links

• Official website
• Official Fan Club
• Chico's Official Myspace
• Website of Rainbow Child Foundation