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]
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.
In 2005, Chico
auditioned for The X
Factor. He says he
practiced his
singing mostly in
the bathroom, and he
grew up with Arabic.
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.
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!")
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.
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.
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.
Chico is involved
with 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.
Chico's next single
'Curvy Cola Bottle
Body" will be
released on 8th
October 2007.
