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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.
Chico Slimani was born in 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 and Indian music.
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 public appearances.
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 X 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', and will star in the company's upcoming feature film Lunchbox, which is loosely based upon his days as a stripper.
Chico is due to appear on the P&O Portsmouth to Bilbao ferry in June 2007 as a cabaret act, together with Steve Brookstein and Journey South. Other dates of his tour and new relase date of his delayed album are apparently scheduled to be released at the end of summer 2007.[2]
Chico is currently living with his long-time girlfriend Daniyela and they have a daughter named Lalla-Khira.[1] He is a devout Sufi Muslim and a follower of Sufi Sage and Master and Grandshaykh of the Naqshbandi Order , Sultan al Awliya Mawlana Shaykh as-Sayyid Muhammad Nazim 'Adil al-Qubrusi al-Haqqani.
Slimani has helped the Rainbow Foundation to open an orphanage in Cambodia.