Chico

Ever since Chico burst into the homes of the nation with his cheeky dance moves and powerful vocal talents on The X Factor, he has been a force to reckon with.

Chico has knocked Madonna off the top of the UK charts with his catchy number one single It’s Chico Time, has toured the UK as part of a sell-out national tour and even co-wrote, produced and starred in a BAFTA-nominated short film with his brother JC Mac called Winner Takes All. Not bad for a guy who started out life as a goat herder on the plains of Morocco.

There were humble beginnings for the charismatic entertainer. Chico [whose real name is Yousseph Slimani] was born into a loving family in Bridgend, Wales ­ but at the age of two his father took him to Morocco. Here, he was raised by his grandparents on a small farm. “I had a beautiful, loving childhood,” explains Chico. “We were poor, but it was a very loving environment that was very traditional and very pure. It was us, nature and the traditions of a thousand years. We never struggled for food because we grew our own and lived off the land ­ I’d even work on the farm herding the goats to help out.”

At 13, Chico returned to the UK to live with his father and complete his schooling ­ and even at this age he was turning heads with his entertaining nature and charming personality. “I was hyper happy at school,” continues Chico. “I was an intelligent kid who couldn’t speak English, so I couldn’t express myself. I had to start from scratch and sit in a remedial class because I couldn’t speak the language ­ and yet I was bright. It was a very frustrating time.”