May 15, 2006 @ 10:00 am

Che'nelle

by: Angie Romero

During a leisurely Sunday ride along New York City’s FDR Drive, there aren’t really that many trees to admire so Aussie visitor Che’Nelle (born Cheryline Lim) turns her attention to the vast, sienna-colored landscape to her left. “These are the buildings you see in the movies,” she says. You explain to her that these are called projects, and suddenly, it all becomes clear. “That’s what rappers are talking about,” she concludes. A day spent with Che’Nelle, 22, is filled with such spontaneous remarks. Some, like, “Who’s gonna write or produce your stuff if you don’t do it yourself?” could be mistaken for naiveté, but they’re also endearing. After all, it’s the same M.O. of self-sustenance that has brought this singer/ writer/producer stateside—a long way from home. After her family migrated to the isolated city of Perth, Australia, Che’Nelle spent her teen years pub-hopping, singing covers of Top 40 songs as part of a band. Yet something about regurgitating Rod Stewart’s “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” wasn’t fulfilling, so in between gigs, Che’Nelle would hit up underage clubs to indulge in the music she loved: hip hop, R&B, and reggae. Going to college to learn how to produce—with Logic Pro and Pro Tools—was Che’Nelle’s next big step toward stardom. Along the way, though, she hit two major roadblocks: the breakup of a four-year relationship and vocal nodules. The latter, curiously enough, was the result of the former. “I went party-nuts,” Che’Nelle confesses. When doctors warned she could lose her voice forever, it forced Che’Nelle to do a 180. Today, she’s got a production deal, a recording contract, and a vibrant debut, tentatively titled Things Happen For A Reason, for which she contributed a great deal of writing and some production. The album is about 70 percent rhythmic club numbers, like the soca-licious “I Fell In Love With The DJ,” a humorous tale about two-timing, and about 30 percent bedtime stories, like “2nd Nature,” where her soft-spoken inflections show a true appreciation for R&B sweethearts like Aaliyah. It’s this kind of chameleon-like talent that positions Che’Nelle for success on U.S. soil. What’s more, veterans like Rich Harrison and KayGee are devoting some maestro-time to her album. “She can adapt to any track,” says her proud production company president Charles Dixon. “She’s what you call a universal artist.” And there’s nothing foreign about that.

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Article tags: Che'nelle Perth, Australia