Chico Slimani

It was confirmed that Slimani had suffered a stroke on 21 September 2018 aged 47.

On 7 February 2015 Slimani volunteered as one of the panel judges at the Dancing Strictly 2015 live charity show held at the ArtsDepot in North Finchley, London. The event, now in its third year, raised over £20,000 for the North London Hospice charity.

He went on to take part in another Rainbow Child Foundation project in Malawi and South Africa with the charity One Water to see the work carried out installing Play Pumps. In 2011, Slimani went to Malawi and opened Play pumps there.

In 2010, Slimani recorded a single in support of the English Football Team to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Aptly entitled "It's England Time", a play on "It's Chico Time", it uses the same tune of his previous No. 1 hit with amended lyrics. The song was first played on The Chris Moyles Show. Slimani recorded the single after having a 'vision' that England won the 2010 World Cup and that in the celebrations, commentators made reference to his Chico Time song. The music video was shot in Pinewood Studios and the official release date of the single was 7 June 2010. Proceeds went to Rainbow Child Foundation to help underprivileged children in Africa.

Proceeds from Slimani's 2010 single "It's England Time" went to the Rainbow Child Foundation to help underprivileged children in Africa.

The video for Slimani's fourth single, "Are You in It For Love", was premiered on his official website. It is a cover of a Ricky Martin hit. His debut album titled Lights, Camera, Action was released beginning of 2009.

Slimani is married to Daniyela Rakic-Slimani, sister of 2008 and 2009 Wimbledon Men's Doubles Champion Nenad Zimonjić. They have a daughter named Lalla-Khira, and a son Zacharia.

His next single, "Curvy Cola Bottle Body", was released on 8 October 2007 and reached No. 45 in its first week in the chart. Many well-known celebrities appeared in the official video including X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne and her husband Ozzy Osbourne. Proceeds went to the British Eating Disorders Association.

The Slimani songs "I Wanna Dance With U" and "You Take My Breath Away" were written by Roachie and produced by Danny Kirsch. "Good Day" Another Roachie / Kirsch production was used as part of the 2007 Butlins TV adverts.

Slimani had originally planned to release "It's Chico Time" as a single before Christmas 2005, but for contractual reasons he had to wait. Slimani was stated as saying "I'm absolutely loving every minute of it, and looking forward to releasing the single at last". The single was eventually released in February 2006; it entered the UK Singles Chart at number one on 5 March 2006, toppling Madonna from the top spot. It remained at number one for two weeks.

In early 2006, Slimani took part in the nationwide X Factor tour.

Slimani's follow-up single to No. 1 hit "It's Chico Time" was a cover of the song "D.I.S.C.O.", entered the chart at number 24 in August 2006 in the British Singles Chart. Slimani's single was an alternative version of the Ottawan hit with considerable changes in lyrics where Slimani sings: "C.H.I.C.O. on D.I.S.C.O.". He also amended the actual lyrics to "D dynamic // I incredible // S supersonic // C Chicolicious (alluding to his own name) // O oh, oh, oh".

He also appeared in 2006 and on later occasions under his original name Yousseph Slimani in Muslim events singing Islamic songs including "Moulana", a song he composed, dedicated to Prophet Muhammad and the Awliya' (the Men of God).

On 20 May 2006, Slimani appeared on ITV's coverage of The Prince's Trust 30th Birthday Concert. He took part in a Blind Date themed skit, being picked over Roger Moore and Richard E Grant by Dame Edna Everage.

The album was originally due for release in November 2006, but was shelved due to poor sales of the lead single "D.I.S.C.O.". Despite the album never being released, four singles were taken from it: "D.I.S.C.O.", "Curvy Cola Bottle Body Baby", "Are You In It For Love" and his number-one single, "It's Chico Time".

Cowell was won over during the series, commenting that Slimani was a 'born entertainer', even if he wasn't the recording artist the show was looking to discover. In the quarter-final, Slimani was voted out of the competition, which was won by Shayne Ward in December 2005.

Aspiring to make a name for himself in arts and entertainment, Slimani took part in an exotic dance troupe called "Extreme Force" and later became a singer/compere with Lapattack. He also worked as a stripper for a while. From a young age, he continued writing and recording songs in the hope of breaking into the music business. In 2004, Slimani also tried his hand at acting and co-wrote, starred, produced and provided the soundtrack for the BAFTA nominated short film Winner Takes All alongside actor JC Mac.

Slimani is involved with a production company called Unity Films, and his daughter appeared in one of their short films, Left Holding Baby, for which Slimani composed the music. He also stars in the BAFTA-nominated 2004 short film Winner Takes All, along with his brother actor JC Mac . In 2005, he played a male stripper in Roberto Gomez Martin's Hell to Pay, a London underworld gangster film. In 2009, Slimani also appeared in 45, a psychological thrilling boxing movie also alongside JC Mac.

Yousseph "Chico" Slimani (born 1971) is a British singer who rose to prominence in the United Kingdom after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2005 series of the talent show The X Factor. In 2006, he had a number one hit on the British charts entitled "It's Chico Time". In 2008, he appeared on the reality TV show CelebAir where he placed third.