Chanel Cole: Encyclopedia - Chanel Cole

Chanel Cole

She is currently romantically involved with fellow Idol contestant, Daniel Belle.

Chanel Cole - That Girl

Chanel Cole Whalley was born in Hamilton, New Zealand, to mother Mariana and father Brendon on November 13, 1977. Her unusual middle name was named after her dark, "black-as-coal" eyes. Three years after her birth, Whalley's parents divorced. She lived first with her mother and then with her father from the age of 7, where she attended a total of 12 different school in as many different towns. A self-professed "rebellious nerd", Whalley never settled happily into the school system. In addition to schoolwork, Chanel's father and stepmother ensured she had an extra-curricular education in music and during this time, she learned piano, singing, ballet, flute, guitar and had acting lessons. During this time, she enjoyed a seven-year stint with nationwide high-school level talent seach "the cokesmokefreerockquest" as MC and occasional judge. She completed grade twelve a year in advance, eventually graduating from Gisborne Girls High School in 1996. Soon after, Whalley became an infamous performer on the Gisborne pub circuit, singing under the moniker of "That Girl".

Whalley left home at 17 and spent three dark years in England, plunging "headfirst into a trainwreck existence of heartbreak, music, theatre, alcohol, bad poetry, angst-ridden songwriting [which will never see the light of day], poverty and semi-starvation". During this time, Whalley got her tongue pierced and had a purple and orange ouroboros tattooed on her stomach. Just before her 21st birthday, Whalley moved to Australia to "try my hand at normal life". However, the demise of a long-term relationship shortly after her 23rd birthday sent Whalley fleeing to Bega to be closer to her birth mother. She soon enrolled in the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute Of Technology, a jazz school, which she now says her time spent there was a "disaster". She passed the first year of the three-year qualification, a Bachelor of Jazz Studies, but chose to leave because the course "destroyed my confidence" and "didn't nurture me at all". The experience put Whalley off singing for a whole year. During this time, in between extended periods as waitress and retail assistant, Whalley was also a lead singer in a variety of pub covers bands, a sometime radio DJ on 2ZG and a corporate voice identity.

In 2004, whilst working in the photo store Fletchers Fotographics and in desperate need for a record contract and career exposure, Cole auditioned for the second season of the hit reality television show, Australian Idol.

Chanel Cole - Australian Idol

Chanel initially auditioned in Canberra but was not put through. Dressing in what she now calls "an exaggerated version" of herself, Chanel finally managed to get through to the third round of auditions; appearing before the judges Mark Holden, Marcia Hines and Ian Dickson on her second attempt in Sydney. After discussing her unusual hair fashions and her penchant for plastic babies, Cole performed a humourous rendition of the jazz gem, When I Get Low, I Get High which provoked a standing ovation from the usually stern Dickson. Before her televised audition, Cole stated in an interview with host Andrew G [on why she should be the next Australian Idol]: "Because there is a severe lack of articulate, brunette, size-12, flat chested women on television." Her bizarre sense of humour and atypical song choice immediately sparked an interest with viewers, particularly on the Internet. Almost immediately, websites and forums dedicated to Cole began appearing - most notably Everybody Loves Chanel Cole.

In the next vocal heat, Cole gave a subtle, provocative performance of Alcoba Azul; a track featured on the soundtrack of the Frida Kahlo biopic, Frida, and sung entirely in Spanish. After the performance, Dickson asked her to leave the room as she was "clearly above" the other contestants in terms of talent. Cole later confided that she felt "horrible" for being put in such an awkward position.

In the group heat, Cole got together with Hayley Jensen and two other female contestants to cover the Dionne Warwick pop standard: Anyone Who had A Heart. Cole arranged an eerie, hymn-like choral melody for the piece. During the song, one of the girls fumbled their lyrics and Chanel helped her by singing an improvised duet. Holden was completely in awe of Chanel's performance, pounding his fist and shouting: "God dammit, gumby!" and praising Cole's intriguing musical arrangement: "The chances that you took with that melody, with the timing, with everything. I adore you! You are a bloody star!" For their teamwork, all four girls were put through to the next round.

For the final vocal heat which determined the competition's selection of the top thirty, Cole performed a cheeky, entertaining interpretation of Roy Orbison's well-known song Pretty Woman, titled Pretty Boy. She invited all her male competitors on stage and danced mischievously around them as they clapped to the song's rhythm. She was put through to the semi-finals for the performance. For a short time, Cole was romantically linked with fellow contestant Ben Eaton due to this performance, in which she kissed him on the cheek. However, he was later confirmed to be gay. The two remain close friends after their elimination from the competition.

After the hype and cult praise her performances had received, Chanel quickly became the opening favourite to win the second series of Australian Idol by famed betting agency Centrebet, immediately after the judges unveiled the show's top thirty. Overwhelmed at being pushed so abruptly into the public eye, a curious Chanel logged onto an Idol forum and burst into tears after being dismissed by an Internet troll as a "Björk impersonator". Her reaction was filmed and aired on an episode of Inside Idol. Cole later felt embarrassed that such a private, melodramatic moment was revealed to the Australian public. For the first round of semi-finals, Cole placed peacock feathers in her hair and performed a confident, provocative interpretation of Portishead's underground hit Glory Box. The judges applauded Cole's risk-taking efforts and "slightly unhinged" personality but feared that their ongoing praise and obscure song choice would lead to public rejection. However, their fears were unfounded and Cole joined Courtney Murphy and Hayley Jensen in the final twelve.

For her first finals performance, Cole donned bright red lipstick and opened with a sexy rendition of The Badloves's Green Limousine for the show's "Australian Made" night. The judges's reception was again positive, despite "a really ordinary song" and Dicko's warning to Cole to be careful with her song choices. Fan opinion was surprisingly mixed, with many describing the performance as "mediocre" and not up to Cole's usual standard.

Cole reignited public interest with her charismatic performance of Shirley Bassey's History Repeating in a slinky, black satin dress and a black feather in her hair. She began the performance with the infamous silhouette; an enigmatic pose that was imitated by her fellow contestants Ricki-Lee Coulter, Hayley Jensen and even Marcia Hines herself in later episodes. Dickson and Holden continued their adoration for Cole, describing her as a "full on, beautiful, retro glamour puss" and that it was "fantastic to have someone who actually remembers that this is the entertainment industry".

However, Cole received criticism the very next week for her soft, pretty interpretation of the Dionne Warwick pop classic, Walk On By". Dickson panned the performance, saying that Cole was crossing the line into "sloppy theatrics". Holden, however, praised Cole's effort to re-invent her voice. In the beginning of what was to become a recurring media interest, Marcia Hines, known for always presenting a positive or neutral point of view, condemned Chanel for not "pushing" herself enough. A small but noticeable media backlash was beginning to brew against Cole and her legion of fans. Tabloids began reporting false accounts of Cole's diva behaviour on set and her ugly feud with the more mainstream contestant, Ricki-Lee Coulter. There were also recurring rumours questioning Cole's authenticity and her apparent false "coy" act. However at the same time, Cole was supported by a variety of respected newspapers and magazines including Rolling Stone, who nicknamed her "the thinking person's Idol" and commended her non-conformist attitude to the Idol franchise. This overexposure pushed Cole into a "love her or hate her" mentality with the viewers and her Centrebet betting odds began to drop.

Cole suffered further public humiliation with a shaky, breathless performance version of the Jackson 5's Never Can Say Goodbye which received a harsh assault from all three judges. Dicko described it as a "kind of bittersweet performance for me. Sweet in as much as there were glimmers and glimpses of what makes you so wonderful and why, you know, I'm in love with you as a performer, but there were times when you drifted off and got a bit lost and looked a bit like a pissed up secretary at an office party... but I do love you!" Chanel retorted: "Well, if that's as much fun as a pissed up secretary at an office party has, I'm so there!" Holden told Chanel to "release" herself from "the fear of losing"; stating that the success has "burnt" her "edges a little bit" and rather than empowering her has "freaked her out a little bit". Hines's unusually cold, patronizing tone fueled public speculation of an on-going feud with the singer behind the scenes. Immediately after, Chanel jokingly compared the experience to being "strung up" like an animal and "left out to dry".

With a mesmerizing, orchestral performance of k.d. lang's Constant Craving, Cole won back viewer respect and critical adoration. Dressed like a Greek goddess with a silver coil wrapped around her head, Chanel's dramatic string arrangement caused Dickson to compare her to a "white witch" and commented how he had fallen under "her spell". The performance failed to impress Marcia Hines, who made surprisingly snide remarks about Cole and her sexual power over the two male judges. "Constant Craving" also put Cole in the bottom two, the first time in the series she had placed so low in the vote count. Although she escaped elimination, her close friend Daniel Belle was kicked off the show for receiving the lowest votes. That night, the two began a romantic relationship which they kept secret until well after the series had ended. Nevertheless, "Constant Craving" remains Cole's personal favourite performance and she recorded her version of it later for the Australian Idol Tour album.

Cole, her hair eccentrically decorated with small ferns, opened with a strong performance on the much derised "Beatles" night. All three judges praised the interpretation. Although Chanel was generally considered the best of the night and the performance was a fan favourite, she landed in the bottom two for the second week in a row yet escaped unscathed.

Chanel Cole - Performances

• Audition - When I Get Low, I Get High, originally performed by Ella Fitzgerald.
• Solo Heat - Alcoba Azul, originally performed by Lila Downs.
• Group Heat - Anyone Who Had A Heart, originally performed by Dionne Warwick.
• Top 30 Selection Heat - Pretty Boy, originally performed by Roy Orbison.
• Top 30 Performance - Glory Box, originally performed by Portishead.
• Australian Made - Green Limousine, originally performed by The Badloves.
• Pop - History Repeating, originally performed by Propellerheads/Shirley Bassey.
• The 60's - Walk On By, originally performed by Dionne Warwick.
• Disco - Never Can Say Goodbye, originally performed by Jackson 5/Gloria Gaynor.
• Contestant's Choice - Constant Craving, originally performed by k.d. lang.
• The Beatles - Across The Universe, originally performed by The Beatles.
• The 80's - Stop!, originally performed by Sam Brown.
• Up Close & Personal - A Case Of You, originally performed by Joni Mitchell.
• R'n'B/Soul - Hit 'Em Up Style [Oops], originally performed by Blu Cantrell.

Had Chanel continued in the compitition, she would have performed "Give A Little, Get A Little" (Ella Fitzgerald) and "The Man I Love" (Billie Holiday) for Big Band night, "Blue" (Joni Mitchell) and "Benny & The Jets" (Elton John) on 70's night and "Teardrop" (Massive Attack) and "The First Taste" (Fiona Apple) in the final round.

Chanel Cole - Australian Idol Tour

Chanel Cole - Colestock 2005

On 26 March, hundreds of fans travelled to Chanel's hometown in Bega for a private concert and gathering at Easter. Colestock 2005 was a joint collaboration by the Chanel Cole Official Fan Club and Bega On The Go, with profits from ticket sales going to help the Bega Hospital. The event was proudly sponsored by Bega On The Go, Fletchers Fotographics, Bega RSL, Magpie Music, Power FM, Radio 2EC, Bega District News and the Chanel Cole Official Fan Club.

An art exhibition was held in the Bega Town Hall featuring abstract photography and various artworks by Cole and other notable members of the Bega Valley Shire art community. Later in the night, VIP ticket holders were treated to dinner and a karaoke competition, "Valley Idol", with guests Chanel Cole and Daniel Belle judging the winner. The next night on 27 March, a "truly magical" private concert was held in the theatre section of the Bega RSL. Two local artists, Chelsea Beadman and The Whirled, along with Cole's lover, Daniel Belle, opened the show. Chanel briefly appeared on stage and provided guest vocals on three of The Whirled's songs: "Kick", "Everywhere I Go" and "Get Go". The main set featured Cole, accompanied by a variety of local musicians.

1. God Bless The Child, originally performed by Billie Holliday.
2. River, originally performed by Joni Mitchell.
3. Dream A Little Dream, originally performed by Joni Mitchell.
4. Summertime, originally performed by Joni Mitchell.
5. Close To You, originally performed by Dionne Warwick.
6. Glory Box, originally performed by Portishead.
7. Across The Universe, originally performed by The Beatles.
8. Teardrop, originally performed by Massive Attack.
9. Sway, featuring Daniel Belle, originally performed by Joni Mitchell.
10. I Heard It Through The Grapevine, featuring Daniel Belle, originally performed by Joni Mitchell.
11. Venus, originally performed by Joni Mitchell.

Chanel ended the set with five original songs with very minimal instrumentation. On "The Real World" and "Shallow", she was accompanied by Peter Wilde on acoustic guitar, while on "Cracked But Intact", "Counting The Costs" and "Snakes & Ladders", she played the piano while Hendrik De Vries accompanied her on the viola.

1. The Real World
2. Shallow
3. Cracked But Intact
4. Counting The Costs
5. Snakes & Ladders

These five tracks were recorded and released as an official bootleg through the fansite, Chanelcole.cc.

Chanel Cole - Spook

In 2005, Cole and fellow idol Daniel Belle collaborated with the Brisbane-based electronica duo Statler & Waldorf, under the collective name of "Spook". The debut album of the self-described "downtempo project" is called The Dusk Sessions and is entirely funded by the group members themselves. From April 2005, demo versions of "Faster", "Predator" and "Running Away" were made available for download on Statler & Waldorf's official website. The completed album was released on October 4 2005 through the group's independent label, Ghost Music. A double single was expected to be released in mid September, featuring the tracks "Faster" and "Trouble". The former was hoped to cater to less commercial stations, while the latter to mainstream radio, although Cole admitted that even then they'll "be pushing their luck". However, these plans were later cancelled. In a webchat a month before The Dusk Sessions's release, Cole revealed that she has "never been more sure of the merit of something I've done" and that there is "absolutely no filler on this album; all the tracks have their own personality."

A music video for "Faster" was expected to be shot after Cole and Belle's joint Melbourne gig in August 2005. However, those plans never came through. A remix follow-up [which may or may not include a completely new version of "Running Away" and a "tasteful", drum-less remix of "Trouble"] and a Australian promotional tour are planned. The tracklisting of the album and composer of each track is the following:

1. This Album (Dennis Gascoigne and Leo Hede)
2. Running Away (Chanel Cole, Daniel Belle and Dennis Gascoigne)
3. Predator (Chanel Cole, Dennis Gascoigne and Leo Hede)
4. Faster (Chanel Cole and Dennis Gascoigne)
5. Trouble (Chanel Cole and Dennis Gascoigne)
6. Lullaby (Robert Smith)
7. Fall (Chanel Cole, Dennis Gascoigne and Leo Hede)
8. Cruelest Of Deeds (Dennis Gascoigne and Damian Lewis)
9. Glorious (Chanel Cole, Daniel Belle, Dennis Gascoigne and Leo Hede)
10. Cause & Effect (Chanel Cole and Daniel Belle)

"Lullaby" is a cover of The Cure's provocatively creepy hit, originally included on their eighth album, Disintegration. In earlier versions of the tracklist, the song titles "Star", "Secrets" and "Urges & Necessity" were present, however they now have been either replaced or renamed. "Urges & Necessity" became "Faster" while "Star" and "Secrets" are hoped to be reworked for a possible second album.

Chanel Cole - Future Projects

Chanel has recorded a couple of tracks with her jazz musician friend, Aaron Choulai. However, the future of the collaboration and whether it will see the light of day is unknown. Cole's upcoming solo album's release date, which will probably feature the five compositions performed at Colestock 2005, is unknown as Cole is currently without a label. Cole has said that the album will be "vaudevillian pop", a mixture of blues, jazz, showtunes and chamber pop with a hint of dissonance, featuring organic, acoustic instrumentation.

Chanel Cole - Discography

Chanel Cole - Albums

Australian Idol: The Final 10
Released: January 17, 2005
Singles:

• "Good Times"

The Dusk Sessions
Released: Oct 4 2005

Chanel Cole - Singles

Good Times
Released: January 24, 2005

Chanel Cole - Bootlegs

Colestock [Live]
Released: November, 2005

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Chanel Cole", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki