Christell - Biography

Biography

Only daughter of Christian Rodriguez and Myriam Carrillo, both members of the musical Christian group "Misterio Musical Evangelística Piedra Viva", Christell grew up with music around her. As her mother says "Christell from a very young age felt interest for the music, beginning not only singing, but playing some instruments and dancing". At the age of two, Christell took part in a festival of tambourines and percussion. Her father comments that "In the tambourine goes her rhythmic base and the times to enter to a song". Then and until years later, Christell continued accompanying her parents in musical presentations at their church playing the tambourine. At the age of four she took part in a children's festival with an original song called "Mom told a story". That same year she collaborated in a Christian dance group.

Her artistic career began at the age of 5, on July 1, 2003, when she competed in a contest made by the TV show "Rojo Fama Contrafama" in one of their galas. This gala was in the city Talcahuano and its purpose was to find the “double” of Maria Jose Quintanilla (member of the TV show "Rojo Fama Contrafama"), that is, another girl who could sing or resembles to the young singer who was known for her Mexican repertory. Christell sang the popular song "Mexico Lindo y Querido" and captured the hearts of the audience winning the contest. The five year old singer captures the heart of the nation.

Christell went on the show "Rojo...", singing popular Mexican songs which were also in Maria Jose Quintanilla’s album. At five years old she sang songs like La Bikina, La Mochila Azul, Cielito Lindo, among others. After a few months and after an agreement with the Record label Warner Music, the young singer recorded an album, and in November of that year, she launched her first album which in one day sold more than eight thousand copies. After a week she reached platinum and then eight platinum discs.

"Mueve el Ombligo" (Move your navel) was the hit single from the album, which reached top1 on national radios for weeks becoming "the summer hit". The song was so popular that today it is a classic.

After this success she recorded two more albums, and even though the sale phenomenon from the first one was not repeated, both albums were successful, reaching five and two platinum discs respectively.

In 2005 Christell began a tour in Mexico, Puerto Rico and on the Latin communities of the USA, like Miami and Los Angeles, where she launched a special-edition-album with her greatest hits. During this tour the young singer earned a gold disc for more than 50,000 copies sold in Mexica. In November Christell was nominated to the Grammy Latino by her second album "La Fiesta Continua". At seven years old she became the youngest singer ever to be nominated for the award.

In 2006 she took part in the TV show "La Movida del Festival" of Channel 13, (Chile) as a "Commentator" of the Viña del Mar International Song Festival. Her role was to give her opinion and point of view on this festival. This way, at eight years old, Christell became the youngest person ever on commenting the biggest Latin American Festival.

Due to her success, Doce Company signed a contract with her manager to create a cartoon with Christell’s image becoming the first artist in Chile to have a cartoon. The project included a clothing line, toys, school and selfcare products and a cartoon TV series, everything carrying the cartoon image of the young singer.

After a disagreement between the parents of the singer and her manager, the entire project was canceled and only a few products and clothes were on sale for a while since the agency could not cancel them. The parents claimed they canceled the contract because the manager agency had plans for the young singer that had not been discussed with them with the intention of taking monetary advantage. In the end they signed a contract with Multimusica Company.

After an almost two year long pause (2006–2007), Christell re-appeared on 2008 as a 10 year old actress on the Chilean TV channel Chilevision doing live theatre in the Theatre in Chilevision. In November of that year, she sang on the First Christian Music Festival.

Since then, Christell has appeared in many TV shows like "Animal Nocturno"(2008), "Theatre in Chilevision"(2008–2009), "La Movida del Festival"(2010), "Viva La Mañana"(2010), "Acoso Textual"(2010), "Calle 7"(2011), "Buenos dias a Todos"(2011).

Christell has not recorded a new album since her third one in 2004 at 7 years old, but she says her career has not stopped since she has kept singing, making concerts, composing new songs, playing different instruments and appearing on different TV shows where she is invited.