By: Claude Mills
Photos By: Carlington Wilmot
This handsome, cocky 27 year-old has been raising eyebrows in Portmore, St. Catherine with his carefully crafted rhymes and his offbeat signature slang, 'Tis like Murder'.
"The things I put in my songs are different from the norm...I think out of the box, I go out of my way to flip things, be bold, so that I can really click with an audience and make a mark," the goatee-wearing Vich said.
Chella Vich's songs are cooler than frozen kool-aid with sing-along hooks, and catchy wordplay. He is one of those few artistes with a singular ability to marry hard-core and radio friendly cuts.
Ever since coming to Portmore, St. Catherine six years ago, Chella Vich has been steadily making a name for himself, and he caught the interest of young producers, Orville 'Bush' Blake and Andrew Johnson, who comprise his new management team.
"They've encouraged me to step forward and do my thing. I have always been self-employed but this is what I really want to do, and my gang, the Melt Dem Gang and man like Barnes, dem see things in me I don't see, and they've always encouraged me to just do it...get in the business," he said.
He recorded his first single, 'Little Gal' in 1998, but took a break to support himself as a tailor designing outrageous outfits for small celebrities like Hottie Hottie Cherry.
But now, he is back in the Game with a pair of new choice cuts, 'Model Pon a Gal' - already a favourite at Portmore stage shows --, and the socially conscious 'Anno Every Yute Come Outta The Ghetto ah Cruff' on the Fathead label.
He has worked at stage shows in Portmore, Kingston, and recently performed at the popular Sunday Beach Jam at Tropical Vibes in Ocho Rios. He got his unusual name in the excitement following a World Cup Game in 2002 after a game involving the Dutch side.
"The Holland team had a lot of vichs on it, and after the game, me and my friends went to play football, and we just start name everybody this-vich, or that-vich, and they called me Chella Vich and the name just stick," he said.
He even rhymes when he talks.
This 6'2 self-described sportsman plans to shoot a video for 'Model Pon a Gal' in the near future, and hopefully, international stardom. Whatever happens, he is already a star for his legion of fans in Portmore.
"Big up the Melt Dem crew from Wellside Lane, Backland, Middle East and 3 North," he said.
Tis Like Murder, yea!
For Bookings:
(876) 456-4542 or 385-1748
