El Khaled - Leicester Choir Boy Aims For The Mainstream

'We’re bridging the gap between the US and the UK ' El Khaled replied when I asked his views on the current music industry, the same industry he's been hoping to break into since he could talk. At the age of 14 he played the lead role in the BBC2 documentary The Choir - Boy's Don't Sing which has now accumulated well over 3.5million Youtube views. Now at the age of 18 he's been inspired by the likes of Drake, Jay Z and Lupe Fiasco to further his music career. I thought I'd catch up with him to find out more.


When did your career start and how?

A few months back, I started up a little youtube channel of me recording other artists freestyles and such, and I knew I could rap and sing but I wasn’t really feeling to be the one in front of the camera until one day I just decided it was time to chase my dream 100% no holding back.

Considering the influx of up and coming recording artists, how do you keep on top of your game?

Work rate is the most important thing to me, you can be really really good at what you do, but if you’re not putting in the work then what does it count for? I try to work as hard as I can possibly push myself because as they say, there’s always someone working, while your in your bed sleeping!

If you had the chance to go back and change one thing in your career what would be?

Nothing, everything that has happened to me, good and bad, has made me who I am today and I wouldn’t change my position or who I am right now for anything.


What was the last album you bought and how important is it for you to buy music?

Wiz Khalifa’s “Rolling Papers”. I think it’s really important to buy music because you’re showing your support to the artist and you’re keeping the music alive as well as supporting, which everybody who listens to music needs to do I think.

What are your views on the UK music scene and what do you feel you can bring to it?

It’s a good point at the moment I think, I mean we’re bridging the gap between the US and the UK quite nicely with Tinie Tempah and Chipmunk collaborating with US artists so I think the UK scene is getting the recognition it deserves at the moment.

I think I could bring a fresh new type of artist to the scene, an artist who is simply not confined to one skill - rapping or singing - but brings to the table both skills with equal talents in both areas, rather than simply being a rapper who can sing or a singer who can rap, but an artist who is working on perfecting both crafts..


If you could perform with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

Most likely Jay-Z because he’s been my music Idol for so long now and is such an inspirational person aswell, so being honoured to share the stage with him would just be amazing!

What can we expect from you in the future?

My mixtape is set to come out July 1st but things are moving quite fast so could be sooner! I’m going to flood youtube with more and more videos and just generate a buzz around my name so the question on everyones mouths across the UK and eventually the US will be “Who the f*ck is El Khaled?”

For more of El Khaled you can find him via Youtube or contact him personally via Facebook.