Performing since elementary school, singer/songwriter Crystal aka Elena Chime has always known that she wanted to be an entertainer. As an alumni of the Academy for the Intellectually Gifted, the spunky, spirited yet sometimes shy Queens, New York songbird found that performing helped her lose her inhibitions.
But in the summer of 1993, tragedy struck and Chime found that in order to cope she began to write poetry to escape the rigors of a more than average adolescent life. The poetry would turn into melodies; the melodies would soon turn into songs.
In 2002, Chime would join an R&B female quartet under the watchful eye of New York based production team The Usual Suspects. However, the relationship between the original group members would sour, and after several member changes, the group eventually disbanded. Still diligent, Chime continued on the journey alone.
With a style likened to Pinks early works or Kelis, and a look likened to Aaliyah or more recently Corinne Bailey Rae, Chime's songs and words touch on heartache and heart break, freeing oneself and independence.
She credits the aforementioned as well as Gwen Stephanie, Mary J. Blige, Nelly Furtado and her favorite, Mariah Carey as some of her biggest influences. She credits her resilience to her undying passion for performing.
In the years ahead, Chime would get into acting, joining Spark, a New York City Board of Education program that dealt with teen issues before closing its doors and NiteStar's theatre company, a non-profit organization that performs shows for at risk inner-city adolescents, teens and young adults.
Today, Elena Chime continues her pursuit of her passions with the spirit of the young shy girl with big dreams and a big voice.
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