Highlighting El Camino College’s chorale production Nov.2 , American Idol finalist Chikezie Eze will perform solo songs and also join the ensemble in many of the selections, said choral director Joanna Nachef.
Eze, a former student at El Camino has just finished touring with the American Idols Live Tour. The concert tour traveled to more than 40 cities across the country this past summer it featured the top ten contestants of the seventh season of American Idol , which aired in 2008.
“God willing I’ll have the album out in 2009,” he said. ” I don’t have a name for the album yet. I would love to work with John Legend or Stevie Wonder.”
Eze previously auditioned for American Idols sixth season and made it to the Hollywood round. During this years season 7, Eze made the top 10.
American Idol gave me a better awareness of myself as an artist and as a performer,” he said . ” If I had never done Idol I would be recording. ”
Eze was born in Inglewood California to his parents Richard Eze and Chika Emerueh Eze who had emigrated from Nigeria .
“My parents were my role models growing up, he said .” “My parents showed me what hard work meant . My parents worked their entire life to provide and never had time to enjoy life .”
Chikezie is an R&B and soul singer inspired by the music of Stevie Wonder , Donnie Hathaway , and John Legend .
” If I could only hear one song for the rest of my life it would be Love, Love, Love by Donnie Hathaway “, he said. “Music gives words life . Words would be meaningless without music .”
Eze has had dreams of being a singer since he was a 13-year-old boy. He attended “Laces” Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies. Laces is one of the top public schools in the nation according to poll by Newsweek magazine.
“Chikezie surely stands out with his range , musicality and skill to sell a song ,” said Nachef . ” I see him most successful l as a solo artist with a CD of his own and sought after by the industry.”
Eze was a student at El Camino from spring 2006 to spring 2007. He will be returning to El Camino’s Marsee Auditorium Sunday Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. The ECC Chorale will perform solos , duets , trios and ensemble numbers of varied styles , from pop, Broadway , jazz, gospel and movie themes.
