We recently connected with Chel’le Marie and have shared our conversation below.

Chel’le , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made?

I would have to say my worst investment was a female artist I managed in 2020. I had made it a point to give her the support and energy I had never received and when it showed signs of paying off she cut me out of deals and situations. She made up lies on my name in an effort to tarnish my reputation.

It hurt me. I had invested time and money and shared my relationships with her that I valued. And everyone I introduced her to she made up lies about me to them. It was weird because I had experienced being stabbed in the back before but You would think that someone in her position would be smart enough to know that you shouldn’t talk about a person to a person that, that person introduced you to.

I made sacrifices. I invested things into her that I could’ve invested in myself. But it’s ok now. I’m over it. God is the greatest.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

For those of you who do not know me. My name is Chel’le Marie. I am a singer/songwriter Label owner. Named after the singer Michel’le but didn’t want to use my original name because it already belongs to someone else. I was born in Cleveland but raised in Pasadena California. My grandmother worked for Motown when I was a child. My step father managed coffee brown and Jaheim when I was little as well. My cousin is wishbone of Bone Thugs and harmony. My grandfather was in the group Switch.

Music has always been around me. I was born with a voice. I learned how to control it by listening to Whitney Houston, Monica and R.Kelly as well as Beyonce. I started pursuing music when I was about 13. I had my first song with Lil Flip when I was 17.
Music was always therapy for me.

I’ve been affiliated with many artists in the industry. From Nipsey Hustle, to Young Thug, Lil Keed and 21 Savage. Growing up in California you come across many artist especially when you’re an artist yourself. I’ve worked with Grammy nominated producers like Hitboy and Troy Taylor. I’ve work with artists like Tech Nine, Big Krit, Kurupt, Dizzy Wright, Trai’D, Lucky Daye, Kevin McCall and more. I’ve watched the rise and fall of many artists in the industry. My music is a reflection of me. But songs are moments in time. If you really want to get to know me you have to listen to my music. Like me, my lyrics are real and raw.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I recently experienced what I believe was a spiritual attack. I checked myself into a hospital and while I was staying in the hospital every time I would sing a boy would walk up to me as if he was going to attack me and all of the women in the hospital had to stand around me to protect me. Another woman started crying tears and speaking in tongues. She said that God said he gave me a voice to gift the world.

But the entire experience was supernatural and frightening to say the least. Although I overcame that obstacle a part of me questions what it was all about and what it meant. But majority of me took the information I was given and I continued to pursue music. I have been in this industry for over 10 years at this point in my life and I have experienced so many hurtles and disappointments. From men wanting sexual favors in order to help me with my career. To getting signed and being stuck in a deal with a man that was upset because he couldn’t sleep with me or my mother so he refused to work with me.

To having thousands of dollars stolen from me. To Getting turned away from multiple reality shows because of whatever reason they decided. Wether I wasn’t what they were looking for at the time. or a mistake I made in my past. My entire life I have had to overcome obstacles and defeat the odds. Breaking family curses and generational cycles. I have always felt a huge weight only shoulder and I never let it stop me. I started my label in 2016 and I started dropping music again last year in 2022.

When Nipsey Hussle died it took a huge tole on me. He was one of my biggest inspirations. Everything that was sent to destroy him, he over came or defeated it because he was resilient. He spoke it in his lyrics and in his voice when he would talk in his songs and even in interviews. I’m grateful I was blessed to have been in his presence the many times that I had been. But after his death I had to take a break to evaluate a lot of things in my life and focus more on love, loving myself and spending time with people I loved for a while. But now I’m back and better than ever.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the idea that I have to do everything by myself. I have been in survival mode for so many years. I was in constant fight or flight. I would assume certain people were trying to hurt me that were actually trying to help me. I believe that I wore it on my face. People would always say that they could tell I been through a lot. Not knowing I was still going through it.

I come from a home where unfortunately I was heavily neglected and forced to do everything by myself so my programming started at a very young age. And sometimes I would realize that I am pushing people away when it was too late. For so many years I had to compete with the me inside my head that was afraid to fail. That was programmed to believe she was going to fail that I could never allow love in. In any form. Genuine support is a form of love. I could not allow any positive energy in from any outside source.

I over gave in many different areas and never received anything in return because I didn’t even know how to regognize what was actually happening. I would be surrounded by takers and be so in my head that I could not see that I needed to take action to release those people in order to receive my blessings. I had to reprogram myself. But in order to do that I had to heal from a lot of trauma. I’m in a much better space today and proud of it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/only1le
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/only1le/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/only1le
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Officialonly1le