Background
Chanel Cole Whalley was born in Hamilton, New Zealand, on 13 November 1977. Her middle name was given to her because of her dark, "black-as-coal" eyes.
Chanel Cole Whalley was born in Hamilton, New Zealand, on 13 November 1977. Her middle name was given to her because of her dark, "black-as-coal" eyes.
she attended a total of 12 different school in as many different towns. A self-professed "rebellious nerd", Whalley never settled happily into the school system. In addition to schoolwork, Chanel's father and stepmother ensured she had an extra-curricular education in music and during this time, she learned piano, singing, ballet, flute, guitar and had acting lessons.
Whalley left home when she was 17, had a job as a part time radio DJ, 2ZG and performed with Uknowit pub cover bands,while working in a record store Beatbox in Gisborne. She then spent a year at a jazz school in Christchurch NZ (1999) spending three years in England before heading to Australia. She traveled to Bega around her 23rd birthday so she could be closer to her mother. In June 2003 she had an article on New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy published in the New Zealand Listener. In 2004 she auditioned for the second season of the hit reality television show, Australian Idol.
Australian Idol.