Get to Know CHXRL, the Alt-Pop Voice Pushing Frontiers and Reaching for Hearts
Born Charl du Toit and bred in the City of Gold, singer-songwriter CHXRL is one of the new voices of the alternative-pop movement in Mzansi. A SAMA-nominated act building a steady following, the vocalist recently released his six-song extended play titled KILLER, a body of work that continues to solidify the rising star’s standing as a voice of authenticity and unfiltered emotion.
CHXRL traced his love for music back to his school days and to his mother, who was a choir master, where he got his education. He spoke about the journey behind self-teaching and how he discovered himself, what he loved and what he didn’t.
“My mother used to be a choir teacher at my school in addition to her being a teacher. My earliest memory is of myself taking an interest in music when I was still seven years old. That phase, I would say, completely jump-started my love for music.
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“I started playing the guitar and piano through prep school, and that developed me. I wasn’t just singing but also creating music and composing. Classical music was never that appealing to me. Reading scales and notes isn’t something I wanted to do with myself. The only thing I had in mind was learning how to write songs and to learn how to make them myself. That led me to pick up the guitar and make my own music. At the time, I could only record things on my iPad. As the years passed, it eventually turned into a laptop and actual DAW work,” he said.
At only 19 and armed with the self-taught skill set of making music, CHXRL went on to produce music for local acts such as Die Heuwels Fantasties and musicians on the global stage. The experience fed his confidence until the singer started releasing his own music as a lead artist.
CHXRL spoke about his feelings concerning the current shape of his musicianship.
“I’m really excited about the path I’m on, especially where I’m at right now in my career doing this cool indie pop style. The first song I ever released was an English song called ‘To the Bone’, and I had a lot of fun making that. And looking back at that, I still have the same love, but now I have a lot in my arsenal to work with,” he said.
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Carving his lane in the alternative-pop scene, CHXRL spoke about American musician Bon Iver and Canadian sensation Justin Bieber.
“Bon Iver is a huge one as far as influence is concerned. He finds him to be a guy who is very honest with lyrics and can create a world nobody else can when we talk about production. He always finds a way around putting interesting sounds together. He’s someone I look at as my top inspiration when I think about how I can push myself and my music.
“In a more general sense, I’ve always thought Justin Bieber was cool. I’ve always thought of him as a very fun performer and an incredible vocalist with crazy work ethic. These two artists exist on two different sides of the spectrum, but I find great inspiration from them,” he said.
The rising star shared his goals and his desire to build a tight-knit fanbase and music family rather than chasing superstardom and ambitions of grandeur.
“One of my biggest focuses is building a music family here in South Africa. A community that I see in every show. Seeing more people with every release. I don’t care too much about being the biggest artist in the country—that’s not really my goal. I would simply love to make it as far as my strength can take me. I just want to be, and I’m grateful to be part of the industry and to have the opportunity to work with such amazing people,” he said.
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CHXRL reflected on some of the most memorable parts of his career, from the connections made along the way to the unforgettable moments on stage.
“The community I work with has been amazing. The people I work with every time I go to Cape Town are people I feel grateful to be around. Talented, friendly and kind. I remember once opening for Milky Chance and how special it was despite it being a nightmare with technical difficulties. I also remember Pierre Greeff from Die Heuwels Fantasties inviting me to come do one song with them at the Liefde By Die Dam festival, and that was the biggest crowd I ever performed for—13,000 people. It was so insane hearing people call out my name and singing the lyrics back to me. It was absolutely incredible,” he said.
When not making music, CHXRL talked about chess, reading and playing games.
“I’m quite a boring guy. People who know me call me ‘oupa’ because I have the habits of an old man. I love reading, and I’m obsessed with chess. I’m a competitive person, so if it’s like a video game or something I get to test myself in, I’m usually a huge fan. That’s pretty much it,” he said.