Based: Johannesburg
Innovative, prolific and endlessly creative, Chris Chameleon has become known in South Africa and abroad as a musical phenomenon. With a style all of his own, irresistible stage personality and a reputation for mesmerizing audiences with his four-octave voice and vocal acrobatics, his exceptional talent has won him rave reviews and numerous awards over the past 6 years. Awards include two South African Music Awards (SAMAs) and a Medal of Honour from the South African Academy of Science and Arts. Background In 1997, Chris Chameleon became the bassist and front man of Boo!, an eclectic musical threesome which has since acquired a worldwide cult following. In its first 7 years of existence, Boo! performed over 800 shows in 17 countries, including Hungary, Croatia and 14 states in the USA. Boo! performed at many European and American music festivals with, among others, the White Stripes, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, Franz Ferdinand, Cypress Hill and Coldplay.
The band also received a South African Music Award (SAMA) for Best Pop Album. When Boo! bandmates Ampie Omo and Leon Retief hung up their instruments in 2004, Chris Chameleon spread his wings, choosing to explore his Afrikaans South African roots by releasing the critically-acclaimed ‘Ek Herhaal Jou’ (“I Repeat You”) – compositions of the poetry of iconic 60’s poet Ingrid Jonker. ‘Ek Herhaal Jou’ received superb reviews from critics and was lauded for making accessible Jonker’s work to a wide audience of listeners. ‘Ek Herhaal Jou’ was nominated for a South African Music Award for Best Adult Contemporary Afrikaans Album. The album reached gold status and platinum status in South Africa.
In February 2010, Chris recorded a new BOO! album in Amsterdam, the first since 2003. The album titled “The Three of Us” was released in October 2010. The new album saw him and former BOO! bandmate Ampie Omo joining creative forces once again, and Chameleon, Omo and Riaan van Rensburg (on drums) held a first on-stage performance in five years. BOO! also toured the Netherlands, Belgium and Londen. The single ‘The Lonely Hearts Club’ was also entered into the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) and reached the semi-finals.
Chris appeared in M-Net TV programme Binnelanders, where he portrayed the role of doctor-turned-lawyer Thomas Badenhorst. His character also made another appearance in the series in September.
Chris’ new production “Noot vir Brood”debuted at Cultivaria and Aardklop. This popular show with co-artists Johrne van Huyssteen and Riaan van Rensburg were staged at various festivals.
Simply with his guitar and mesmerizing, unusual voice work, Chris Chameleon takes listeners on a journey, transporting them to a place of musical magic and wonder.
