Who is Chyna Soulstar?
Chyna Soulstar is an R&B singer from north London. She is known for being a part of the pioneering UK Rap collective North Star, which was active in the early to mid 2000s and also included C1 and Young Spray.
Chyna’s Music Career
Early Career
Chyna Soulstar started recording music from a young age and has stated that her first recordings were with her uncle when she was 6. Chyna’s older brother was a part of Poison Sound.
Chyna’s music career started when she was 14, when she was a singer in the R&B girl group Prestige (which also included a former member of Truce).
North Star
In 2002 Chyna was approached by fellow Tottenham local C1 to be a part of the soon-to-be formed North Star. Chyna agreed to a trial which she accepted after being featured on Lisa Maffia’s debut solo album.
Chyna also brought her Prestige group mate Anna White to be a part of North Star – making the group a four-piece with C1 and Buckhead as the rapper and Chyna and Anna White as the singers.
By 2003 North Star was a trio with a new line up: C1, Young Spray and Chyna, after the passing of Buckhead. In the early days together the group developed creative plans and experimented with commercial aesthetics including choreography before they settled on the styling shown in their breakthrough single On a Rise.
North Star would go on to feature on MTV Base, Channel U and release two mixtapes with Lisa Maffia’s Maffia Records. They also toured in UK school and had performances in a number of European countries in the early to mid 2000s. Towards the end of their tenure, the group had secured a sponsorship from Adidas.
Chyna leaving North Star led to the demise of the group.
Chyna Soulstar
Chyna continued as a solo artist as Chyna Soulstar from the late 2000s. She continued to be involved in the music industry as a songwriter and vocal arranger and released a solo mixtape independently.
In 2013 Chyna Soulstar performed as part of the Prison to the Streets book tour.
Chyna’s solo music has featured on Link Up TV.
Chyna Soulstar’s Discography
Chyna’s Releases with North Star
- Not Guilty (Vol. 1)
- Not Guilty (Vol. 2)
Chyna Soulstar’s Solo Releases
- Chinese Whisper (200?)
Chyna has been featured in collaborations with Young Spray, Demolition Man and Fontzerelli.
Chyna Soulstar’s Media Appearances
- A.R.S. (Black Arts Rule Streets) DVD (2005)
- Tipsy Talk (2018)
- Jah Songs (2019)
- Lukan Online (2019)
- RTM Podcast (2022)
Chyna Soulstar’s Personal Life
Chyna is of Jamaican heritage and grew up with her mum, brother and sister. Her father passed away when she was young.
Chyna lived in Hornsey and later moved to Tottenham where she lived from the age of 6.
Chyna attended Seven Sisters Primary School and then St David’s & St. Katherine’s School (now renamed Grieg City Academy). She went on to study Performing Arts at Barnet College.
Chyna has experience working in retail and now runs Mary Stoppings, a domestic and commercial cleaning business.
Chyna is a mother to two boys. She is a Christian.
