Chante Carmel is currently touring with the hit Broadway show, Disney's 'The Lion King' as Queen Sarabi. 

 

Chante Carmel was born Chante Carmel Lynn Frierson in Los Angeles, California. She began her pursuit of the arts at the age of 5 when she fell in love with ballet dance and discovered her love for vocal music. Chante took her first international tour at the age of eight, traveling to Montego Bay, Jamaica with the Crenshaw High School Elite Choir. Once Chante got a taste for traveling she never looked back. As an adolescent she toured internationally, making stops in London, Paris, and Nice, France, as well as throughout the US, all before the age of 13. Over the years Chante has had a chance to travel the globe, entertaining in over 100 cities in the United States and as well as in locations in the Caribbean Islands and Canada. Living in Los Angeles made it easy for Chante to make the transition from stage to television. 

  

She made her television debut in the after-school special “Different Worlds,” starring Duane Martin, and was soon discovered by world renowned dancer choreographer, Debbie Allen, who cast Chante in the role of Iesha in the hit series,"A Different World." Chante appeared regularly in the role of Iesha and soon began working steadily in other television roles.Over the years she has guest starred in many hit shows including “Where I Live," “The Burning Zone," “ER," and "Boston Public." Never one to be limited to one genre, Chante has also enjoyed success as a recording artist and songwriter. She penned the single “All or Nothing” from the sound track for the hit movie, “Save the Last Dance,” and also provided lead vocals for the song “Sweet Like Candy”, which was featured in the film “Held Up,” starring Jamie Foxx.

 

This former Menas Records recording artist has contributed her vocal talents to a variety of feature films including, “Beauty Shop,” “Idlewild,” and “Mars Attacks,” in which Chante has provided background vocal work. Her skills as a vocalist have also attracted the attention of top record producers, and led to engagements singing background vocals for artists including Joi and Rapheal Saadiq.Along with her love for the arts, Chante has always had a passion for school. She received her bachelors degree in Dramatic Arts from the University of California Santa Barbara where she starred in school productions of"The Best Little Whore House in Texas," “The Crucible,"and "A Mid Summer Nights Dream.” She also spent a semester studying classical drama and Shakespeare abroad at Cambridge, University. A natural fit for the live theatrical stage, Chante has appeared in productions of "Hercules the Muse-ical" and "Disney Dreams," as a part of the international Disney’s Cruise lines. She then stared as Joanne in the National Tour of the critically acclaimed, Toni award winning musical 'Rent'. Berry Gordy's smash Broadway hit 'Motown The Musical' as Martha Reeves, Dirty Dancing, and Sara Bareilles Hit Broadway show 'Waitress'.