Every career starts differently, some more unusually than others. For Chanel West Coast, her path to stardom was appropriately unconventional. After meeting Rob Dyrdek through mutual friends, she was offered a position as his receptionist on his MTV reality show, Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory. Her unpredictable and loveable personality made her a fan-favorite among the cast, and she later joined Dyrdek and Sterling “Steelo” Brim as their co-hosts for MTV’s highly successful Ridiculousness. But while she was making herself internationally known as a television personality, Chanel started pursuing music and collaborated with other artists in the process. After posting her music online for free, Chanel caught the attention of Lil Wayne, who soon after helped her release her mixtape Now You Know. The 2013 record boasted collaborations with music icons such as Snoop Dogg, Ty Dolla $ign, and Robin Thicke, giving Chanel a reputation of more than just a reality TV star.

Her second mixtape, Waves, hit streaming platforms in 2016, adding to the millions of streams she was already amassing from standout singles like “Alcoholic” and “Karl”. Through RIV Music, the Instagram star, who has 3.5 million followers and counting, has released tracks such as “Anchors,” “Old Fashioned” ft. Nessly, and “I Be Like” ft. Dax. Chanel showcased her artistic growth with the release of her 2020 debut album titled America’s Sweetheart, featuring singles with glamorous music videos like “40 Yard Dash,” “I Want You,” “No Plans,” and “Heaven’s Calling.” The album has millions of streams, and Chanel donated portions of the album’s proceeds to Meek Mill and Jay-Z’s criminal justice reform organization, REFORM Alliance. “I called this album America’s Sweetheart because it’s an oxymoron and contradicts the perception that many have of me,” she said. “I’ve benefited from white privilege and I’ve had second chances in life that, unfortunately, many people have not received. That’s why it was important for me to donate to the REFORM Alliance and do my part to address the injustices taking place in our world, particularly our black and brown communities.”