# Chelcee Grimes
**Chelcee Grimes** (Chelcee Maria Grimes; born 1992 in Liverpool, England) is an English singer, songwriter, footballer and broadcaster who has written songs for artists including [Dua Lipa](https://www.edgepedia.org/dua-lipa), Kylie Minogue, Little Mix, and Kesha and has also played women's football for clubs including Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Tranmere Rovers, and Fulham[1](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2020055086.html) • [2](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/). She has also worked extensively in broadcasting, presenting BBC coverage of the 2019 [FIFA Women's World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-womens-world-cup) and the [Eurovision Song Contest 2021](https://www.edgepedia.org/eurovision-song-contest-2021) semi-final[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/chelcee-grimes-the-games-itv/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1992, Liverpool, England; occupations recorded as singer, composer and lyricist[1](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2020055086.html) |
| Best-known co-writes | Dua Lipa's Love Again, Kiss and Make Up and Bad Together; Jonas Blue's Wild; Kylie Minogue's Million Miles[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/chelcee-grimes-the-games-itv/) |
| Football clubs | Liverpool (youth), Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Tranmere Rovers, Fulham, Merseyrail Ladies[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/chelcee-grimes-the-games-itv/) |
| Own releases | 2018 singles Just Like That and I Need a Night Out; 2023 releases Sensation, Looking to Love, Goodbye and Girl[4](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/chelcee-grimes-artist-footballer-career) • [5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chelcee-grimes-mn0003247065) |
| Broadcasting | BBC Women's World Cup 2019 coverage, MOTDx, Eurovision 2021 semi-final, Chelcee Away, BT Sport's Para Football Adventures[2](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/) |
| Recognition | Honorary doctorate from Edge Hill University, July 2025[2](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/) |
## Early life and background
Grimes was born in 1992 in Liverpool[1](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2020055086.html). She grew up in the Aigburth area of the city[2](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/). Her route into football began when her grandfather spotted an advertisement in the local paper for the Ian Rush Soccer School; her mother enrolled her, and she was the only girl to attend. From there she joined Liverpool Under-10s and signed for another five years[4](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/chelcee-grimes-artist-footballer-career).
## Football career
**Leaving the game.** At about 17, on the point of turning professional, Grimes left football because the women's game did not pay enough to support a career. She described the choice directly: "Someone was dangling a cheque in front of me, and football hadn't paid in eight years, so what could I do?" She signed with RCA instead[4](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/chelcee-grimes-artist-footballer-career). The Liverpool Echo likewise reports that a lack of funding in women's football led her to choose music[6](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/write-songs-biggest-stars-music-32141339).
**The return.** After watching the 2015 Women's World Cup she went back to the sport, googled local teams and earned trials with Wimbledon, Spurs, and West Ham, all of which offered her a contract. She settled at Fulham FC Women[4](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/chelcee-grimes-artist-footballer-career). Playing up front for Fulham, she scored three goals in that season's [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup)[4](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/chelcee-grimes-artist-footballer-career). In a [BBC Radio 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-radio-4) interview she described playing No. 10 for Fulham Ladies[7](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0712m76).
Radio Times in 2022 named Liverpool Ladies, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Tranmere Rovers, Fulham, and Merseyrail Ladies, with [Merseyrail](https://www.edgepedia.org/merseyrail) her current team[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/chelcee-grimes-the-games-itv/); Edge Hill University in 2025 named Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Tranmere Rovers[2](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/). She has also competed at [Soccer Aid](https://www.edgepedia.org/soccer-aid)[6](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/write-songs-biggest-stars-music-32141339).
## Songwriting career
Grimes's best-known co-writes are Dua Lipa's Love Again, Kiss and Make Up and Bad Together, Jonas Blue's Wild and [Kylie Minogue](https://www.edgepedia.org/kylie-minogue)'s Million Miles[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/chelcee-grimes-the-games-itv/). She has also written for [Little Mix](https://www.edgepedia.org/little-mix), Blackpink, Kesha, Olly Murs, Tom Walker, and Louisa[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/chelcee-grimes-the-games-itv/). With Dua Lipa she wrote Dreams, released in 2017, and Love Again, which the Liverpool Echo dates to 2020[6](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/write-songs-biggest-stars-music-32141339).
Her credits reach back further than her own recording career. AllMusic credits her as composer on [The Saturdays](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-saturdays)' Finest Selection: The Greatest Hits (2014, as composer, producer and background vocalist), Stanaj's The Preview (2016), Sweet California's 3 (2016) and [Olly Murs](https://www.edgepedia.org/olly-murs)' 24 Hrs, with credits extending to releases dated 2026[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chelcee-grimes-mn0003247065).
**RCA and Los Angeles.** At RCA she was pitched as an "English Alicia Keys"; her contact at the label was sacked and she was dropped two years later. She then worked in Los Angeles with [Calvin Harris](https://www.edgepedia.org/calvin-harris) and the producer RedOne[4](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/chelcee-grimes-artist-footballer-career). [BBC Sport](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-sport) profiled her at this period balancing songwriting for Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa, and Little Mix with playing for Fulham Ladies[8](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/46471838).
## Recording career
Grimes launched her own singing career in 2018 with the singles Just Like That and I Need a Night Out, described as upbeat R&B-laced pop[4](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/chelcee-grimes-artist-footballer-career). AllMusic lists four 2023 releases credited to her: [Sensation](https://www.edgepedia.org/sensation) and Looking to Love on Virgin, Goodbye on R1/Reliant, and Girl on Ultra Records[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chelcee-grimes-mn0003247065).
## Broadcasting and television
Grimes's presenting work includes the BBC's coverage of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, the [Match of the Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/match-of-the-day) spin-off MOTDx, the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 semi-final and the BBC Sounds podcast Building Queertopia[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/chelcee-grimes-the-games-itv/). She has also hosted BT Sport's Para Football Adventures and her own BBC series Chelcee Away[2](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/). In 2022 she appeared as a contestant on the ITV reality series The Games[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/chelcee-grimes-the-games-itv/).
## By the numbers
She has played for at least six clubs named across sources[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/chelcee-grimes-the-games-itv/), scored three FA Cup goals in one season for Fulham[4](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/chelcee-grimes-artist-footballer-career), and her documented songwriting credits span from a 2014 Saturdays compilation to releases dated 2026 on AllMusic[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chelcee-grimes-mn0003247065). Her own recorded output under her name is documented as two 2018 singles and four 2023 releases[4](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/chelcee-grimes-artist-footballer-career) • [5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chelcee-grimes-mn0003247065).
## What has changed since 2023
In 2023 she released four singles under her own name across Virgin, R1/Reliant, and Ultra Records[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chelcee-grimes-mn0003247065). In a 2025 Attitude interview she said she had a song coming out with Nile Rodgers, was writing for herself, and was considering television opportunities in the United States[9](https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/chelcee-grimes-music-interview-476849/). Her song Back To Me, performed by Jess Glynne and Rudimental, was released in the month of a 2025 Liverpool Echo interview[6](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/write-songs-biggest-stars-music-32141339). In July 2025 Edge Hill University awarded her an honorary doctorate in recognition of her career and advocacy for inclusion[2](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/). She continues to co-host the BBC Sounds podcast Building Queertopia, having previously led the series What We Coulda Been[2](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/).
## Public identity and recognition
Grimes has spoken publicly about LGBTQ+ representation. In the Attitude interview she discussed navigating hyper-masculine industries with unapologetic individuality[9](https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/chelcee-grimes-music-interview-476849/). Edge Hill University cited her advocacy for inclusion when awarding her the honorary doctorate[2](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/).
Edge Hill University describes her as a Grammy-nominated songwriter[2](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/). The Liverpool Echo dates Dua Lipa's Love Again to 2020[6](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/write-songs-biggest-stars-music-32141339); the song was released as a single in 2021.
## References
1. [Grimes, Chelcee, 1992- , LC Linked Data Service, Library of Congress](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2020055086.html)
2. [Musician and footballer Chelcee Grimes receives honorary doctorate from Edge Hill University, Edge Hill University (July 2025)](https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2025/07/musician-and-footballer-chelcee-grimes-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-edge-hill-university/)
3. [Who is Chelcee Grimes? Meet The Games 2022 contestant, Radio Times](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/chelcee-grimes-the-games-itv/)
4. [Chelcee Grimes on her success as artist & footballer, Red Bulletin](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/theredbulletin/chelcee-grimes-artist-footballer-career)
5. [Chelcee Grimes, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chelcee-grimes-mn0003247065)
6. [I write songs for some of the biggest stars in music but have a 'normal life' in Liverpool, Liverpool Echo](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/write-songs-biggest-stars-music-32141339)
7. [Saturday Live - Chelcee Grimes, BBC Sounds](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0712m76)
8. [Chelcee Grimes: Making music with Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris & Little Mix, scoring goals for Fulham, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/46471838)
9. [Chelcee Grimes on authenticity and living the dream, Attitude](https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/chelcee-grimes-music-interview-476849/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Pop and R&B singer-songwriters › Pop singers, 2000s to present › Mainstream pop singers, 2000s–2010s › Surnames A to H*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license