Each Wednesday, Black Entertainment Television (BET) showcases undiscovered talent on the show 106 & Park’s, Wild Out Wednesdays. The show brings in three different performers as they compete for the week’s supremacy. On February 13^th, Southern California was represented in the competition by Anaheim’s, Tre Childs, as they showcased their voices during the pre-Valentine’s Day theme.

Originally from Chicago, the Orange County trio consists of three brothers: Mello, G’ Child, and LC. After sending in a video of them performing to BET, they were selected to compete against two other groups, APB and Ahmir. The acts were randomly chosen, and Tre Childs performed For You to get things started. The brothers set the tone quickly with strong vocals and synchronized choreography that was reminiscent of the early nineties groups that meshed dancing and singing to perfection. As they rounded out their routine, they nixed the beat and delivered a smooth a cappella.

After the other two groups performed, the winner was decided by online voting. Unfortunately, Tre Childs came up just short of victory. The show was tape delayed for the West Coast, and the winner was already decided before the airing in California was seen. Ahmir and APB were both from the East Coast, and had a distinct advantage in live fan base, and very well may have affected the outcome for Tre Childs. Even still, they didn’t make any excuses. “Win, lose or draw, we are just happy that we had this opportunity to gain needed exposure,” said Mello. They finished second with 33% of the votes.

As an independent group, Tre Childs has made a name for themselves throughout Southern California. They have performed at some of the most well known live music spots. BB King at Universal City Walk, The Temple Bar in Santa Monica, and The Rhythm Lounge in Long Beach are a few places the trio has taken the stage to harmonize some of their original tracks.

The slot on BET definitely helped Tre Childs in their quest to be the next R&B group to emerge onto the scene. “This opportunity has helped prepare us for the next level, because of the magnitude involved with the performance. It helps guide us in the direction we need to go to improve what we do,” said LC. Ahmir won the contest, and did perform well, but without question, Tre Childs was at least equivalent to the Boston based group. However, there were things that the other two groups did well that can be used to improve Tre Childs’ act as is the case when you bring talent together.  

 Like most young unsigned artists, it’s a grind trying to emerge from the crowd, but few get the opportunity that Tre Childs had performing live on one of the premiere music stations in America. “This experience pushes us to achieve more, because we are expected to perform at a higher level now that we have been on BET,” said G’ Child. Their increase in page visits and song plays on their MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/trechilds, has escalated significantly since their appearance.

As the fan base for Tre Childs continues to grow, the three brothers’ combination of vocals, rhythm, and good-looks will be the foundation of their success. The trio has the underpinning necessary to thrive in the music industry. With a strong work ethic, and the fortitude necessary to succeed, Tre Childs may be able to parallel success in an industry dominated by solo acts. 

By Trent Hensley