While Charlie St. Cyr is recognized as an actor, model, and celebrity trainer, he possesses another passion: evolving the talent of rising artists. For over a decade, St. Cyr has dedicated himself to mentoring and creating opportunities for rising performers through his artist development program, CMI Entertainment and Management.
Q&A with Charlie St. Cyr
What does CMI stand for, and why did you choose that name?
Charlie St. Cyr: CMI stands for Charlie Made It. When I was 19, I changed my social media username to @CharlieMadeIt to manifest my future success. At that age, I had goals of acting in films and modeling, but I also wanted to help my younger brother pursue his dancing dreams. I didn’t have much experience then, but research and determination led me to create CMI.
When did you start CMI Entertainment and Management?
Charlie St. Cyr:Actually, when I was 19, I first started something similar called NXT (Nation X Talent) because of my brother Jeff Tingz. I believed in him so much that while I was in college, I decided to be somewhat like a manager for him so that he could get a head start at his dreams at the age of 10. I was his social media manager who created his post and took his pictures and videos. His chauffeur, who drove him to his rehearsals and performances, and his legal guardian when I helped him book music videos and commercials.
After successfully helping him build a resume and getting signed to an agency in Dallas. I thought to myself, I could help other young aspiring artists too. And that’s how NXT became a thing. It was an artist development program to help hone young aspiring artists. In this program I mentored and acted as a manager for these artists during their time in my program by helping them train their skills, teaching them to be professional, and learning how to network while booking opportunities.
Almost 10 years later, I decided to tap back into mentoring and even wanted to start producing my own projects in the entertainment industry. So in 2021, I started creating creative concepts to produce. The first one was a reality series called “Inside A PROs Prep,” which followed my journey in bodybuilding. Then in 2022, I started a podcast series called “The Fit View,” which is an interview concept podcast where I’m interviewing special guests with a fitness twist.
A year later, in 2023, I discovered my next artist I wanted to help and mentor named Chase Martinez. He’s a British-Filipino artist from the UK who wanted to pursue a solo career and get his name out there. After meeting in LA and connecting more, he decided I was the right fit to mentor him, and that’s the beginning of CMI Entertainment and Management.”
How long do aspiring artists have to be in the program?
Charlie St. Cyr:It’s entirely up to them. I can mentor them for a month, three months, a year, or longer. As an artist development program, there’s no binding contract. My goal is to just help them in the process to become a better artist. That’s where I find happiness in knowing I was able to be a part of an artist’s journey in achieving their goals. Although many might see me as a manager, I consider it temporary management during their time in the program. I prefer to be a mentor rather than a full-time manager, as I already have a lot on my plate. Being a manager is hard work!
Who were some of the artists that went through your artist development program, and what achievements have they gained?
Charlie St. Cyr:As for NXT, my younger brother Jeff Tingz was the first. We focused on his dance and acting career. Another artist was Kezia Kinchen. We focused on her dance and acting career. Troy Grant is another one where we focused on his singing and dancing career. During their time under my mentorship, they were able to fine-tune their skills as a choreographer, dancer, actor, and singer. They learned how to grow on social media, promote and market themselves, network, and be professional.
I worked with them together and separately. They competed in competitions booking live performances like the Dallas Mavericks halftime show and Six Flags shows. They performed on BET’s “It’s A MANNS World,” booked commercials for brands like HEB and Welch’s, and became backup dancers/choreographers for local music videos.
Once I brought NXT back under the new name CMI, I mentored Chase Martinez. We focused on his singing and acting career. The other artist was Rozen Lalas. We also focused on her singing and acting career. During their time under my mentorship, both artists were able to learn better ways to manage their careers, network, and market themselves while fine-tuning their skills.
They booked performances at events like the 626 Night Market, opened for Vina Morals and David Pomeranz, recorded live performances on the WISH USA BUS, released new music, and gained media attention in publications like Next Shark and Philtimes.
What are some achievements these artists have received after your program?
Charlie St. Cyr: Jeff Tingz became a TikTok star with over 3.4 million followers, was a main dancer in a Jason Derulo music video, and created dance content with many well-known celebrities. Kezia Kinchen became a renowned choreographer, working with artists like SZA, Doja Cat, and Tinashe, and touring/performing with them. Troy Grant released new songs, signed with a label, and performed regularly in Texas. Chase Martinez returned to the UK to work on new music and book commercials/film roles. Rozen Lalas landed podcast interviews and is creating new music.
Charlie St. Cyr’s CMI Entertainment and Management success stories speak volumes about Charlie’s dedication and the knowledge he brings to further artists with their paths.
Follow Charlie St. Cyr CMI Entertainment on Official Social Sites:
https://www.instagram.com/cmipresents/
