Chidinma Ekile (born 2 May 1991), known professionally as Chidinma, is a

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...

hip-hop turned gospel singer and songwriter. In 2010, she rose to stardom after winning the third season of ''

Project Fame West Africa ''Project Fame'', also known as ''Project Fame West Africa'' or ''MTN Project Fame West Africa'' (for sponsorship purposes), is a music talent TV reality show filmed in Lagos and aired in the West African subcontinent. It is a regional version of ...

''. Following the release of the music video for her "Emi Ni Baller" single, she became the first female musician to peak at number 1 on the MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 chart. In 2011, she released the

Sound Sultan Sound Sultan (born Olanrewaju Abdul-Ganiu Fasasi; November 27, 1976 – July 11, 2021) was a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, comedian, and recording artist. He was regarded as one of the pacesetters of modern hip hop music in Niger ...

-assisted single "Jankoliko". Her eponymous debut album ''Chidinma'' was released through the music platform Spinlet; it was supported by the singles "Jankoliko", "Carry You Go", "Kedike" and "Run Dia Mouth". The album features guest appearances from Sound Sultan, Tha Suspect,

Olamide Olamide Gbenga Adedeji (born 15 March 1989) is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. Widely regarded as one of the biggest and most influential artists in Africa, he has been instrumental to the launching of the careers ...

and

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. Chidinma won Best Female West African Act at the 2012 Kora Awards and performed "Kedike" at the dentist ceremony. She recently signed with Eezee Concept, with the release of a gospel song as a kingdom woman, titled "Jehovah Overdo". Chidinma Ekile's latest album is Holy (mimo mimo)

Early life, educational pursuits, and public image

Chidinma Ekile was born in Ketu, Kosofe,

Lagos State Lagos State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West (Nigeria), southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, states, it is both the List of Nigerian states by population, most populous and List of Nigerian state ...

to parents originating from

Imo State Imo State ( ig, Ȯra Imo) is a States of Nigeria, state in the South East (Nigeria), South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by Anambra State, Rivers State to the west and south, and Abia State to the east. It takes its n ...

. She is the sixth of seven children. Chidinma grew up with a disciplinarian father and began singing at the age of six. When she was 10 years old, she joined her church's choir. She also started her acting career by featuring in 2017 movie ( The bridge movie) directed by Kunle Afolayan. Chidinma attended primary and secondary school in Ketu before relocating to Ikorodu with her family. She worked as a business promoter in Lagos prior to auditioning for the third season of ''Project Fame West Africa''. Chidinma wanted to study mass communication but ended up attaining a sociology degree from the University of Lagos. Chidinma initially declined her admission to the University of Lagos due to her advancement in ''Project Fame West Africa''. In an interview with ''

YNaija ''YNaija'' is a Nigerian online content publishing platform, founded by Chude Jideonwo and Adebola Williams of RED Africa media group. ''YNaija'' launched in May 2010 with columnists and various news sources. It offers news, original content an ...

'', she said she has always taken school seriously and her decision to enroll at Unilag was inevitable. She also said music wasn't always on her agenda, but decided to give it a try after winning the music competition. After dying her hair red and getting a mohawk, people started perceiving her as a good girl gone bad. In an interview posted on the '' Daily Independent'' website, Chidinma said she is still the same and that she's evolving and growing as a

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

. True to her words, Chidinma transitioned into the Gospel Music Industry after she was signed by Eezee Conceptz, a top gospel producing agency

Music career

Project Fame

Before auditioning for the third edition of ''Project Fame West Africa'', she dreamt of being part of the reality television show. With the help and support from her close knit friend, Chidinma left her home in Ikorodu and went to Ultima Studios. She was among the eight thousand contestants that went that year to showcase their talents. Subsequently, Chidinma joined 17 other contestants in the Fame Academy round. For 10 weeks, Chidinma and the other contestants were coached by musical professionals: voice coaches, inspirational speakers, established musicians, and music business service providers. Moreover, contestants were taught choreography and several rehearsal drills. Chidinma was announced as the competition's winner on 26 September 2010. She won a number of prizes, including

₦ The naira ( sign: ₦; code: NGN) is the currency of Nigeria. One naira is divided into 100 ''kobo''. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is the sole issuer of legal tender money throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It controls the vol ...

2.5 million, a 2011 Toyota RAV4, and a production deal. In May 2013, Chidinma signed an endorsement deal with MTN Nigeria.

2011–2012:''Chidinma''

Chidinma started working on her eponymous debut studio album ''Chidinma'' after releasing a collaborative project with other season 3 finalists. The album was scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2011. Chidinma spoke about the album briefly and said she put a lot of energy into it. She worked with a number of producers, including

Cobhams Asuquo Cobhams Asuquo ( Efik pronunciation: ) (born January 6, 1981) is a Nigerian musician, producer, and songwriter. In 2005, Asuquo was signed on with Sony ATV London as a songwriter. After working as Head of Audio Productions at a local label, Que ...

Tee-Y Mix Temitayo Ibitoye better known as Tee-Y Mix is known not just for mixing but also producing, he has produced for Iyanya, Seyi Shay, Chidinma, Darey and more. Growing up and education Tee-Y Mix is a native of Oyo State and was born and raised ther ...

, WazBeat and Oscar Heman Ackah. She released the Sound Sultan-assisted single "Jankoliko" and "Carry You Go" on 22 February 2011. Both songs were written and produced by Oscar Heman Ackah. In an interview posted on the ''Weekly Trust'' website, Chidinma said she was pleased with the positive response she received after the songs were released, and is working hard to improve her craft. On 4 June 2011, Chidinma released the Clarence Peters-directed music video for "Jankoliko". On 11 October 2011, she released "Kedike" as the album's third single. The song translates to "Heartbeat" and was produced by Cobhams Asuquo. In an interview with ''Entertainment Rave'', Chidinma revealed she and her producers invented the song's name and further said it depicts love. The Clarance Peters-directed music video for "Kedike" was released on 24 January 2012. Nigerian singer

Dammy Krane Oyindamola Johnson Emmanuel, popularly known as Dammy Krane, is a Nigerian singer, composer and performer. In January 2012, at age 20, he signed a record deal with Hypertek Digital and 960 Music Group. He is most famous for his single hit "My ...

played Chidinma's love interest in the video. On 11 October 2011, she also released the album's fourth single "Run Dia Mouth".

2013–2014: Standalone releases

On 14 September 2012, she released the

Illbliss Tobechukwu Ejiofor known as iLLBLISS, is a Nigerian rapper, businessman and the owner of the talent managing outfit known as 'The Goretti Company', company responsible for launching the careers of Chidinma and Phyno, among others. Also popu ...

and Tha Suspect-assisted single "Emi Ni Baller". The song was produced by Legendury Beatz. It peaked at number 7 on ''

Vanguard The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. History The vanguard derives fr ...

''s list of the Top 10 songs that made 2013. The official remix for "Emi Ni Baller" was released on 22 February 2013. It features vocals by

Wizkid Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (born 16 July 1990), known professionally as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. A prominent figure in the modern-day Afrobeats music scene, Wizkid is regarded as one of the biggest and most influential Afri ...

and was also produced by Legendury Beatz. Capital Dreams Pictures released the music video for "Emi Ni Baller" on 12 June 2013. It was shot and directed in the U.K by Clarence Peters. On 10 June 2013, Chidinma released three singles: "Bless My Hustle", "Kite" and "Jolly", all of which were produced by Tha Suspect,

Del B Ayodele Basil, better known as Del B, is a Nigerian (composer) sound engineer, record producer. and songwriter. He is best known for producing Kcee's hit single "Limpopo", which went on to be voted Song of The Year at the 2013 edition of The Head ...

and Wizzboy, respectively. On 14 September 2013, Chidinma released "Oh Baby". Its remix was released on 29 January 2014 and features vocals by Flavour N'abania. Both songs were produced by Young D. On 2 May 2014, Chidinma released the music video for "Oh Baby (You & I)". It was directed by Clarence Peters and stars

Ngozi Nwosu Ngozi Nwosu (born 1 August 1963) is a veteran Nigerian actress and producer. She began her acting career in Yoruba-language films, before making her home-video debut in ''Living in Bondage'', an Igbo-language film considered to begin the vide ...

and

OC Ukeje Okechukwu Ukeje, known as OC Ukeje is Nigerian actor,model and musician. He came into prominence after winning the Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) reality show. He has received several awards including Africa Movie Academy Awards, Africa Magic Vi ...

. One of Chidinma's most recent hits is "Fallen In Love" which was released in 2017. Its video currently has 101 million views on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

Notable performances

Chidinma performed with

Dr SID Sidney Onoriode Esiri (born 1 May 1980), commonly known as Dr SID, is a Nigerian singer. Early life Dr SID is from Delta State, he was born and raised in Lagos. His mother is a fashion designer and his father, Justus Esiri, is an actor.

at the MTN Power of 10 Concerts, a ten-city tour that celebrated MTN Nigeria's ten-year anniversary; the tour kicked off in Makurdi on 9 September 2011. Chidinma was one of the supporting acts on the 2013 Hennessy Artistry Club Tour headlined by

D'banj Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo (born 9 June 1980), better known by his stage name D'banj, is a Nigerian singer and rapper and the founder of Mo' Hits Records with producer Don Jazzy. He has won several music awards, including the awards for ''Best Af ...

. On 3 November 2013, she performed at the Guinness World of More Concert alongside P-Square, D'banj,

, Ice Prince, Burna Boy,

Phyno Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike (born 9 October 1986), populary known as Phyno Fino, is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He started his music career as a producer in 2003, and is renowned for rapping in the Igbo language. His ...

Waje Aituaje Iruobe, known professionally as Waje, which is the first letter from each word from the phrase "Words Aren't Just enough" is a Nigerian singer. She first gained recognition after being featured on the remake of P-Square’s "Omoge Mi". Wa ...

Davido David Adedeji Adeleke (born November 21, 1992), popularly known by his stage name Davido, is an American-Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. His music blends traditional African elements with global mainstream pop. Davido is widel ...

and

Tiwa Savage Tiwa Savage (born 5 February 1980) is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and performing artist. Born in Isale Eko, she relocated to London at the age of 11 for her secondary education. Five years later, she began her music career doing backup voc ...

. On 9 November 2013, Chidinma performed with Blackstreet at the Butterscotch Evening Experience, a concert held at the Eko Hotels and Suites. On 14 February 2014, she performed at the MTN Valentine Rave Party, alongside Tiwa Savage,

Mario is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...

and

. Chidinma has performed in several countries in Africa, including the Republic of Benin, Sierra Leone, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Cameroun, Equatorial Guinea, Niger and Ghana. Acting Career Chidinma started her acting career by featuring in a 2017 movie, The Bridge (2017 movie) directed by Kunle Afolayan.

2021:''Chidinma becomes Gospel Artiste''

After a very long absence from the music scene, Chidinma Ekile reappeared again in May 2021 but this time to celebrate her 30th birthday, sharing photos of herself on Instagram. She expressed regrets wasting over 9 years doing secular music, noting that her sudden switch to gospel music was fueled by a new encounter with God and understanding of her Christian faith. To announce her arrival into the Nigerian gospel music scene, Chidinma released her debut gospel single titled, 'Jehovah Over Do' on Sunday, May 2, 2021.The New Season EP consist of 6 tracks and a bonus (making 7 in total) was released on August 23, 2021.

Accomplishments and musical influences

Chidinma won Best Female West African Act at the 2012 Kora Awards. Her award plaque was presented to her by

Didier Drogba Didier Yves Drogba Tébily (; born 11 March 1978) is an Ivorian retired professional footballer who played as a striker. He is the all-time top scorer and former captain of the Ivory Coast national team. He is best known for his career at ...

. She toppled

Omawumi Omawumi Megbele (born 13 April 1982), known by her stage name Omawumi, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and actress of Itsekiri ethnicity She is a brand ambassador for Globacom, Konga.com, and Malta Guinness. She's also part of the campaign cal ...

and five others for the honour. After winning the award, Chidinma said, "It was a huge honour to me. I’m grateful to God, my fans and people, who have been part of my success story. Winning KORA is a big achievement for me and I know it is the beginning of better things to come." Chidinma has cited

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...

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Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...

Fela Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997), also known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is regarded as the p ...

Onyeka Onwenu Onyeka Onwenu (born 31 January 1952) is a Nigerian singer/songwriter, actress, human right activist, social activist, journalist, politician, and former ''X Factor'' series judge. Dubbed the "Elegant Stallion" by the Nigerian press, she is a fo ...

Lagbaja Bisade Ologunde (in Lagos, 1960) is a Nigerian afrobeat musician, singer-songwriter and percussionist. Widely known as Lágbájá for his signature use of mask which covers his identity. He believes in social reform through music. Early life and ...

and Darey Art Alade as her biggest musical influences.Molpe

company that specialize in sanitary pad makes Chidinma its brand ambassador in April 2019.(https://punchng.com/chidinma-becomes-molped-brand-ambassador)Chidinma is the founder of NMA care foundation,a non governmental organization set-up to cater for visually impaire
children
Net Worth As one of the great female Nigerian Artists, Chidinma Ekile performed at the MTN Power of 10 Concert that was organized in September 2011 and her net worth as at that time was $2.8million.

Awards and nominations

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chidinma Living people 21st-century Nigerian women singers Nigerian women pop singers Nigerian women singer-songwriters Singers from Lagos Yoruba musicians Igbo musicians Participants in Nigerian reality television series 1991 births English-language singers from Nigeria Yoruba-language singers University of Lagos alumni