The Rise, Peak, And Decline Of A Musical Talent (Chidinma)

Posted by E.L.E.X on June 09 2020 under Celebrities

One of the miseries of Nigerian industry is, Female artistes hardly contend on the top spots for the a year long.

Hardly do we have female artistes who lead the game in the industry, ruling and staying at top of the game for a month straight up without being interrupted. But when we talk about adding spice to the industry, the female artistes are always there for that.

Artistes who fail to give a good follow up just few weeks after the release of a hit will be automatically swept out.

Unless he or she has something else to offer the mass so as to remain in the news or trends.

Go hard or you go home. It’s so cold out here no one is joking here!

Today, we take a close look at the sensational, and controversial artiste who rose to limelight after she was announced the winner of the 2010 edition of the MTN Project Fame.

Chidinma

The Rise

Before auditioning for the third edition of Project Fame West Africa, Chidinma dreamt of being part of the reality television show.

The eclectic singer wormed herself into the hearts of millions of Nigerians after winning the third season of the erstwhile reality TV show, MTN Project Fame West Africa, in 2010.

She instantly wrote her name in gold, setting a new record as the first female singer to win the music competition.

Chidinma initially declined her admission to the University of Lagos due to her advancement in Project Fame West Africa

Chidinma was announced as the competition’s winner on 26 September 2010. She won a number of prizes, including ?2.5 million, a 2011 Toyota RAV4, and a production deal.

In May 2013, Chidinma signed an endorsement deal with MTN Nigeria.

Chidinma was not just a talented singer, she was also very admirable owing to her petite stature and contrasting matured voice.

Chidinma started working on her eponymous debut studio album Chidinma after releasing a collaborative project with other season 3 finalists.

She worked with a number of producers, including Cobhams Asuquo, Tee-Y Mix, WazBeat and Oscar Heman Ackah. She released the Sound Sultan-assisted single “Jankoliko” and “Carry You Go” on 22 February 2011.

An so, the brand and talent of Chidinma was showcased to the world.

The Peak

In 2012, she released the Illbliss and Tha Suspect-assisted single “Emi Ni Baller” and later released the remix featuring the sensational Wizkid

She was able to capture the hearts of so many fans who believed that she would go to places with her enviable talent.

With the release of her video for “Emi ni Baller” she became the first female musician to peak at number 1 on the MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 chart.

Her self-titled debut studio album, ‘Chidinma’, which she released after her solo single, “ Jankoliko” was a commercial success.

The album was supported by her singles ‘Jankoliko, Carry You Go, Kedike and Run Dia Mouth’ and her fans have not stopped talking about the album.

Winning the MTN Project Fame West Africa, the petite singer set her mind on conquering the country’s music scene.

While several past winners of the music competition were struggling to find their feet in the nation’s music scene or better still, have failed to live up to their billing, Chidinma emerged from the blues to change the narrative.

She proved everyone wrong, rising above board to hold her own in a male-dominated industry.

Even when the competition was stiff in the industry, Chidinma was not looking back as she kept releasing hit songs that were topping different music charts on radio and television.

She became one of Nigeria’s biggest female singers, contending with other superstars such as Tiwa Savage, Waje, Yemi Alade and Omawunmi.

As a matter of fact, she edged them out to win the award for “Best Female West African Act” at 2012 Kora Awards edging Omawunmi who was seen as the alpha female of the industry then.

The soulful singer also won “Best Pop Extra Video” at 2013 Nigerian Music Video Awards with other multiple nominations.

The Decline

Many have attributed her silence to her parting ways with her long time record label, Capital Hills Records, which is managed by Clarence Peters and iLLBliss, while others have blamed it on some unforeseen circumstances around her. But the question is: what’s happening to the career of the ‘Kedike’ crooner.

Meanwhile, reports said that Chidinma was signed by Capital Hill Music in 2011, on a 5-year record, management and publishing deal which ened in 2016, and she has failed to release an album during that time.

Till date, Chidinma never said anything concerning her parting ways with her record label. But it’s believed that her decision not to renew her deal with the label has not only affected her flourishing career, but also, her visibility in the industry.

Apart from this, the singer also has had her fair share of scandals, which many suspected was responsible for the current challenges confronting her career.

It was once rumoured that the soulful singer was having a secret affair with the Highlife musician, Flavour N’abania. Though they came out to debunk the rumours; the pictures they shared on social media speak for itself.

The internet was set agog, when the two singers shared a passionate kiss after one of their performances and even more when he collaborated with Chidinma in the single “Ololufe” which was shot in Cape Town.

The same way it was rumoured that the songstress at one time or the other romantically linked to music stars such as Dammy Krane, Tekno, Falz, Kiss Daniel and Phyno.

I a bid to revive her diminishing career, Chidinma stormed Le Mixx Nightclub, in Abidjan, to thrill her francophone fans on July 27, 2018.

Indeed, from the look of things, relaunching her career would definitely leave her fighting for her spot by dropping hits after hits that she was known for, following the emergence of more daring, talented and energetic female singers who are hungry for fame.

Not only will she work hard to reclaim her place in the country’s music scene, the petite singer will have the likes of Simi, Seyi Shay, Niyola, to dethrone. But that doesn’t mean the end of her career.

As a songwriter once noted, it’s not how you start that matters, rather it’s how you finish that matters most.