As Chidinma’s 2015 single Africa we are one played on the radio, I couldn’t help but wonder why Miss Kedike as she is also known hasn’t fully emerged from the her post-project fame persona to take her place amongst the queens of the Nigerian/African music industry.
I was excited to see how her career would kick-off following her win at the 2010 edition of the Project Fame. The song she put out immediately she left the academy Jankoliko which featured SoundSultan had potential, but due to one thing or the other, it fizzled out from our memories. Then came her biggest hit to date Kedike in 2011. At this point, she had joined forces with the illBliss and Clarence Peters-led Capital Hill records. This move by her in my opinion should have placed her on the sure path to superstardom but instead, the reverse was the case.
She put out a slew of songs that in my opinion had no bearing. They all sounded the same. Especially, that song If E No Be God. I was so disappointed with that song and I’m sure other Nigerians were too based on the reception it got. Chidinma herself stated in an interview with Entertainment Rave that: “I’m working on my album right now. I’m working with different producers and artistes trying out new things. A lot of people wonder aloud: ‘are you sure this is Chidinma?’ So I’m just trying out a lot of things and testing waters. I’m moving out of my comfort zone actually.” Unfortunately this experimenting that she embarked upon has done more harm to her than good.
Most people thought that Chidinma and Capital Hill would have taken advantage of Tiwa Savage’s absence in 2015 like Yemi Alade and Seyi Shay did, but we were disappointed in this regard. The main question one is forced to ask concerning Chidinma is would she ever reach the heights expected of her based on her musical output so far? The logical answer would be no.
Females hoping to ‘make it’ in the Nigerian music industry are in for a tough task compared to the men. If you don’t have the complete packaging of Tiwa Savage, the pipes of Waje, the strong personality of Omawumi, the versatility of Yemi Alade, the panache of Seyi Shay and the ingenuity of Eva, then something different from the qualities listed above must stand you out. This is why I think Di’Ja and her ‘Bubble gum’ pop sound is catching up. Saeon and her brazen form of music is also slowly gaining followers.
But Chidinma’s case is different. She is obviously talented; why then hasn’t she made it like other top female stars? Some say it’s her label, others feel it’s because our expectations concerning her career were too much. Some say the scandal that has rocked her career may be the main cause. For some reason, her personal life draws more interest than her music does. When news emerged that she was featured in a sex tape (an accusation which has been proven to be false), she trended online for almost a month. Then came reports that she was dating Clarence Peters, interest spiked again. Now thenet.ng has confirmed that she is dating budding star Lil Kesh. All these just proves she needs to work more on her craft.
Whatever the problem may be, Chidinma needs to wake up fast! Before she becomes an example of a musician who had so much promise but ultimately did not reach the top.
This article was written by ‘Bisola Alawode. ‘Bisola is a PR consultant and journalist. He can be contacted via his email address: [email protected]