Chidinma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chidinma
Background information
Birth name	Chidinma Ekile
Born	(1991-05-02) 2 May 1991 (age 34) Ketu, Kosofe, Lagos State
Origin	Ikorodu, Lagos State
Genres	Gospel afropop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actress
Years active	2011–present
Labels	Capital Hill (former)
Associated acts	EeZee Conceptz Global (New Record Label)

Chidinma Ekile (born on May 2, 1991), known simply as Chidinma, is a talented Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress. She was born in Ketu, Lagos State, but her family is from Imo State.

Chidinma became famous in 2010 after winning the third season of Project Fame West Africa. She was the first female artist to reach number 1 on the MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 chart with her song "Emi Ni Baller". In 2011, she released her first album, Chidinma. This album included popular songs like "Jankoliko" and "Kedike". Chidinma even won the Best Female West African Act award at the 2012 Kora Awards.

In May 2021, Chidinma announced on Instagram that she had changed her focus to gospel music. She now works in Christian ministry. She released her first gospel song, "Jehovah Overdo", that same month. Her first gospel album, New Season, came out in August 2021. Her second gospel album, Psalm 16, was released in October 2022. Her third album, The Road Best Travelled, was released in March 2025.

Chidinma's Early Life and Journey to Fame

Chidinma Ekile was born on May 2, 1991, in Ketu, Lagos State. She is the sixth of seven children in her family. Chidinma started singing at age six and joined her church choir when she was 10. She went to primary and secondary school in Ketu. Later, her family moved to Ikorodu.

Before becoming a singer, Chidinma worked as a business promoter in Lagos. She had always dreamed of being on Project Fame West Africa. With support from a friend, she went to audition for the show. She was one of 8,000 people who tried out that year. Chidinma joined 17 other contestants in the Fame Academy. For ten weeks, they learned from music experts. They had voice coaches, inspirational speakers, and famous musicians guiding them.

On September 26, 2010, Chidinma was announced as the winner of Project Fame. She won many prizes, including ₦2.5 million, a 2011 Toyota RAV4 car, and a music production deal. She had planned to study mass communication but earned a sociology degree from the University of Lagos. Chidinma said she always took school seriously. She decided to pursue music after winning Project Fame.

Chidinma's Music Career and Acting Debut

After winning Project Fame, Chidinma began working on her first album, also called Chidinma. She worked with many producers to create her music. On February 22, 2011, she released her first two songs from the album: "Jankoliko" (featuring Sound Sultan) and "Carry You Go". She was very happy with how people reacted to these songs. The music video for "Jankoliko" was released in June 2011.

In October 2011, Chidinma released "Kedike" and "Run Dia Mouth". "Kedike" means "Heartbeat" and quickly became a huge hit. The music video for "Kedike" came out in January 2012. It featured Nigerian singer Dammy Krane.

Chidinma won the Best Female West African Act at the 2012 Kora Awards. This was a big achievement for her. She said she was thankful to God, her fans, and everyone who helped her.

On September 14, 2012, she released "Emi Ni Baller". This song featured rappers Illbliss and Tha Suspect. It was very popular and even made it to the top 10 songs of 2013 on Vanguard magazine's list. A remix of "Emi Ni Baller" with Wizkid was released in February 2013. In May 2013, Chidinma became an ambassador for MTN Nigeria, a big telecommunications company.

Chidinma also started acting. She made her acting debut in Kunle Afolayan's 2017 film The Bridge. She played Stella, a character whose relationship faces challenges because of family plans and tribal differences.

Chidinma's Transition to Gospel Music

On May 2, 2021, Chidinma released her first gospel song, "Jehovah Overdo". This song is a calm and joyful praise song. Two days later, she shared on Instagram that she had decided to focus on gospel music and Christian ministry. She explained that she felt it was "time to work for my father," meaning God.

Her first gospel album, New Season, was released on August 20, 2021. This album has seven songs and was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Chidinma's second gospel album, Psalm 16, came out on October 14, 2022. It has eight songs and includes collaborations with other artists like KS Bloom and Buchi. Her third gospel album, The Road Best Travelled, was released on March 7, 2025.

Chidinma's Musical Inspirations

Chidinma has shared that many famous musicians have inspired her. Some of these include Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Fela Kuti, Omawumi, Onyeka Onwenu, Lagbaja, and Darey Art Alade.

Chidinma's Personal Life and Charity Work

Chidinma shared in an interview that she was born blind and could not see for a few months. Because of this, she started the NMA Foundation. This foundation helps visually impaired children and young people across Africa. The name "NMA" comes from the last three letters of her name.

Chidinma's Music Albums and Songs