As big as the Nigerian music industry is, there are only 4 top female artists presently.
When I say top, I mean heavy streams, album sales, sold out concerts, YouTube views and social media following.
They are as follows:
– Tiwa Savage
– Yemi Alade
– Simi
– Teni
Minus Asa because she’s not based here. And leave Tems alone, she’s still on the rise.
So here we have only these 4 and it’s quite a shame.
Actually the 5th person would’ve been Chidinma Ekile if the list were based on endorsements alone. She’s been snagging MTN endorsement deals back to back for many years now.
You know a multinational company like MTN is a life-changer.
So it’s safe to say that Chidinma’s money is lonnnnnng and she’ll be okay as long as she keeps signing on the dotted line of MTN contracts.
However, her music stopped being in-demand about 5 years ago.
Not that she faded completely, she’s obviously not what’s hot right now.
And what’s more surprising about it is that she still has all it takes and more to be on the list of Nigerian female artists enjoying huge mainstream success.
Her rise to fame was meteoric. Nobody ever went from winning a competition to instantly becoming a mainstream artist as fast as Chidinma did with Jankoliko and Kedike.
The following year, fresh off of Project Fame West Africa, she won a Kora award when it was a big deal.
She had a lot going for her.
Her youthful appeal was an advantage, and if you ask me she hasn’t lost it. She’s the finest thing in the industry, take it or leave it.
In fact, Chidinma would’ve been Simi’s biggest threat today all things being equal, since they make the same organic music with a dose of rich vocals.
Sadly, over the years Chidinma has been dropping songs we don’t hear like that.
Honestly, if you ask me what went wrong with Chidinma’s once solid career, I think it has to do with developing no personality.
Here’s what I mean:
As an artist, there should be something about you that sticks; a persona fans know you for.
You can have all the talent in the world but it’s your persona that grips an audience.
For example Yemi Alade channels the Mama Africa image and we’ve come to know her for that.
Tiwa gives you the s*xy bi*ch.
Teni gives you the comic, playful nuisance vibe.
Simi has no personality but she has managed to establish herself as a vocalist with a distinct sound.
And then Chidinma??? Exactly, boring. Nothing memorable.
I noticed she’s been away from Instagram that’s why I entered her matter.
BTV reporting.
