My mum is my greatest supporter —Chidinma

After winning the hotly contested MTN Project Fame West Africa in 2010, Chidinma has remained highly sought after especially when she has kept churning out songs that have remained at the top of the charts. In this interview done by Rotimi Ige and Moyosore Solarin, she talks about her early years, music, fame and lifestyle.
Background
My name is Chidinma Ekile, the sixth of seven children and last of three girls, with four other brothers. I come from a very strict background, where everything has to be done properly always. I am also in the choir at the church. I attend the Four Square Gospel Church in Lagos.

How old are you?
I am 22 years old and would be 23 on May 9.

Your Kedike video is hot. The chemistry between you and Dammy Krane in that video is steaming and has gotten people curious. Is there some reality in that chemistry?
That video is pure acting. Dammy Krane is just a very good actor. He wasn’t even asked to pull me at that part where he did. It was spontaneous and I had to play along. The only thing is we acted the parts so well that everything seems so real. But like I said it was all pure acting.

But are there dating prospects between you guys?
(giggles) He isn’t even asking me out, we are just work colleagues and friends. That’s all. No plans on dating each other.

Are you schooling?
Yes. I am in my first year in the University of Lagos (Unilag).

How has it been combining school and your career?
Just before the end of last year, I was all over Africa. My lecturers were calling left right and centre to find out where I was and why I wasn’t attending classes and all of that. It has been crazy combining my career with school but I have been pulling it off, thank God.

How do you deal with the stares and distractions you may cause in the school environment as a public personality?
I got used to it after a week. Everyone sees me as the regular student now. When I go to school, I go just like every normal student. No unnecessarily attractive dressing. My classmates and lecturers are very used to me already. So no big deal about that anymore. I am just like a very regular student.

What is your major source of inspiration and what is your support system like?
First of all, my mum has been there all along.When I have problems and there is no one to turn to, she is just always there. My dad has also been very supportive but he doesn’t really have the time, you know men. My siblings have also been extremely supportive too.

Do you have a best friend?
I don’t have a best friend because I don’t believe in stuffs like that.But I have a reallyclose friend, am not sure I can call her my best friend though, she is married now, and has to concentrate on her family. So, no time for hang outs.

Your spiritual life?
My spiritual life grows by the day. I try extra hard because it is very easy to forget to pray to God, especially with the kind of job I do. You could get lost in all the many distractions in the industry and life generally. I have a bible on my phone and Ipad, so I can have access to it anytime and anywhere. Also, I’m in town, I go for weekly activities in church. I don’t miss my Sunday service, except I am not in town. Even my pastor gets angry with me whenever I disappear from church without telling him previously. All of these are aiding my spiritual life and have been keeping it strong.

Plans for the year?
A lot. I have been working on videos and a whole lot of other stuffs. I have a single I am currently working on, it’s a collaboration.
Plans on future collaboration with any foreign artist? That seems to be the in thing in the Nigerianmusic industry now.
That is definitely going to come and will come at the right time. First of all, I want to work my way round Africa. Until I went out there I didn’t realise how big my music and personality was outside Nigeria.  So I really want to take my time to to recognise with a lot of them.

How will you describe your brand of music?
My music is basically African. Afrocentric pop. I have, however, started trying out other genres, just to avoid getting monotonous and boring .That is why I did ‘Emi Ni Baller’, which is quite different from what I have been doing. I also just recently finished the remix with Wiz Kid. I did a rap single recently too that is yet to be released. It all feels good because even aside from my music, people love me as a person and I am called the African princess by some because of the way I showcase the African culture. A lot of people really express their appreciation for that Africaness in my music and that really feels good and encourages me a lot. So I don’t think I am going to be doing anything different from that in a long while, I am just basically African.

How did you discover your talent in music?
I was member of the choir in my  church.

What defines style for you?
For me, it’s about how comfortable I am in what I am wearing. I believe that what I wear explains a lot about me. I’m not the type to follow trends, I just wear what I feel is good. I am also not a fashion freak at all and that is why I love my African prints, they just make things easier. I just come up with design in my head that I can work with, I explain to the designer and she works it out. So style for me has to do, first of all, with being comfortable in whatever you have on.

Favourite cologne?
I don’t have a favourite. Right now I am using a Jennifer Lopez’s perfume though.

What is your daily schedule like?
I grant interviews, go for shows, rehearsals, studio sessions and classes too. It is really crazy, because I am on the move most times, going from one place to another, at times I can’t even foresee what my day will be like. Unplanned things come up often.

Have you been criticized about your hair cut?
Yes. Some people have told me they don’t like the hair cut while others love it. I have people begging me to grow it back, saying I look like a boy (laughs). I am growing it back now though. The long hair was getting really tiring and this low cut has afforded me a  lot of freedom when it comes to hair. I don’t have to bother myself brushing and prepping my hair in the morning. I just comb it a little and that’s it. With the haircut I get to sessions earlier now.

Being in an industry dominated by men, how have you been finding it, any harassment whatsoever, so far?
It has not been easy but God has been very helpful and I have never had issues of harassment from anybody.