Chidinma popularly known as miss Kedike has been in the limelight since winning the MTN project fame west Africa in 2010. She sat down with hip hop world magazine for this revealing interview where she talks about her career, family, picking a man and her low cut hair atyle Read excerpts below
Let’s assume we don’t know you, who are you?
My name is Chidinma Ekile .I’m from Imo state; from a family of seven plus parents. I grew up in Lagos, lived all my life in Lagos. I’m just a normal Girl who grew up like every normal child until I stumbled into music.
How have you been able to cope with the fame?
Chidinma: It’s not really been easy but somehow I have been able to find a way around it. I just try to do things normally; the way they should be done. I don’t see myself as a celebrity so that makes it easier for me to cope. I just live my life normally.
You still hang out with your friend who encouraged you to go to the Project Fame Auditions?
Yes, I still hang out with her. Relationships? I’m not in one; I’m not interested in getting into one.
You are averse to relationships?
No. I have heard a lot. People won’t stop assuming or drawing conclusions.
They assume because you haven’t made it official.
There’s nothing to be made official because nothing is happening.
Your Lovey-dovey Picture with Phyno went viral…
It did! Less than 20 minutes after we put up the picture on Instagram, it just went crazy and we were not even in Lagos; we were in Abuja. We went for the Hennessy Artistry and we were at the airport before we went to the hotel, so we were just taking pictures then before we knew it, it was everywhere. It was kind of funny because we were just two people sitting somewhere and making the industry talk.
You are saying your relationship with Phyno is Platonic?
Phyno is my guy!
Your Guy?
*Laughs*
Wait, you’re Friend-zoning Phyno?
Yes… Definitely!
Tell us about ‘Kedike’, what inspired it?
Kedike was just a word we came up with in the studio while recording. We were already recording and we were looking for a word or something catchy. Then someone was on the drums and the drum beats sounded like ke-di-ke, so we figured we could say you make my heart beat this way, like a drum, ke-di-ke.
A metaphor for heart beat?
Yes.
We are aware your parents are strict Christians. Don’t they feel you are deviating from your Christian upbringing? Are they happy with you doing secular music?
Definitely! I still stay with my parents. They are happy with what I do and have so much knowledge about what I do. They are so much in touch with everything about me. I make sure it’s nothing more than what they see me do. From going to the studio to performances and so on.
So there is a different level of freedom for you? You can stay out late and all?
I don’t stay out late except it is work related. Then exceptions like club appearances or performances.
You don’t party or drink Alcohol? I don’t. Seriously? So how do you unwind?
I just stay with my family and chill at home.
What did you do with your prize money from Project fame?
What were the first two things you purchased? *laughs* my prize money went into a lot of things. Immediately after the show, the first two things I got were a laptop, pretty small and pink then an iPod. I needed those two things immediately so I got them.
You still own the Rav 4?
Yes.
We heard you are a Chorister at Foursquare Gospel Church. How has the Church reacted to you doing secular music and then coming to sing Gospel in the choir?
Music is what I do for a living, it is my work and what I do in Church is my service to God. They are two different things. It isn’t more than performing and it doesn’t mean I am far away from God or I have left God. My service to God is something that will always continue. I can’t sit in Church without doing something, it’s a part of me and I am used to it.
How did your peers in Church react to the change project fame brought about in your life?
Immediately after the show, I noticed the changes for some months. It was hard for some people to accept that this is not the Chidinma they used to know. It was hard for them to cope and I understood them. I was the Girl that used to go to Choir rehearsals, play, laugh and chill with them and then all of a sudden there are some things I can’t do or say. It was hard for them but I still tried my best to convince them and make them feel I am still me. And then after a while they started coping. What’s with your recent statement that you would never marry a broke person. I never said that. Even if I did, I wouldn’t have done it in a way that it would get to the media.
Do you believe junk music abounds in Nigeria today?
We have a lot of junk music in Nigeria.
Why did you cut your hair?
This was borne out of me trying to make a difference. At first I never knew what it was going to be, I just wanted to change. And at that point I was having problems with my hair and I wanted to grow it from scratch and properly; virgin hair. Then when I cut it, I didn’t know what to do with it and I had a photo shoot that day. So I checked the internet for hairstyles and found something I liked but still I felt there were some angles on my head that might not make the curls look nice. So the stylist came and did some things and it looked nice.
Why do you Ex-project fame contestants not work together or feature eachother?
I did something recently with Monica and I am also doing something with Ayo. We are definitely like a family; I don’t know why there hasn’t been much collaboration though it will make people listen more. But I have something with Monica, look out for it, it’s really nice.
This Season, you mentored Roland…
I mentored Blessing and David but they were evicted so I was given Roland.
Who do you feel will win?
Everyone is hot, everyone is fighting, and the money is much more than it used to be so they really have to fight because it’s worth it.
Didn’t you feel Roland’s performance with you was a bit flawed, because it seemed he was trying to keep up with you?
It is not his style. He has always been the Christian type and he says it. He’s not a rapper, he was forgetting his lines, so I had to support him, and I couldn’t leave him like that.
If you must quit music now, what else would you do?
Broadcasting.
What are you currently studying in the University?
Sociology.
What’s up with you and DammyKrane.
Dammy Krane is my friend, he is everybody’s friend, and he’s funny and crazy. Before I shot the Video, I had a lot of options to play my love interest in the Video but I didn’t like any. Then someone said there was this new guy and then they played his song and I liked it. Sometime later, we were at Cool FM and I spotted him jumping about and being very playful. He was so energetic; I liked him instantly and wanted him as my love interest in the video. So my manager called him up, he was so nice, he came over, we talked and he told me the day we were going to shoot the Video was his birthday. Then I got scared that he might not make it. Unfortunately, on the day of the shoot, he got robbed that morning but he still made it to the shoot and then left after his part. We’ve been friends ever since.
Tell us about your record label and Ill Bliss…
I love the record label. I started out working with Ill Bliss, we have this chemistry working together, and I enjoy working with him.
If you must, who would you date amongst Iyanya, Wizkid, Dammykrane and Davido.
Iyanya has the body. Davido has the money, Wizkid is the Starboy, DammyKrane is a sweet, cute guy. I’ll probably go with DammyKrane.
What are you currently working on?
I’m recording and trying to put the album together which should drop next year.
Of all your works, which is your favorite?
It has to be Emi Ni Baller.
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