Chidinma Ekile (born 2 May 1991), known mononymously as Chidinma, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress. A native of Imo State, Chidinma was born in Ketu, Kosofe, Lagos State. In 2010, she gained prominence after winning the third season of Project Fame West Africa. Chidinma became the first female musician to peak at number 1 on the MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 chart after releasing the music video for her single "Emi Ni Baller". In 2011, she released the Sound Sultan-assisted single "Jankoliko". Her eponymous debut album Chidinma, which was released via the music platform Spinlet, yielded the singles "Jankoliko", "Carry You Go", "Kedike" and "Run Dia Mouth". Chidinma won Best Female West African Act at the 2012 Kora Awards and performed "Kedike" at the ceremony. In May 2021, Chidinma revealed on Instagram that she made a transition to gospel music and is now engaged in Christian ministry. She released the gospel single "Jehovah Overdo" that same month. Her debut extended play (EP), New Season, was released on 20 August 2021. Eezee Tee produced the entire EP, which is composed of seven tracks and was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Chidinma's second studio album Psalm 16, which was released on 14 October 2022, features collaborations with KS Bloom, Indira, and Buchi. Her third studio album, The Road Best Travelled, was released on 7 March 2025.

=== 1991–2010: Early life, educational pursuits, Project Fame, and public image === A native of Imo State, Chidinma Ekile was born on 2 May 1991, in Ketu, Kosofe, Lagos State. She is the sixth-born child of her parents and has six other siblings. Chidinma grew up with a disciplinarian father and began singing at six. When she was 10 years old, she joined the choir at her church. Chidinma attended primary and secondary school in Ketu before relocating to Ikorodu with her family. She worked as a business promoter in Lagos prior to auditioning for the third season of Project Fame West Africa. She wanted to study mass communication but attained a sociology degree from the University of Lagos. Chidinma initially declined her admission to the University of Lagos due to her advancement in Project Fame West Africa. In an interview with YNaija, she said she has always taken school seriously and that her decision to enrolled at Unilag was inevitable. She also said music wasn't always on her agenda, but decided to give it a try after winning Project Fame. After dying her hair red and getting a mohawk, people started perceiving her as a good girl gone bad. In an interview with the Daily Independent, she said she is still the same person and is evolving and growing as a musician. Prior to auditioning for the third edition of Project Fame West Africa, Chidinma dreamt of being part of the reality television show. With the help and support from a close-knit friend, she left her home in Ikorodu and went to Ultima Studios. Chidinma joined 17 other contestants in the Fame Academy round after being one of the 8,000 talent showcasers that year. For ten weeks, she and the other contestants were coached by musical professionals: voice coaches, inspirational speakers, established musicians, and music business service providers. Moreover, contestants were taught choreography and several rehearsal drills. Chidinma was announced as the competition's winner on 26 September 2010. She won a number of prizes, including ₦2.5 million, a 2011 Toyota RAV4, and a production deal.