Who left who? Analysing Chidinma’s exit from Capital Hill Records

Questions left and right have been unanswered since reports broke of Chidinma’s exit from Capital Hill Records.

The singer who has been with the group since 2011 has left the label, which has been her home for the past five years. No official word from any party has been released, with everyone heavily relying on ‘inside sources’, and ‘sources close to both camps’. One report even had to quote ‘savvy industry experts’.

With the absence of these official statements and positions, people have been known to draw conclusions. With many of them hardly reflecting the true state of things. As usual, people with shallow understanding of the industry are attributing the split to Chidinma’s desire to take charge of her destiny and career, thereby claiming responsibility for the next direction of it. Others are of the opinion that the star was denied a new contract by the label who didn’t see her as a good investment option any longer.

For the former school of thought, I could understand the reason for it. A part of us want to believe that the split is sensational and that true power belongs to the creators of music. That is the part of us who ally with the underdog in an unfair fight and emit loud screams when he/she drops a good punch. That is also the part of us which is drawn to Chidinma’s image of ultimate innocence and ‘I-can-never-hurt-a-fly’ look. In science, that part of our brain is called the Prefrontal area: entire non-motor anterior region of the frontal lobe, and it is responsible for emotions and hope.

Let’s look at the second school of thought which provides more critical reasoning, and requires knowledge of the industry. Capital Hill Records is owned by Clarence Peters who works with support from other people including IllBliss, the executive of The Goretti Company. Chidinma was signed in 2011, and she had gone on to give them highlights. But when you take a closer look at recent events, you will begin to find out reasons why Chidinma’s position is unfavorable to earning her a new contract.

First, after 5 years of obligations, many of them financial, Chidinma does not have an album. Sure she has provided impressive singles, been the voice that powered a number of collaborative high points in Nigerian music, and led many to shed the view that female sexuality equals career success. By achieving this, she also set many on a path of love for her. But where Chidinma grew personally, the business failed to truly benefit from it. Chidinma never released an album while on a contract. The singer at the height of her fame and attention was unable to put in the work and push for an album which would generate revenue for the business via album sales. She also has been unable to reach her full potential, with her recent releases showing a decline in acceptance. Last year Chidinma dropped two singles which were backed with all that it needed. A good budget which involved promotion and videos. Both singles ‘If e no be God’, and ‘ tanked. They were dead on arrival.

These have led many to doubt the singer’s ability to truly transition into a money making behemoth, and the powers at Capital Hill Records might have seen these too. It was their money being spent. No artiste earns a new contract by underperforming. You earn it by actually overperforming. Chidinma was underperforming as an artiste. That new contract was always hanging on a thread.

In the end, the split was inevitable, and it has happened. What remains now is for both parties to come out with official statements and put the situation to rest. Only then can we truly understand the ‘public’ and PR-explained nature of split.