12 Nigerian Musicians You Didn’t Know Started From Church Choir

Nigeria music industry is one that is filled with different people from different walks of life and while the club bangers are what seems to be the reigning types of songs, it would surprise you that some of your favorite artistes started out singing cool gospel songs from their church choir. Here are a few Nigerian musicians who got their start in the pews of the choir before hitting the jackpot in the entertainment industry. More.. 10 hottest Nigerian celebrity baby mamas (Photos) 14 Nigerian celebrity look alikes – This will shock you! (With Pictures) 4 Ways to keep your relationship spicy… Never boring! Top 5 Nigerian celebrities with the hottest daughters (With Pictures) 1. Chidinma <img class="size-full wp-image-167171 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/xchidinma.png.pagespeed.ic.jnwxxw2-c0.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 613px) 100vw, 613px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/chidinma.png 613w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/chidinma-300x288.png 300w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/chidinma-375x360.png 375w" alt="Chidinma Quits Capital Hills Record Label" width="613" height="588" data-pagespeed-url-hash="1599427462" /> Before Chidinma Ekile won Project Fame West Africa, she was a chorister at the Foursquare Gospel Church 2. Waje As a young and gifted singer, Waje sang in church and was so good that the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa of the Word of Faith Church, Benin decided to cater for her all through her secondary school days. 3. Darey Art Alade <img class="size-full wp-image-140168 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Darey-art-alade-36posts.jpg.pagespeed.ce.-s5EIhhCYm.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Darey-art-alade-36posts.jpg 400w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Darey-art-alade-36posts-214x300.jpg 214w" alt="Darey-art-alade-36posts.jpg" width="400" height="562" data-pagespeed-url-hash="988817974" /> Darey was born into a family of performers like his father and he joined the wagon. At 8, he joined the children’s choir and even led the school choir in school. He was also a member of the choir of the Cathedral Church of Christ and took lessons at the Musical Society of Nigeria. 4. J Martins <img class="size-full wp-image-175358 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/J-Martins.jpg.pagespeed.ce.0KBzvM_c4v.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/J-Martins.jpg 1000w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/J-Martins-150x150.jpg 150w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/J-Martins-768x768.jpg 768w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/J-Martins-144x144.jpg 144w" alt="J-Martins" width="1000" height="1000" data-pagespeed-url-hash="509357848" /> J Martins caught the music bug from his mother who was a choir mistress. He was in the church choir and even produced for some gospel singers. 5. Iyanya <img class="size-full wp-image-143986 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/xiyanya1.jpg.pagespeed.ic.aJ2amemOE7.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/iyanya1.jpg 568w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/iyanya1-300x211.jpg 300w" alt="iyanya1.jpg" width="568" height="400" data-pagespeed-url-hash="1664883423" /> Iyanya’s grandfather was a clergyman and he used to sing in his church’s choir and was the choir master for the children’s choir at age 5. 6. Banky W <img class="size-full wp-image-164057 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Banky-WW.jpg.pagespeed.ce.wY5ui26wI5.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Banky-WW.jpg 640w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Banky-WW-150x150.jpg 150w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Banky-WW-300x300.jpg 300w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Banky-WW-375x375.jpg 375w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Banky-WW-60x60.jpg 60w" alt="Banky-WW" width="640" height="640" data-pagespeed-url-hash="507565418" /> Wellington was born in the United States to Nigerian parents, but the family moved back to Lagos when he was five years old where he began singing in his church choir at the age of 8. 7. Omawumi <img class="size-full wp-image-153349 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/xomawumi-411vibes1.jpg.pagespeed.ic.D2k0U4HXKL.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/omawumi-411vibes1.jpg 500w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/omawumi-411vibes1-300x206.jpg 300w" alt="omawumi-411vibes.jpg" width="500" height="343" data-pagespeed-url-hash="2102307623" /> From childhood Omawumi had been known to be a playful, energetic, intelligent and extremely talented child as she was already a lead vocalist in the children’s choir of Foursquare Gospel Church in Warri at the age of 8. 8. Wande Coal <img class="size-full wp-image-129614 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/xWande-Coal.jpg.pagespeed.ic.jPuuypP4KY.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 549px) 100vw, 549px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Wande-Coal.jpg 549w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Wande-Coal-300x292.jpg 300w" alt="Wande-Coal" width="549" height="534" data-pagespeed-url-hash="1800653982" /> Wande Coal began singing in the teenage choir at his church. He became a dancer for the then Mo’Hits and then moved over to singing. 9. Seyi Shay <img class="size-full wp-image-124971 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/xseyi-shay.jpg.pagespeed.ic.1HrMBls2yU.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/seyi-shay.jpg 580w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/seyi-shay-150x150.jpg 150w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/seyi-shay-300x300.jpg 300w" alt="seyi-shay" width="580" height="580" data-pagespeed-url-hash="3345248981" /> Seyi started singing in the choir at the age of six and was part of her secondary school choir. 10. Timaya <img class="size-full wp-image-139882 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/xTimaya-on-BellaNaija.com-011.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Qd1m-j6O3p.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Timaya-on-BellaNaija.com-011.jpg 600w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Timaya-on-BellaNaija.com-011-300x211.jpg 300w" alt="Timaya-on-BellaNaija.com-01" width="600" height="422" data-pagespeed-url-hash="2747586396" /> When Toolz interviewed Timaya on Ndani TV’s ‘The Juice’, he had this to say ‘I started from church, before starting up as a backup for Eedris Abdulkareem for three years before exploring my music career.’ 11. Wizkid <img class="size-full wp-image-160205 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/xWizkid2.jpg.pagespeed.ic.LS1rqm4Wvg.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Wizkid2.jpg 564w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Wizkid2-300x225.jpg 300w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Wizkid2-375x281.jpg 375w" alt="Wizkid Reportedly in Hot Romance With Zambian Vixen" width="564" height="423" data-pagespeed-url-hash="1129001683" /> Wizkid Ayo Balogun started singing at the early age of 11 in church under the name ‘Lil Prinz’ 12. Jerimiah Gyang <img class="size-full wp-image-175359 aligncenter" src="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/xGyang.jpg.pagespeed.ic.HzFGV3TCey.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" srcset="http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Gyang.jpg 500w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Gyang-150x150.jpg 150w, http://gistreel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Gyang-144x144.jpg 144w" alt="Gyang" width="500" height="500" data-pagespeed-url-hash="3993998095" /> Nabaka crooner, Jerimiah Gyang started from the church too he led the choir as music director. CLICK HERE to join our BBM Channel for faster updates

11. Wizkid

12. Jerimiah Gyang

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11. Wizkid

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