Abiodun Koya

Abiodun (Biodun) Koya (born 22 December 1980) is a Nigerian gospel singer, opera singer and poet who is now based in the United States where she has performed at the White House and has sung the national anthem at the Democratic National Convention. After spending some 15 years in the United States, she has recently begun to renew her ties with Nigeria.

Born in Nigeria's Ogun State, encouraged by her father, Koya became interested in music when she was six, playing the violin and singing classical music at church. She left Nigeria in 2001 for the United States where she studied business management in Washington, D.C. One of the very few African opera singers, she is also a poet, an actress and a philanthropist.