Five years down the road Vanessa has evolved as one of the best female artistes, a step that has come with a nomination in the Best Female artiste at this year’s edition of the Mamas.
From a radio presenter at Choice FM to a VJ with MTV Base not many could have predicted Vanessa’s rise which kicked off with her collaboration with Ommy Dimpoz in ‘Me and You’.
Her first cut in the industry left many awe-struck with some wondering whether she was just another wannabe whose hunger for fame had driven her off her day time job.
The single was voted Song of The Year at the Kili Music awards in 2013 and from there on there was no looking back.
Dar es Salaam. In 2010 Vanesa Mdee graced the MTV awards stage at the third edition of the MTV Africa Music Award (Mamas) in Lagos.
On that cool December night in Victoria Islands at the Eko Expo Hotel she was there as co-host alongside American rapper Eve.
The two blended in their role as hosts as the star studded ceremony witnessed history in the making.
The Tanzanian contingent that had gathered at this auspicious venue was there to support Diamond who had been nominated in the New Act of the Year; he was rather a rough Diamond that was still in the making.
At a news conference Diamond had preferred to answer his questions in Kiswahili as Vanessa did the translation bit.
Little did she know that she would soon be sharing the grand stage not just as a host or a translator but as a contestant in one of the prestigious categories.
Five years down the road Vanessa has evolved as one of the best female artistes, a step that has come with a nomination in the Best Female artiste at this year’s edition of the Mamas.
From a radio presenter at Choice FM to a VJ with MTV Base not many could have predicted Vanessa’s rise which kicked off with her collaboration with Ommy Dimpoz in ‘Me and You’.
Her first cut in the industry left many awe-struck with some wondering whether she was just another wannabe whose hunger for fame had driven her off her day time job.
The single was voted Song of The Year at the Kili Music awards in 2013 and from there on there was no looking back.
The buzz was further heightened when she released her first solo effort which she aptly titled ‘Closer’ which also bagged an award in the 2014 edition of the KTMA.
Others like ‘Come Over’ ‘Hajui,’ ‘Siri’ and the blazing ‘No Body but Me’ have only reaffirmed her position as one of the hottest music properties in Tanzania and Africa.
Her double win as ‘Best Female Artiste’ and ‘Best Female Performer’ at the Kili awards is probably just the beginning of the story yet to unfold.
Come Saturday July 18, Vanessa could become the first Tanzanian artiste to win the prestigious award at an event which is set to be held in Durban South Africa.
Speaking with The beat on her nomination, an elated Vanessa said though she always wanted to be a musician it never occurred to her that she would reach the level of being nominated at continental level.
“It was something that I always wanted to be, but I never even in my wildest dreams expect that I would one day be vying for one of the most prestigious awards on the continent,” she said.
The nomination makes Vanessa only the third female artiste to be nominated after Nakaaya in 2008 and Shaa in 2009.
She says that the nomination to her represents a victory of some sort which forces her to even work much harder.
“It won’t matter a lot whether I win or not but the fact that I have been nominated means a lot to me and my music,” she said.
In an industry where female artistes are dwindling by the day, Vanessa says she has always believed in working hard and that is why she treats her music as a career and not some hobby.
“ I work hard because this is what I have decided to take as my job and that is why I give it my all. The reason why some artistes slow down is probably because they have other alternatives,” she says.
And as testimony to her hard work an album is in the works with the release date set for December even as some of her counterparts think the market doesn’t support this kind of project. “I am working on my debut album and it will be marketed online given the piracy situation on the ground.”
A move that observers say is a bold one as she seems to have seen what many Bongo Flava artistes have not been able to see in so many years.
“We all know that with the advent of technology, sales for CDs have dropped worldwide because people now consume music digitally,” says a close source.
