When your idols become your rivals

Mzvee and Efya

After having led Dancehall diva, MzVee, to a laudable victory, at last Saturday’s VGMAs 2016, Lynx Entertainment has made it very clear that the songstress’s successes will not drive her into a ditch of complacency.

It is very easy for fans and music lovers to forget and to become oblivious to the fact that behind all of the fun tunes, the edgy clothing, the sex appeal, the huge stages and indeed, the big awards, there’s usually a formidable team that propels an artiste forward.

Such a team includes makeup artists, stylists, sound engineers, music producers, promoters, choreographers, songwriters, music composers, brand strategists, managers; the list could go on and on.

And Vera Hamenoo-Kpeda, more popularly known as MzVee, has got her back covered, in this regard.

MzVee first appeared on the Ghanaian music scene in 2012, as the lead singer of Lynx Entertainment’s girl band D3.

The band released a number of hit singles, including ‘Good Girls Gone Bad’ and ‘Gyani Gyani’, before the girls decided to part ways at the end of 2013, due to their individual educational aspirations.

MzVee went on to launch her solo career, with her debut single, ‘Borkor Borkor’, which was released in January 2014 and was followed up with the sensational single ‘Natural Girl’.

Like clockwork, the singer subsequently won the Unsung Artiste Award at the 2014 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.

Her debut album was released later that year, in November 2014, and features collaborations with several award winning artistes such as Stonebwoy, VIP, Shatta Wale, Richie, Manifest and Didier Awadi.

Following the success of her award-winning debut album, MzVee released her second album titled ‘Verified’ in November 2015, which earned MzVee seven nominations at the just ended 2016 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for the single ‘Abofra’, which features Efya.

And it is no secret that the Lynx Entertainment star left the Accra International Conference Centre on Saturday, May 7, with an award that cements her status as the Best Female Vocalist in Ghana.

On her win, her management had this to say: “[We feel] good…great…thankful…the usual appreciative feelings [that] people experience when their hard work is rewarded.”

MzVee’s management has also asserted that the hardworking young lady is not and will not be slacking in 2016.

“[There’s] a lot [planned for this year], actually. We’re going to continue her high school tour, for one and this [year] we’ll launch her album earlier than November.”

“[Also], She just got back from SA with Gyo. We shot five videos and [we’ll be] shooting some more, before the year ends. During her acceptance speech, at the VGMAs 2016, MzVee acknowledged her management, as well as the fiery and talented Efya, who delivered an amazing live performance on the night.

“I’m so grateful to [my management] Lynx Entertainment, for bringing me this far, for holding me down.” “I want to say thank you to Efya. She’s my big sister and has taught me a lot.”

It is clear that MzVee’s rise to stardom has been consistent and well-mapped out and it is no wonder that her musical idol has become one of her musical rivals, especially since Efya had also been nominated in the VGMAs 2016 category for Best Female Vocalist, as had the likes of Irene Logan, Adina, Nana Yaa and Yaa Yaa.

There has been some controversy over whether MzVee truly deserved the award or not, especially since some might argue that most of the other nominees are better vocalists than she is.

But is that really the point? Showbiz is tough business and one needs to be just as relevant, as they are talented, to be able to catch and hold the attention of the masses; and MzVee’s management has obviously ensured that she leads the pack.

Source: Apiorkor Seyiram Ashong|ghanaweb