Know your celeb: The making of Vinka

Her 2023 hit single 'Bailando', which was produced by Andre on the Beat, was chart-topping for a long while.

Below is how Vinka, real name Veronica Nakiyingi Lugya, has grown in the music industry over the years.

She grew up in Kazo, Kawempe, at her father's place and Bweyogerere (mother’s place), where she went when she was in P.5. The parents were separated.

She went to Hormisdallen Schools (Kamwokya), Rubaga Girls’ Secondary School and Makerere University, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Tourism Administration in 2017.

In A-Level, she was an entertainment prefect, and she started dancing and singing when she was in high school

In S.6 vacation, she participated in a dancing competition called NTV Hot Steps with friends whom she joined to form a group and they won.

She later worked for Jackie Chandiru as a dancer. It’s when Chandiru started falling sick that Vinka started thinking about quitting.

She had been performing at Buzz Events, which is owned by Swangz Avenue, and also danced for their artiste the late Sera. That's how she met Julius Kyazze. Kyazze offered her a job as an artiste manager and she took it.

She got the job while she was still at university and part-timed it with Chandiru’s until she asked her to choose between her and managing Irene Ntale. She chose to work with Ntale.

In 2015, Swangz Avenue needed a dancehall artiste and they told her to participate in scouting for one.

She had been doing jingles and voice-overs at the record label. The label produces adverts for organisations.

Then in 2016, after she was done with school, she offered herself to try and become that dancehall singer. They hit the studio, and she recorded Level, her first single.

It was followed by Overdose, Malaika, and Love Doctor.

She believes that Malaika was the song that gave her the confidence that she had finally made it as a singer.

She stopped doing artiste management in October 2016 and focused fully on singing in February 2017.