Vanessa Mdee

Vanessa Hau Mdee (born 7 June 1988), is a Tanzanian singer, rapper, television personality and radio host.

Mdee is popularly known for being the first ever Tanzanian MTV VJ.

Vanessa Mdee was born on 7 June 1988 in Arusha, the third-largest city in Tanzania.

Mdee became familiar with various cultures after growing up in New York, Paris, Nairobi and Arusha.

She obtained her secondary and high level education at Arusha Modern High School.

Mdee attended university at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa to pursue a law degree.

Mdee quickly became familiar with many different forms of creative and performing arts.

In early 2007, Mdee got the chance to audition for The MTV VJ Search in Dar es Salaam.

Afterwards, she joined Carol and Kule to host the Coca-Cola Chart Express.

By 2008, Mdee had established herself in Tanzania and around the continent, hosting shows in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Angola, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

She also became known in the United States and Brazil.

In 2008, Mdee worked with the Staying Alive Foundation on a project close to her heart.

She got to visit the Uwanja wa Fisi with then-Staying Alive Foundation Special Ambassador Kelly Rowland.

Mdee also joined Malaria No More in their Z!nduka Campaign, a campaign aimed at the eradication of malaria.

In early 2009 Mdee hosted Senses, Sounds and Wisdom with Zantel during the annual Sauti Za Busara International Music Festival, showcasing the ever-growing Swahili culture.

Mdee's fashion sense has made her the go-to girl at every MTV Africa Music Awards.

She hosted the red carpet event for three years in a row.

In 2011, Mdee's became the host of 102.5 Choice FM's The Hitlist.

As host, Mdee played R&B, Hip-Hop, and Pop.

She also interviewed many artists, such as K'naan, Kelly Rowland, Mac Miller, Rick Ross, Ludacris, Miguel, Donald, Naazizi, Xtatic, Stella Mwangi, Camp Mulla, Tay Grin, Teargas, Dr. Sid and many more African and international acts.

Along with her pan-African weekly TV show, MTV's Base Select 10 and daily radio gig, Mdee blogged as a roving reporter on behalf of MTV Staying Alive and UNAIDS on her Dynamites Mission website.

She was MTV's voice at the 2011 UNAIDS Mali Youth Summit in Bamako and the subsequent High Level meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, She participated in the International Conference on HIV and STI's in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and cofounded (along with M. K. Asante) STANDWIDTH, under the UNAIDS umbrella.

Damian Kimt.

She later rose to prominence as a radio and TV host, hosting Epic Bongo Star Search and Dume Challenge for ITV Tanzania before signing to B'Hits Music Group in late 2012.

In 2012 Mdee hosted MTV Base Meets, a show geared towards empowering young Africans from around the world by giving them the rare opportunity to sit down with an influential leader.

MTV Base Meets brought her in the company of Russell Simmons, Alek Wek, former President of Nigeria Hon. Olusegun Obasanjo, football star Emmanuel Adebayor and Akon.

Mdee also hosted the Kili Music Awards (Tanzania's music awards) as well as Tanzania's nationwide talent search Epiq Bongo Star Search (EBSS).

Mdee is currently working on her new web series Vee World Wide, about her travels and encounters with various celebrities from around the world.

People who have appeared on Vee World Wide include Keke Palmer, Carol Rodrigues, Da Internz, Keyshia Knight Pulliam, LeToya Luckett, DWoods, GOOD Music's D'Banj and many more.

Mdee was asked to audition for BET's 106 & Park, although she did not get the gig.

Also in 2012, Mdee was awarded at a gala in New York City by the UNA-YP (United Nations Association of Young Professionals) for being an African change maker.

In the same month she was awarded by the GAVI Alliance for her support in the initiation of free vaccinations for Tanzanian children.

After joining B'hits Music Group, Mdee collaborated with Tanzanian rapper A.Y. on a record Money and Ommy Dimpoz, a Bongo Flava artist on a record Me and You that was later voted Song of the Year during the 2013 Kilimanjaro Music Awards.

She received an even bigger buzz with the release of her first solo single "Closer", which in its first week was downloaded over 30,000 times, a feat achieved by no other Tanzanian artist.

"Closer" remained on the charts for over 13 weeks.

Vanessa has had the chance to interview many artists, such as K'naan, Kelly Rowland, French Montana, Mac Miller, Rick Ross, Ludacris, Miguel, Donald, Nazizi, Xtatic, Stella Mwangi, Camp Mulla, Tay Grin, Teargas and many more African and international acts.

In May 2013, Mdee was invited to speak at the World Economic Forum for Africa in Cape Town, South Africa on behalf of the GAVI Alliance on the announcement of the new record low price for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

In 2015 and 2016, she released three singles ("Nobody But Me", "Never Ever" and "Niroge") which were also received well.

In 2018, she was signed to Universal Music Group.

During her Deep Dive With Vanessa Mdee Podcast in 2020, Vanessa Mdee in an unforeseen move, announced to quit the music industry citing pressure and depression as the cause of her decision.