It was Friday evening and after the long week, all everyone wanted was some way to loosen up. Staff of NMG had their Sacco AGM meeting and although it usually ends in food, drink and music, a surprise awaited them this time.
“Mapoozi nawe, pozi pozi mapoozi nawe…” this was the song that Vinka sang as she opened her performance. Her audience: Nation Media Group employees. It is not every day that artists are brought to perform for staff, so no wonder when Vinka came on stage, the visibly starstruck staff were left dumbfounded. After a few moments of letting it sink in and the emcee’s reminder about the surprise promised is when the murmuring turned into cheers and then slowly by slowly they drew closer to the stage.
Vinka, only three years old in the business, is arguably among the top female artists in the industry right now. Most of the staff that attended the annual AGM party confessed to never having seen Vinka in person despite being big fans of her music.
Known for her dance moves, Vinka took on the employees one by one in different dance routines amid cheers, especially when she picked on the rather reserved ones.
Among the songs she performed were Malaika, Mapozi, Omukwano Gwo, Love Doctor, Tubikole, Overdose and of course Chips Na Ketchup.
The evening was, however, almost ruined by the minor sound disruption that dampened the mood and vibe but thanks to the overflow of drinks –the kind that keep people happy- the crowd was kept busy. Some used the moment to get a selfie with the Swangz Avenue artiste.
And when the sound was fixed and Vinka returned on the mic with Malaika, it was like she had gone for an energy refill because after that, the party did not stop.
She ended her performance with Chips Na Ketchup and when she left, it was lights out and the Nation Media Group family partied away as the Monitor Publications office premises blared on, with disco lights twinkling away.
issejjombwe@ug.nationmedia.com