“I’m not the type of person that speaks a lot,” says the glamorous, and somewhat mysterious, dancehall singer Vanessa Bling.“If you want to understand Vanessa Bling,” she says, “you really have to listen.”
Preferring to let her music do the talking, Ms. Bling gives few interviews, and when she does it’s usually about the future. After all, she’s been able to overcome adversity, build a successful career in music, secure brand endorsements, and pay for her mother’s house. With so much to look forward to, the artist who sang “Future Guaranteed” prefers to stay focused on tomorrow.
“I try not to dwell on my past,” she says. “Whatever happened ten years ago, I’m not that same person anymore. I’m not that girl. So if you think you usually know Vanessa Bling from 2010 or whenever it is, she’s not here no more.” The woman she is today wants her fans to remember one thing: “Stay out of trouble. It’s not nice.”
But if the story of one’s past must be told, it’s best to not leave it to others. Controlling the narrative is essential in this social media era. By telling your own story it’s more likely to be a true story. “I’ve been through it all,” she says. “I’ve been to jail. I’ve been to prison. So I’m saying to y’all: Freedom is everything. Everything.”
