#Arts and Culture

Viki Blain conferred Pioneer Woman Boss in Entertainment

Mar 17, 2023, 1:28 PM

The Woman Boss on 4th March honoured former Gambian singer Viki Blain as Pioneer Woman Boss in Entertainment.

She has not only put The Gambia on the map with her music but has also been very influential in creating jobs for her fellow Gambians, the organisation said.

Vicky, as far as West African music was concerned, was a musical queen. Simply referred to as Vicky, she was the first Gambian recording artiste who had her music recorded and distributed by Philips records throughout Europe in the early 60s. She went on to create hits with songs like Love Melody, Bissimilaye, Ndarjander, Mndali Senegal and Jolie Fatou.

Some of her most popular hits which earned her enormous respect in the music world include Black as Night and Gambia.

This was a time that only American Jazz artistes, like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzerald and the founder of the electric guitar Chalie Christian, were the main musical superstars known to many around the world.

She is believed to have flavour to the already standardized jazz music and jazz vocals and Africa's presence in the world of music. She lived in France as she left The Gambia at an early age. Vicky produced an LP and 3 EPs recorded in France, which were sold in Banjul at the Lecre shop at the junction of Willington and Anglesea Streets.

"I was responsible for food, hotel bills and salaries for the musicians and technicians. A lot of money was spent on this. I also employed great musicians like Manu Dibango of Cameroun, whose Soul Makossa song was replayed by Michael Jackson and rename it "Do you wanna be starting something,” Vicky was once quoted as saying.

She has not only put The Gambia on the map with her music, but she has also been very influential in creating jobs for her fellow Gambians, The Woman Boss said.