Vanessa Mary Fernandez, born on October 17, 1982, in Singapore, has carved a remarkable path in the music and radio industry. Known by her moniker Vandetta, she has made significant strides as a singer and radio presenter. Her story is one of passion, perseverance, and unyielding dedication to her craft.
Early Beginnings of Vanessa Mary Fernandez: A Passion for Music
Vanessa Mary Fernandez’s musical journey began at the tender age of 12 when she joined her church choir. This early exposure to music ignited a passion that would shape her future. By the age of 16, while studying at CHIJ St. Joseph’s Convent, Vanessa secured a leading role in her school’s musical.
Directed by Wendy Ng, then the Artistic Director of the Singapore Repertory Theatre Young Company, this opportunity marked Vanessa’s first major foray into the performing arts.
Ng recognized Vanessa’s talent and invited her to join the established theatre group. Vanessa went on to perform in several musicals, including Re, penned by Singapore Idol judge and music veteran Dick Lee, and 24 Hours, written by Haresh Sharma for The Necessary Stage in 1998. These experiences honed Vanessa’s skills and solidified her love for performing.
The Birth of Urban Xchange and Parking Lot Pimp
In 2000, Vanessa Mary Fernandez’s career took a pivotal turn when rapper and producer Terry Lee invited her to join a group that would later be known as Urban Xchange. The group, initiated to audition for a Coca-Cola commercial, included Munir Alsagoff, Trisno Ishak, Firdaus Bahri, Michaela Therese, Humaa, and Kimberly Olsen.
Urban Xchange fronted Coca-Cola’s “Life Tastes Good” campaign and released two albums under Universal Music Singapore/Malaysia. Their regional success included contributions to the Rush Hour 2 soundtrack and performances alongside American pop singer Stacie Orrico and Malaysian rap group Too Phat at the 2003 MTV Asia Music Awards.
In 2004, Urban Xchange rebranded as Parking Lot Pimp and signed with EMI Music Southeast Asia, releasing the album Welcome To Our Frequency. Despite the group’s eventual disbandment, Vanessa’s experiences with Urban Xchange and Parking Lot Pimp were invaluable in shaping her musical career.
Embracing a New Identity: Vandetta
At the end of 2010, Vanessa joined the audio-visual collective Syndicate and performed with veteran hip-hop producer/DJ Kiat at the opening day of the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Festival 2011 in Sete, France. Later that year, she performed with producer Jason Tan at the Singapore leg of the Worldwide Festival. The duo, known as Octover, released their album under the Syndicate imprint in January 2013.
In 2014, Vanessa Mary Fernandez released the album Use Me on the Groove Note record label. Recorded in Los Angeles at the famous Ocean Way recording studio, Use Me features covers of songs by Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers, and Al Green, among others.
Vanessa’s performance at the Singapore leg of the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, alongside James Blake, Syndicate’s Gema, and The Observatory, further cemented her status as a versatile and dynamic artist.
In 2015, Vanessa Mary Fernandez announced plans to release a new EP under her Vandetta moniker. This marked a new chapter in her career, embracing a unique identity that reflects her artistic evolution.
A Flourishing Radio Career
Parallel to her music career, Vanessa Mary Fernandez also made significant contributions to radio broadcasting. In 2005, she completed her diploma in Mass Communication and was scouted by Mediacorp Radio’s 987fm to become a producer/presenter.
Over four years, she hosted several shows, including 987Stripped, and co-hosted the morning drive time show with former 987fm deejays Daniel Ong, Mister Young, and later, Divian Nair. In 2010, Vanessa left 987fm to focus on her music career but returned to radio in 2013 as the Assistant Programme Director of Lush 99.5FM until it ceased operations in 2017.
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