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Vanessa Mdee: I used alcohol to escape depression as a music star


Tanzanian-born, Atlanta-based musician Vanessa Mdee has recently shared the deeply personal story behind her decision to quit alcohol.

The mother of two cited stress and the toll of the music industry as the driving forces behind her past struggles with alcoholism.

Speaking candidly on TikTok, the mother of two disclosed:

“When I was in the entertainment industry, I had a lot of stress, and to cope with the stress and to escape a lot of depression, I drank a lot. I was a functional alcoholic. I would do everything perfectly actually, but towards the end, that’s in 2018, I drank every night to go to sleep, and it was an unhealthy lifestyle.”

Mdee went on to reveal that a spiritual awakening played a crucial role in her decision to quit drinking.

“As I got close to God, the Holy Spirit convicted me to stop drinking, and after a very personal traumatic experience, I decided to quit drinking forever.”

In November, Mdee took to social media to announce that she had been sober for four years.

“I don’t drink alcohol. I’m almost four years without an alcoholic beverage, and I’m so proud of myself. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” she declared.

Residing in the United States with her fiancé Rotimi and their two children, Mdee expressed gratitude for the positive changes in her life since embracing sobriety.

She emphasized the transformative impact of accepting Christ in a previous TikTok video.

“I was depressed and exhausted at the height of my career. I kept going but I was sick and was a workaholic suffering inside.”

Reflecting on her journey, Mdee shared:

“I had the greatest fans in the world, but I needed true happiness because all that glitters is not gold. My spirit wasn’t at peace, so something needed to change. I surrendered and said, ‘God, you can have my heart.’ Jesus blessed me, healed me, and continues to work on me.”

Vanessa Mdee quit the music industry in 2019 saying it was demonic.

“I needed to choose my life, the music industry is demonic,” Vanessa said in her podcast.