Ugandan singer Vinka, real name Veronica Nakiyingi Luggya, has opened up about struggling with stress and depression during the early stages of her music career, saying harsh social media criticism took a toll on her mental well-being.
The singer said entering the music industry exposed her to constant criticism from people online, with some social media users belittling and abusing her.
At the time, she found the comments difficult to handle.
But Vinka says years in the industry have changed the way she responds to public opinion.
She has developed what she describes as a “tough skin,” allowing her to focus more on her career rather than letting individual comments define her.
Vinka reflected on the challenges she faced when she first entered Uganda’s music industry, saying negative comments on social media affected her emotionally.
“When I had just started doing music, I went through stress and depression because of the words that were being spoken against me,” she said.
The singer explained that she eventually learned how to handle criticism as her career progressed.
“But as I kept growing, I developed a tough skin and got used to people’s words,” she added.
Vinka said some of the criticism went beyond ordinary feedback, describing experiences with people who abused her online and others who overlooked her before criticizing her work.
The experience, however, did not stop her from continuing to build her career.
Instead, she says it helped her develop greater resilience.
Vinka also reflected on another challenge that has remained with her despite years of performing: stage fright.
The singer revealed that she still experiences nervousness before going on stage, with her heart sometimes racing depending on the event.
Her first performance, however, was relatively comfortable.
She said she made her stage debut with her song “Level” at Nsambya Girls’ School.
“My first time on stage was with a song called Level at Nsambya Girls. It was okay because it was a school event, so I didn’t find it difficult,” she recalled.
Since then, Vinka has performed at numerous events, but the nerves have not completely disappeared.
“Even on stage, I get stage fright, but it changes when the music starts. I don’t know what happens, but I just get into the mood,” she said.
According to Vinka, the anxiety usually fades once the performance begins.
“Every time I take the stage, I get stage fright depending on the event, and my heart races, but eventually I get comfortable and do my thing.”
Vinka’s comments reflect the difference between the confidence audiences see on stage and what performers may experience before the music starts.
Although she has established herself as a recognizable Ugandan artist, she says nerves remain part of her performance experience.
Her approach to criticism has also changed significantly.
Vinka believes she has matured as an artist, particularly in her vocals, confidence and branding.
“I’ve matured as an artist, voice-wise and in terms of branding,” she said.
“If I had fears back then, now I’m a bit more solid, but I’m still hungry for more success.”
That combination of increased confidence and continued ambition appears to be central to how Vinka views her career today.
She acknowledges the difficulties she experienced without suggesting that the journey is over.
Vinka’s experience highlights the pressure that can come with building a public career in the social media era.
Artists can receive immediate feedback from thousands of people, and not all of that feedback is constructive.
For Vinka, the criticism became particularly difficult during the early stages of her career, when she was still developing her confidence and identity as an artist.
Her message to upcoming musicians is that online criticism should not automatically be treated as a reflection of their true worth.
She urged rising artists to remember that one person’s negative opinion does not represent how everyone sees them.
“To rising artists, even when you face those challenges, that doesn’t mean one person’s opinion is how everyone sees you,” she said.
Vinka’s story also shows that confidence does not necessarily mean the complete absence of fear.
Even after years in music, she still experiences stage fright.
The difference, she says, is what happens once the performance begins.
The music takes over, the nerves settle and she becomes comfortable enough to perform.
Her experience with criticism appears to have followed a similar path — something that once overwhelmed her has become easier to manage with experience.
Vinka says the criticism that once contributed to stress and depression ultimately became part of the experience that helped her develop a tougher skin. Her message to emerging artists is simple: one person’s opinion does not define how the world sees you.