Vanessa Mahi (born 17 December 1997), known professionally as Ivorian Doll, is a British-German rapper and internet personality of Ivorian descent.[2][3][4] She made her debut in collaboration with Abigail Asante, releasing singles under the name Abigail x Ivorian Doll. She has since gone on to release several singles as a solo artist.
Early life
Mahi was born in Flensburg, Germany to parents from the Ivory Coast and moved to East London when she was three years old with her father.[5][6] Her mother initially stayed in Germany, later joining the family when Mahi was a teenager and her parents reunited.[1] Her pseudonym refers to her Ivorian heritage. Mahi's father is a pastor.[1] He took her to acting classes from the age of 11.[7] She attended Haggerston School.[7]
Career
Before starting her music career, Mahi was a YouTuber.[2] Mahi describes herself as having gone into a rap career "accidentally".[6]
After making her musical debut collaborating with Abigail Asante, Mahi began releasing music as a solo performer in late 2019.[6] Her debut single was "Queen of Drill".[6]
She released her breakout track, "Rumours", in April 2020.[1] The music video for the track on YouTube reached a million views within a month.[7]
Mahi was nominated for Best Newcomer in the 2020 MOBO Awards.[8]
