Badda Season Is Upon Us

Winta Mahdere, aka Badda, was born on December 7th 1996 in Ottawa, Ontario. She is a rapper, singer, songwriter, director and a producer of Eritrean descent who represents her heritage proudly and unapologetically. 

Badda discovered her passion for rhyming at a very young age. Her journey began when she started writing poems in junior high. This was the moment when she discovered her talent for clever wordplay. This discovery is what ultimately led her to Hip Hop. Having grown up in a household that revered Biggie and 2Pac, Badda was no stranger to this form of art. As a matter of fact, these two legendary icons actually helped inspire her raw delivery. She also used these traits to amplify her own authentic energy, which combines both Lil Kim’s unapologetic femininity and Alicia Keys’ vulnerability. This combination of style also reflects her ability to navigate between rapping and singing in her own distinctaive way.

The energy that Badda brings on stage and in the booth is quite simply unique and unmatched. Indeed, she started gaining recognition right away upon the release of her first track “Check After Check” in 2017. The positive reception of the song compelled Badda to drop the music video shortly after and sure enough, the impact was undeniable not just amongst her fan base, but amongst her peers as well. Some artists even went on to credit Badda for providing them with the inspiration and confidence they needed. “At that moment, I found my drive”. 

This drive is what helped push her craft to the next level. Badda never once took her foot off the gas, refusing to remain content. During the following years, she continued working on projects, developing her stage presence and evolving as an artist. She also used music as a way to navigate the highs and lows that ended up fuelling her creativity and her momentum. That same momentum led to a feature with Toronto superstar Pressa for the track “We Ridin”. The track made a lot of noise in Toronto and her hometown Ottawa. It even became the most requested song on VIBE105 (105.5FM) during summer 2019, which eventually earned them the number one spot on the station. Badda continued riding this successful wave with the release of “SSS” (Sweet, Sexy, Savage) produced by Jeff Sanon.

As previously mentioned, Badda represents her heritage proudly and unapologetically. In fact, the environment she grew up in and the harsh realities that it came with heavily inspired her music. Throughout her career, Badda has made it a priority to make her people feel seen. She is very close to her family as well as the Eritrean community. She carries the responsibility of their future on her back.  After years of self-reflection and self-growth, Badda is finally working on her first project. Despite the fact that she has high expectations to live up to, she remains unfazed by the pressure. She has been using it as motivation. “I will put my city on the map”, she shared during an exclusive interview with entertainment journalist Don Ayiti. One thing we know for sure… Badda season is upon us and it’s going to be a legendary one.