Digicel Rising Star finalist Laveka Miller commences five-year study at Edna Manley

The 16-year-old from Old Harbour Bay made the revelation to Old Harbour News during a guest performance for Victoria Mutual Building Society’s official opening of its Money Express branch in Old Harbour.

“I am a new student at Edna Manley College where I’m doing the Fundamentals of Music Literacy and Performance. It’s a five-year programme at the end of which I’ll have my bachelor’s,” she said last Friday before hitting the stage at the Glendon Court Plaza.

Lakeva’s passion for singing was spotted at the age of five, her dad Lumiji Miller told us and the dynamic songbird wants that special gift to count for something at the end.

It’s the main reason why she has enrolled in Edna Manley, because it is her wish to become a music teacher separate and apart from hitting the mega lime lights of a very promising musical career that’s in front of her.

“It is always my ambition to become one of the best in Jamaica and internationally,” she said.

Laveka’s path apparently was always preparing her for this challenge. She joined the school choir at Old Harbour High very early and was the lead singer in 2016 when the group finally won TVJ’s All Together Sing – the most prestigious competition of its kind for high school on the island.

And though she’s not shy from the rocking the stage with that powerful voice of hers, she admits to still feeling butterflies in the stomach, as well as fighting the challenge of singing solo.

“I always wanted to enter Rising Star and only decided to enter this year because I believe I was ready now,” Miller said.

She added: “But I find campaigning and song selection to be my biggest challenge. It’s hard, believe me.”

“If it’s a case where I’m not the champion it doesn’t stop here,” she continued. “I’ll still leave an impact in other person’s life. In myself I know that I’m a winner.”

With thousands of Jamaicans now raving for Laveka, her dad, who is also on the campaign trail, is doing everything he can for his only child.

“The sky is the limit and we are expecting great things for her now and in the future,” he tells Old Harbour News.

The winner of this season’s Digicel Rising Star will walk away with $1.5 million. To support Laveka text the word VOTE to 444-5504.