The Ben’s recent sold-out concert in Bujumbura, Burundi, was proof that Rwandan music is on the move and more than ever, local musicians are using their ability to satisfy global music consumers.
Even before the sold-out concert, which took place on October 1, at the Messe des Officiers, the Rwandan star had already received a massive welcome from hundreds, if not thousands, of Burundians who greeted him upon his arrival at the Melchior Ndadaye International Airport on Wednesday, September 27.
Attracting such a crowd and having a sold-out concert in another country is not common in the Rwandan music industry, but some big names in the industry have had successful concerts both in the country and abroad.
The New Times highlights some of the Rwandan artistes who have had sold out concerts and attracted huge crowds.
Bruce Melodie’s 10-year anniversary music concert
Rwandan Afrobeat artiste Bruce Melodie celebrated the 10th anniversary of his breakthrough record on November 6, 2022, in a colourful concert that attracted more than 7,000 live spectators and more than 50 million fans through online streaming of the concert.
Thousands of revelers, including a section of over a hundred taxi moto drivers were offered free tickets to watch the concert that took place at the then Kigali Arena, now BK arena.
The concert also featured various performances by local artistes such as Papa Cyangwe, Niyo Bosco and the Inganzo Ngari Cultural Troupe, who officially opened the concert.
Apart from being the most prolific artiste in Rwanda who has drawn large crowds to his concerts, Bruce Melodie is also one of the few local musicians who have signed contracts to promote more local businesses in Rwanda.
Meddy’s homecoming concert
After almost 10 years without returning home, singer Meddy Ngabo drew thousands of revellers to the seventh edition of the Mutzig Beer Fest on September 2, 2017 in Nyamata town, Bugesera District at the Golden Tulip Hotel.
The concert, nicknamed the ‘Return of Meddy’, was one of the best that took place that year as it attracted thousands of music lovers who travelled from Kigali to Bugesera to witness Meddy’s live performance and unique dance moves without other renowned artists in the concert line-up.
The concert reintroduced Meddy to the local Rwandan music scene and marked the beginning of his music tour sponsored by Airtel, which covered all the provinces of Rwanda.
The Ben’s Burundi Concert / Homecoming Performance at East African Party
Rwandan US-based star The Ben, real name Benjamin Mugisha, was welcomed back home six years after he left the country during the East African Party on New Year’s Day 2018, arguably one of the biggest music events in Rwanda in recent years.
The show, which drew thousands of revelers to the Amahoro Stadium car park, also featured ecstatic performances from the duo Charly and Nina, Bruce Melodie and the late Yvan Buravan, as well as deejays such as DJ Bisoso and DJ Phil Peter.
Last week, the same artist made history by becoming the first Rwandan musician to play a sold-out concert in Burundi, which attracted tens of thousands of revellers.
He was paid over Rwf40 million for the concert, which took place at a Bujumbura military base known as Messe des Officier, where thousands of not only Burundians but also Rwandans who travelled to Bujumbura gathered to witness the historic performance.
The concert is considered by many to be the best to take place in Burundi since the beginning of 2023. It featured performances by Burundi’s Sati B, Tanzanian disc jockey RJ the DJ and Rwanda’s Babo, among others.
Israel Mbonyi
Rwandan gospel star Israel Mbonyi is no stranger to drawing huge crowds to his concerts, with almost all of his shows selling out a day before the official show date.
On June 11, the gospel artiste put on a massive show during his first European tour show, which took place at the Birmingham Palace in Brussels, where thousands of his European-based fans gathered to see him perform live.
Dubbed ‘Mbonyi Live in Brussels’, tickets for the show sold out 24 hours before the D-day of the event, something that has not happened for some time, according to Justin Karekezi, the brains behind the show.
Last year, Mbonyi did the same in Montreal, Canada, before filling the BK Arena on Christmas for the launch of his ‘Icyambu’ album.
It was an exhilarating concert that saw some 10,000 people dancing and singing along for over two hours in a one-man gospel concert that many consider to be the first successful one-man show in the Rwandan music industry since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mbonyi is currently the number one gospel musician in Rwanda with successful projects and music tours around the world.
