Category: Entertainment

Mighty Popo will be performing at the festival for the second time.

Other artistes confirmed to stage performances include Donné Roberts from Madagascar, Alpha Yaya Diallo (Guinea) and Emde (Mali) among others.

Speaking to IGIHE, Mighty Popo has promised fun-filled performances adding that he will also give the floor to his students to exhibit their talents.

“It is a great honor to perform at this big festival again. I can promise fans and everyone attending that my performance will be very amazing,” he said.

The annual festival, which is the brainchild of the Batuki Music Society in Toronto, Canada, celebrates the uniqueness, wealth and diversity of African music. It features both Canada-based and international artistes.

Batuki Music Society artistic director, Nadine McNulty recently told Music In Africa that the transition from a live audience to a virtual one has presented some challenges for the organisation to adapt to the new situation.

“This is a new environment for many of us because we lost many performances spaces and support systems that come along with producing regular live events. It was challenging to find appropriate venues that could accommodate social distancing, technical gear and staffing,” she said.

Due to unprecedented effects brought by COVID-19, McNulty revealed that the organization is learning new skill sets to continue to present its activities in the virtual world.

Having started his music career in Burundi, Mighty Popo is the man behind “Kigali Up”, a music festival that has been bringing together world-famous musicians for live musical performances and other fun-filled activities in Kigali.

World Tuberculosis Day is observed on 24th March each year with the aim of spreading public awareness about the global epidemic of Tuberculosis and efforts to eliminate the disease.

In light with the celebration of World Tuberculosis Day and sensitizing the public on testing for TB, Mico The Best has organized a concert that will also feature performances by renowned rapper, Riderman.

Anita Pendo, an entertainment figure working with RBA will be the master of ceremony.

Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the concert will go live on social media platforms including his Youtube channel.

The concert will begin 7pm.

Claude Uhujimfura, the Manager of KIKAC music label has told IGIHE that the concert was organized in collaboration with relevant institutions including the Ministry of Health, Rwanda Biomedica Center among other key players in the fight against Tuberculosis.

Mico the Best officially joined anti-Tuberculosis awareness campaign in January 2020.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis is curable and preventable.

TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.

About one-quarter of the world’s population has a TB infection, which means people have been infected by TB bacteria but are not (yet) ill with the disease and cannot transmit it.

People infected with TB bacteria have a 5–10% lifetime risk of falling ill with TB.

Those with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV, malnutrition or diabetes, or people who use tobacco, have a higher risk of falling ill.

When a person develops active TB disease, the symptoms (such as cough, fever, night sweats, or weight loss) may be mild for many months. This can lead to delays in seeking care, and results in transmission of the bacteria to others. People with active TB can infect 5–15 other people through close contact over the course of a year.

Without proper treatment, WHO says, 45% of HIV-negative people with TB on average and nearly all HIV-positive people with TB will die.

The singer who succumbed to heart disease has been getting treatment at Kigali University Teaching Hospital (CHUK).

Speaking to IGIHE, one of his children has said that his father died yesterday on Sunday 7th March 2021 around 7p.m.

Early this month, Ntawuhanundi told IGIHE that he was recovering with plans to resume work.

“I have been critically ill but I am recovering. Two days before, I passed by the workplace to see the situation but I could not work immediately. I will resume work within few days,” he said.

Ntawuhanundi dies after completing his album comprised of nine songs.

Speaking to IGIHE, Master P who produced the album songs said he had already submitted.

“He had finished his album of nine songs including eight gospel songs and one ordinary song. I had already put final touches and handed it to the owner who expected to release it,” he said.

John Ntawuhanundi dies at the age of 56.

Wailer, a baritone singer whose birth name is Neville Livingston, formed The Wailers in 1963 with late superstars Bob Marley and Peter Tosh when they lived in a slum in the capital of Kingston. They catapulted to international fame with the album “Catch a Fire” and also helped popularize Rastafarian culture among better-off Jamaicans starting in the 1970s.

“Jah-B was a vanguard, always pushing the boundaries of expression, whether in song, in style or in spoken word,” said Brian Paul Welsh, a local reggae musician known as Blvk H3ro. “There was and can only ever be one Neville Livingston.”

Wailer died at Andrews Memorial Hospital in the Jamaican parish of St. Andrew of complications from a stroke he suffered in July, manager Maxine Stowe told The Associated Press.

His death was mourned worldwide as people shared music, memories and pictures of the renowned artist.

“The passing of Bunny Wailer, the last of the original Wailers, brings to a close the most vibrant period of Jamaica’s musical experience,” wrote Jamaica politician Peter Phillips in a Facebook post. “Bunny was a good, conscious Jamaican brethren.”

Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, also paid tribute to Wailer, calling him “a respected elder statesman of the Jamaican music scene,” in a series of tweets.

“This is a great loss for Jamaica and for Reggae, undoubtedly Bunny Wailer will always be remembered for his sterling contribution to the music industry and Jamaica’s culture,” he wrote.

While Wailer toured the world, he was more at home in Jamaica’s mountains and he enjoyed farming while writing and recording songs on his label, Solomonic.

″I think I love the country actually a little bit more than the city,″ Wailer told The Associated Press in 1989. ″It has more to do with life, health and strength. The city takes that away sometimes. The country is good for meditation. It has fresh food and fresh atmosphere — that keeps you going.″

A year before, in 1988, he had chartered a jet and flew to Jamaica with food to help those affected by Hurricane Gilbert.

″Sometimes people pay less attention to those things (food), but they turn out to be the most important things. I am a farmer,” he told the AP.

He was the third and last original Wailer. Marley died in 1981 of a brain tumor at 36 years old and Tosh was fatally shot in Jamaica in 1987 at 42 years old.

Source: CBS NEWS

Their civil marriage was held at Rusororo sector, Gasabo district of Kigali city yesterday on Thursday 18th February 2021.

The civil marriage follows recent engagement on 8th January 2021 when Ifashabayo proposed to Karasira.

IGIHE has learnt that they are also planning for religious wedding in case Covid-19 restrictions are eased.

Clarisse Karasira met with Ifashabayo in 2017 during a concert organized in memory of late traditional singer Kamaliza.

Their friendship started when Ifashabayo who was part of the concert organizers went to invite Karasira.

It is said that Ifashabayo took over management of her affairs since 2019 after she parted ways with her then manager Alain Mukuralinda.

Karasira was expected to launch her first album in December last year but was later forced to postpone it due to stringent measures implemented following the spike in the Covid-19 infections and death toll.

As he released the audio-visual song today, Meddy dedicated it to his fans especially during end of year festive seasons.

As he spoke to IGIHE recently, Meddy revealed that the song would be dedicated to thrill fans.

“The year-end is unfolding. This year has been characterized by difficulties but we must leave it in style. I hope to be among people who can help my fans to end the year happily,” he said.

The song shot in a desert features a crew of dancers and Meddy proposing love to a girl called Caroline.

The audio was produced by Element from Country Record while the video clip was shot and produced by Lick Lick who already works with the artiste.

Carolina song follows ‘We don’t care’ in which Meddy featured with Tanzanian artistes including Rj the Dj and Rayvanny.

Jacques Muligande (Mighty Popo), the director of the school has told IGIHE that the studio will be equipped with facilities that meet international standards to support various artistes starting with the school’s students.

“The recording studio will be used by all artistes from Rwanda and beyond. Of course, our students will also access the studio during related studies,” he said.

Muligande explained that the studio will be part of the school’s income generating projects leading to self-financing.

The studio will hire different Producers that will include, among others, ongoing students or the school’s alumni, producers from Rwanda and abroad.

Muligande revealed, the studio will be operational effective from February 2021.

As he visited the school yesterday, American artiste and music producer, Teddy Riley was also taken to site of the studio under construction.

Upon completion, Riley observed that the studio will meet the same standards of his recording studio in the United States of America.

Excited over the project, he expressed willingness to return to Rwanda for partnership with students from Nyundo School of Music in various projects.

Riley worked with different super-start artistes including Michael Jackson, Jay Z, among others.

Meddy had been invited as the main performer in two festive concerts that were slated to take place in Bujumbura, Burundi.

The first show was scheduled to take place on December 29, at Boulevard de l’Uprona with another one at Le Costa Beach the following day.

Concerts had been advertised and tickets were being sold in Bujumbura.

Reports on the postponing of Meddy’s concerts started circulating when, last week, a message went viral on Facebook written by one Gatoto Egide Mathias, warning that the day Meddy steps in Burundi ‘they will kill him’.

The message that was intended to youth members of CNDD FDD, the Political Party in power in Burundi, known as Imbonerakure, went as far as accusing Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame of causing poverty to Burundi adding that the artist would go to Burundi to add to poverty that is already a threat to the lives of Burundians.

The message posted in a public Facebook group, Humura Burundi loosely translates as ” Greetings to you Imbonerakure [youth members of CNDD FDD], Kagame keeps provoking us. Now let us show him how we have gone mad and catch his dog and kill him. He (Meddy) is coming to cause us more poverty, making it worse for us.”

The post raised fears among lovers of Meddy’s music and other music lovers who wished to celebrate festive times in neighboring Burundi though the organizers of Meddy’s shows said that they had spoken to Meddy and assured him of his security and that officials of Bujumbura City had agreed to provide special policemen to guarantee his security while in Burundi.

However, on Thursday, the management of the artist issued a statement announcing the postponement of the singer’s two concerts due to security concerns.

“To our dear fans, Meddy’s management is sad to announce that we will unfortunately have to postpone our upcoming shows in Burundi due to security concerns,” the announcement by Meddy’s Management reads in part.

“To everyone who bought tickets, we appreciate you so much, you will be reimbursed, we hope partying with you soon,” the statement adds.

Meddy’s concerts have been postponed after another Rwandan singer, Bruce Melodie decided to suspend his two shows in Gitega and Bujumbura also citing fear for his life in Burundi. He was replaced by Kidumu, a Burundian star singer in a show he had to grace on Christmas.

But little has been known among Rwanda residents of the access to Bollywood and more Indian content on locally available platforms.

ZEE Network —global entertainment giant— has made it possible for anyone with subscription to DStv, Canal+, Kwese TV or StarTimes to watch Bollywood movies, novellas and more content on ZEE channels at no extra cost, according to Harish Goyal, Chief Executive Officer in charge of Africa and Asia Pacific at ZEE TV.
Bollywood is the Indian cinema industry known globally for its state-of-the art movies appealing to various categories of people—young and adult, female and male—among others.

Speaking to IGIHE Tuesday in Kigali, Goyal said there are six channels available in Rwanda for 24 hours per seven days in English on different platforms and in French on Canal+.

The English channels include Zee World available on DStv channel 166, Zee
Bollymovies on DStv channel 114 and Kwese TV channel 155 and Zee Bollynova on Kwese TV channel 150.

Zee Magic in French is on Canal+ channel 51 and WION (World Is One News) bringing latest and breaking world news in politics, business, sports, lifestyle and more on Kwese TV channel 731 and on Kwese Play.

There is also Zee Cinema International, one of the most popular movie channels in Asia, which is available on StarTimes channel 507.

Zee World also launched last Sunday the Swahili audio track for its popular series: “Twist of Fate,” which returns for the second season. The Swahili track on Zee World is available in seven regional countries via DStv channel 166 and GOtv channel 25.

Why Rwanda?

Goyal was in Kigali as one of the speakers at a three-day continental business conference. He said it was his first time in the country as his office is based in South Africa.

“Rwanda is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa; a lot is happening, investment and development. It is also a country of young citizens. For these millennials, the content that we bring really fits with Rwanda,” Goyal said of the ZEE TV interest in Rwanda.

“Rwanda is an important market. We are bringing these programmes in English and French targeting the mainstream audiences in Rwanda.”

The CEO in charge of ZEE operations in 70 countries said their extensive research indicated that there is a cultural resonance between Indians and Africans, more so Rwandans.

The similarities are mainly in the fact that both people in India and Rwanda love music, dance and colourful dresses.

“We show storylines that appeal to Rwandan people. Again, all ZEE TV content is three generation-oriented. This means that grand parents can sit with their grand children and children while watching ZEE channels,” said Goyal.

“Our relationship with Rwanda has just begun. I am confident that this relationship will grow and get strengthened further in the coming time. We are definitely looking at Rwanda as a very important market in Africa, not only in the East Africa.”

He invited Rwandan viewers to try the ZEE channels.

“I am sure that if you give us five minutes, you will like our channels for the rest of your life.”

With over 1.3 billion viewers in 173 countries, India-based ZEE Network has got 40 channels in India and outside of India.

ZEE is the world’s largest aggregator of Bollywood and Indian TV content with 242,000 hours of Bollywood content and a production of fresh 100 hours of content every day.

In Africa, the network has 12 TV channels that reach over 50 million viewers.