How Rwandan celebrities chose their stage names

Riderman The 2013 Primus Guma Guma Super Star’s original name is Emery Gatsinzi. But he is best known by his stage name Riderman. He is a musician and rapper.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Riderman The 2013 Primus Guma Guma Super Star’s original name is Emery Gatsinzi. But he is best known by his stage name Riderman. He is a musician and rapper."I chose Riderman as my stage name because life is a journey and so is excellence. I’m destined for great things and to get to my destiny, I’m riding to my destiny. So I felt Riderman will definitely be the right stage name.” Tom Close The first ever Primus Guma Guma Super Star winner, Tom Close, whose original name is Tom Muyomba, reveals that his stage name is a nickname he attained while in P2 in a boarding school in Uganda. "I had two close friends in primary two and we decided to add the close to our names, so I became Tom Close and my other two friends became David Close and Peter Close. When I started my music career, I decided to keep Tom Close as my stage name.  I don’t know if these friends of mine remained with the Close name because I have not met them again after I left Uganda.”Young Grace The hip hop recording artist Young Grace‘s original name is Grace M. Abayizera. She explains that she chose Young Grace because she entered into the music industry at a tender age. "In 2010 when I ventured into the music industry, I was just 17 years old and I felt that Young Grace sounded great as a stage name. Although I’m older now, I will stick to it. I will have it forever because it’s who I am.” Cynthia Umurungi Ginty, K-FM Radio Presenter The K-FM Cynthia Umurungi, also known as Ginty, got her nickname from her father. "Ginty was a childhood nickname given to me by my dad. I did not use it much when I was growing up but when I ended up on radio I figured it would come in handy. It caught up very fast. Some people know me as just Cynthia, others know me as Ginty. Ginty is the entertainer and Cynthia the serious one.”Queen Cha Yvonne Mugemana, Commonly known as Queen Cha , the "Umwe Rukumbi” singer featuring Riderman, credited the Cha to her father and late mother. "Queen describes me as a woman while the Cha represents my father’s first name which is Charlie and A is the first letter to my late mother’s name Adeline. They brought me to this world and I’m blessed  because of them.”