He is an emotional man who has no issue expressing his feelings towards his fans, particularly when he is happy. The unconditional love of Burundians showed The Ben during his Sunday night concert in Bujumbura deeply touched him. After approximately an hour of cheers and admiration, he couldn't help but burst into tears of joy, conveying just how immensely happy he felt.
The Ben received a massive reception from hundreds, if not thousands, of Burundians who welcomed him upon his arrival at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport on Wednesday, September 27. However, the love he witnessed from the cheering of concertgoers at Messe des Officiers on Sunday exceeded his imagination.
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Revellers also showed love for his wife, Pamela Uwicyeza, during the final minutes of the show and shouted in unison for him to bring her to the stage.
"Pamela, Pamela, Pamela...," they shouted until she stepped forward. The musician proceeded to sing ‘Ubu Ubaye Uwanjye’ [you are now mine], a snippet from his love song ‘Roho Yanjye’ to convey his affection. The two are tying the knot in December in a religious wedding ceremony that will take place at Kigali Convention Centre.
The concert attracted not only Burundians, but also Rwandans who travelled to Bujumbura to support him, giving the singer another reason to get emotional.
"Do you all know that God is amazing? All of this is not because of me but the love that God instilled in you. You guys are amazing and I am so happy for the love. I am kneeling down to praise the Lord because of you,” he said.
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Burundians are familiar with The Ben’s music, knowing every word and being able to sing along to every song he performs. The strong bond he has with his fans is a testament to the widespread popularity of his music. His fans in Burundi had eagerly anticipated his performance in the country. From &039;Ko Nahindutse,' 'Why,' and 'Habibi' to 'Thank You,' 'Naremeye,' and 'Ndaje,' his show brought them immense joy.
Artsistes miss the stage
Burundians love their musicians and the absence of star singer Big Fizzo didn’t go down well with his fans.
The artiste was backstage, however, due to time constraints, some artistes on the line-up missed their chance to perform.
The organisers had until 11pm to conclude the concert. Babo had a brief 10-minute slot to perform. After that, MC Ami Pro declared the end of the show, leaving Rwanda's Bushali, and Burundi's Lino G and Big Fizzo unable to perform.
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The fans of the latter were unimpressed to the extent that they protested against the decision to deny the musicians they had "paid tickets for" the opportunity to see him perform.
The Ben performed his part flawlessly, as did Sat B and Tanzanian disk jockey RJ the DJ. However, organisers should provide explanations to music enthusiasts regarding the absence of certain artistes.