Aimée Milienne Kamagweri is known on the national scene as an up-coming Afro-beat artiste. The 21-year-old born of Nyamirambo, a City of Kigali suburb, is however more than that.

Aimée, as she is known to her fans, is also a third year student of business administration at Adventist University of Central Africa, Mudende.

Despite a busy academic schedule, she finds time to work on her music career. Aimée is currently working on a new song, Ni Wowe, to be recorded as soon as she gets holidays. Ni Wowe will feature local hip-hop artiste, Bulldog. Stephen Kalimba had a chat with her about her music career.

What’s your music background?

I started singing at six. My father was, and still is, a pastor at Adventist Church in Nyamirambo and I used to sing in the church choir. In my high school I used to mime and dance to songs from artistes like Beyonce.  When I grew up, I naturally started singing.

Do you have any role models in music? 

I don’t have a local idol but, I like Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga. I like Miley’s performance and style while for Lady Gaga, I like her crazy ways; I think I am crazy like her.  

What is your music creation process like?

When I got to the studio, I listen to beats from there for inspiration and I start writing lyrics. I take about four or five hours to come up with a song and immediately record it. 

When was your first performance?

It was in Quelque Part Bar in January last year. I did two songs called Gusepera and Agacuma K’amagambo. My friends from school and home were among the crowd and they cheered me on. I was surprised and felt like I was famous.

Have you performed elsewhere?

I sang alongside Young Grace during Primus Guma Guma last year. We are good friends and she is like a sister to me. I performed at the National University of Rwanda NUR too.  What are your dreams as an up-coming artiste?I dream about getting a manager, and be an international artiste and hold crowds of 2,000 people. Right now I have seven songs, I hope to do five more and compile an album.

What challenges do you face?

I don’t have a promoter and that is my main challenge. I wish to do good music and be able to get a sponsor. 

What advice do you give to fellow upcoming artistes?

Music is good; it’s like a job. When you do it well, that is promote your songs, it can make you famous, make some money for you and enables you meet many new people. Some people take music like a joke, but it isn’t.