Rwanda's musical sensation, Bruce Melodie, featured on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show on Wednesday, December 13, alongside his recent collaborator, Jamaican-American reggae rapper Shaggy.
Broadcast from New York City, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show is a mix of music, celebrity interviews, and comedy bits. Its host, Elvis Duran, has been in radio for more than 30 years. Aired through Premiere Radio Networks in over 80 markets across the United States and Canada, it is the most listened to Top 40 morning show in the U.S.
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Sharing insights on the reception Melodie received in the U.S., Shaggy said: "We did Jingle Ball recently, I think it's in Dallas, and we were on their show. Once we got back, the social media person said this is the most engagement we've had. I think all of East Africa was going crazy, just the fact that he was at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball."
For Melodie, the experience was monumental, especially representing East Africa. He said: "That was huge for us, especially for where I come from - Kigali, Rwanda. It was very significant to see me performing with Shaggy live in our new song called 'When She's Around.' It was very huge for everyone of us."
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Reflecting on his impressions of New York, Melodie shared: "It&039;s very cold out here, and the food is good. It's totally different because, for us, we have organic food, like only organic food in Africa, you know? The city is very busy. We visited Four Square, and people were moving around. It was my first time seeing a lot of people on the road, just like that. It's very nice. Screens, lights everywhere. It's a good city. It's pretty amazing."
When asked about the experience of collaborating with Shaggy, Melodie expressed his disbelief. "I recorded this and I dropped it. People liked the song, but I didn't know that someone like Shaggy could love my song. So it happened to me, and the first time they told me that Shaggy is going to jump on my song, I was like, nah, that's a lie. So it feels very good working with Shaggy because I'm a huge fan," he said.
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Shaggy, reflecting on their history, shared: "You know what the crazy part is? We have history together. The first time I went to Kigali, Rwanda, it was 2008. I did a massive concert there in the stadium, and he was there."
The ‘Katerina’ hitmaker is currently in the U.S for the 'iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour,' which commenced in Dallas on November 28, and set to conclude on December 16 in Miami, with 11 stops throughout the US.
Renowned as one of the largest holiday events in the U.S, the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour has hosted performances from iconic acts such as Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, One Direction, Rihanna, and Ariana Grande, among others.
Bruce Melodie revealed he’ll be performing in Portland, Maine, on December 30. During his leisure time, he plans to explore the 'Hollywood Walk of Fame,' where his host Elvis Duran holds a star.
The Rwandan artist has been gaining international recognition through collaborations with regional talents like Innoss'B, Harmonize, Eddy Kenzo, and the recent one with global sensation Shaggy. His music videos have amassed millions of views, and in 2023 Melodie recorded over 4.7 million streams on Spotify.
Melodie's music is now part of the catalog being sold by the 'Universal Music Publishing Group.' due to a partnership with S-Curve Records, as disclosed by sources on November 1.