2016 was a bumper year for local artiste Diana Teta, musically speaking. It was in this year that she released the video for Velo, arguably her biggest hit to date.

The song’s audio became an instant hit and the singer had promptly promised her fans a video clip for the song as a New Year’s gift. And, true to her word that promise materialized when she dropped the video on January 1st, 2016.

But nobody had anticipated her next move, which came a couple of weeks after the video’s release, just as the song was at the climax of its hit status: she travelled abroad, and only returned to the country last week.

"I was abroad for a year and a couple of months, mainly to produce my first music album called Iwanyu, composed of thirteen tracks,” she said. "I also spent a couple of months in California last fall in a social impact music project that brought together musicians from different corners of the world including Rwanda, Togo, Brazil, USA and more.”

Together, they produced a 10 track music album and did tours around the United States and Cancun, in Mexico.

"This was definitely a great experience, I am growing everyday as a person and musically as well,” Teta said.

"I am back in the country genuinely to see my family and friends but also celebrate my birthday which was celebrated last Friday on May 5! I have no official music concerts here at the moment that explains why I did not announce anything before coming... I just missed home and decided to buy a ticket and come!”

Since her return last week, she has been making back-to-back TV and radio appearances; "which was also a way to see all my fellows working in the media, the same people who have had my back since day one and whom I believe still do,” she explained. She also used the media appearances to promote the video for her latest song, Birangwa, which was released a week earlier.

"The only way to see and understand the current status of my music is by viewing the video for my latest song Birangwa which is now available on my YouTube channel. All I can say is that I am growing every day.”

But Teta’s homecoming is only short lived. She will be heading back abroad, to Geneva, Switzerland where she is slated to perform at a charity concert on May

26.

She is organising the event in collaboration with the Rwandan Diaspora community in Switzerland "to raise money that will cover health insurance for some 5000 people in Rwanda who are in need of that support.”

"After that, I will continue with my album finalization which won’t take more than a month or two before the release also coming soon.”

Teta insists that her recent foreign travels have only helped her move from strength to strength.

"I am growing generally and of course musically. I’m getting more and more exposure on the international market; I still have a lot to learn, but I know I am in the right path. I have a number of loyal fans here who follow me on social media and are happy and proud of what I’m achieving day after day, I see comments and different kinds of feedback, and that’s what pushes me to do even more, and giving up just never crosses my mind.”

editorial@newtimes.co.rw