Nigerian Afro-pop songbird, Yemi Alade and Kenyan Afro-pop band, Sauti Sol will headline the New Year Countdown Concert that is slated for December 31, in Kigali.

The highly billed concert, which will usher Rwandans and all concertgoers, into the New Year, will be staged at the Radisson Blu Hotel and Convention Center in central Kigali.

The show is being organised by Rwanda Events Group, the same company that brought in Congolese Soukouss maestro Koffi Olomide for a year ender concert at the same venue last year.

While Kigali, music lovers are already quite familiar with the Kenyan outfit Sauti Sol, which has performed here before, it will be the first time that Yemi Alade performs in Rwanda.

Sauti Sol last performed in Kigali in September last year, as part of the band’s Live and Die in Africa live music tour. Live and Die in Africa is Sauti Sol’s newest album. The band also went to Uganda, Mozambique, South Africa, and Swaziland as part of the tour.

Sauti Sol are known for such soulful ballads as Sura Yako, Kuliko Jana, Nerea, and Isabella. The quartet is made up of Bien-Aime Baraza, Delvin Mudigi, Polycarp Otieno, and Willis Austin Chimano.

Yemi Alade will be performing in Rwanda for the first time, although she needs no introduction to her Rwandan fans. Alade is better known for such hits as Johnny, Na Gode, Kom Kom, Nakupenda and Ferrari.

Early this year, the songbird teamed up with Sauti Sol on Africa, which was released as part of her Mama Afrique EP (Extended Play).

According to organizers, the combo of Yemi Alade and Sauti Sol will be curtain-raised by a host of local artistes and a local DJ.

"We believe that they (Yemi Alade and Sauti Sol) are social ambassadors for Africa because they promote the continent. Besides, they also have a song together so it’s a bonus,” explained Deborah Mahe, the account manager at Rwanda Events Group, the organisers of the concert. 

"This is a unique event unlike any other in Rwanda over the festive season. We are flying in a professional fireworks team from South Africa, the same that staged fireworks for the football World Cup in South Africa in 2010,” she added.

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