On March 9, at Atelier Du Vin, 'Strictly Soul party', a musical rendezvous curated and spearheaded by the maestro DJ Akio, was characterised by soulful rhythms and heartwarming melodies.

The night of rhythmic celebration, infused with the smooth vibes of R&B and soul, unfolded its melodic wings at 8:30 pm, marking a historic debut in Kigali.

Strictly Soul parties, a phenomenon sweeping across six countries, have become synonymous with DJ Akio's commitment to promote a tangible R&B movement.

Contemporary R&B, with its fusion of keyboards, synthesizers, bass lines, and looped drum beats, has found a new home in Kigali. The genre's commercial success and chart-topping hits have made it a force to be reckoned with in the modern music industry, and now, the city of Kigali has embraced it with open arms.

The celebrated movement originated from humble roots of gospel, jazz, folk, and traditional blues, R&B and has for a while evolved into a genre that finds its high point in the hands of visionaries like DJ Akio and others.

The event was graced by the presence of guest DJs, including local talents like Nicolas Peks, Hottempah and others that brought laid-back vibes. The moment also set the tone for gradual build-up, allowing everyone to relax and enjoy calm music on the spot.

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The New Times caught up with Akio Kawahito, a DJ, Musical Director and founder of Strictly Soul and Anita Makgetla, the event coordinator and host, delving into the genesis of the idea to bring the R&B & Soul party to Kigali for the first time.

What inspired the decision to bring the R&B & Soul party to Kigali and how does it fit into the overall vision of rhythmic movement?

DJ Akio: "We are looking for cities that we believe have a high love for RnB but there's no genre's party that exists. We've done this in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi in Kenya. So, for us from a strategic point of view, it makes sense to do the same in Kigali because it's all in the same region."

"We did our research in terms of, if we bring it in Kigali will it be a right city? Demographics force and everything. We found that it's indeed a right city and that there wasn't a party like this existing already."

He emphasized, "Our focus is strictly RnB; it's a girls' party. Everything we do we cater for women. DJs rarely play these tunes at parties. It's music for intimate moments at home, where you think no one's listening, yet everyone ends up singing along. That's why we call it the art of dancing and singing along."

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"For us we want to embrace the full scope of RnB. Maybe not everyone understands it but we're happy to introduce it to people and have alternatives to music, said Anita.

"There's so much more to RnB soul than just 90's styles”, she said, "We expect it to be celebrated by a lot of women because the party is mostly for girls. We cater for them and their energy is always really nice when they are happy and that's why we try to recreate that ground."

However, running a party in a city where you don't live is always challenging. You must establish connections, build trust, make guesses, forecast, and secure suitable venues. This was a bit challenging," she said.

About Strictly Soul Party

The post COVID-19 event, originating in South Africa and based in Johannesburg, is presently the largest party in the continent. It was founded in October 2020, as an Instagram live stream and is active in nine cities, including Nairobi in Kenya, Dar es Salaam and Arusha in Tanzania, Durban, Cape Town, and Johannesburg in South Africa, Gaborone in Botswana, Windhoek in Namibia, and Kigali in Rwanda.