The year 2021 produced a number of new faces in Rwandan music, with young and talented musicians enjoying a quick breakthrough over the past 12 months.
Kenny Sol, Ish Kevin, Chris Eazy, Confy, Juno Kizigenza and Ariel Wayz are among the new artistes whose works played an influential role in changing the game of Rwandan music.
The New Times now looks at the new faces to watch out for in 2022 as we embark on another 12 months of music revelations.
Okkama
Okkama may be new in the game but based on the energy and talent he has been showing in his recent release ‘Iyallah’ and ‘Lotto’, his brand new collaboration with Kenny Sol, 2022 promises to be a year for the singer to prove that he is not a one-hit wonder.
Afrique
The up and coming singer’s ‘Agatunda’ is one of the songs that have been making headlines throughout the festive season and music lovers expect it to start 2022 leading the music charts.
After failing to hook the audience with his previous releases ‘Spy’ and ‘Don’t Lie’, the 20-year-old, born Josue Kayigire, is now looking forward to taking advantage of the public’s rising admiration of the song as an opportunity to introduce himself to the music scene.
If he can raise the bar high with back to back tracks that can dominate the local music charts, then 2022 will no doubt be a revelation year for the singer to show the industry that music is what he does best.
Bwiza
Doing music under KIKAC Music, a label that has contributed to the successful music career of the likes of Mico The Best and Danny Vumbi, who recently quit the label, gives Bwiza confidence that her music is in good hands.
With seven months now under their management, 2022 would be the perfect time for Bwiza to prove that KIKAC wasn’t mistaken to announce her as the winner of ‘The Next Diva’ music contest and securing a management contract to start her music career under the music label’s management.
Bwiza has six songs under her belt so far, all of which comprise her debut EP dubbed ‘Connect Me’, a package that she was expecting to perform before her home fans in Nyamata, Bugesera, on Christmas Eve, alongside renowned artistes who feature on the EP like Riderman, Mico The Best and Chris Eazy among others. Unfortunately, the show did not take place due to the spike in covid-19.
The singer is showing no signs of going a single step back and, with her current hard work, 2022 could welcome her to the music club.
Alto
It took Alto two years of hustle to set his feet right in the music scene and, if you ask him, he doesn’t regret the milestones he has so far achieved in music since he signed a contract to do music under TB Music Entertainment, in March last year.
His releases rarely attracted the attention of the music audience before but, under his new management, the singer’s two recent tracks ‘Byambera’ and ‘Wankomye’, a collaboration with Uncle Austin, are doing him an incredible job as he continues to gather a platform for exposure he has never got since he started a music career in 2018.
Should he keep the pace he showed in 2021, Alto will undoubtedly enjoy an incredible rise in 2022.
France Leesa
The young female artiste has for the past 12 months been fighting to overcome management shadow as she embarked on a new journey in music, after parting ways with Future Record, the label that has been managing her since she won ‘I Am The Future’ music contest’ in 2019.
Having made a comeback with her new song ‘Selfish Love’ which she released a fortnight ago, the singer now has her eyes set on writing a new chapter for her music in 2022.
The singer, born Marie-France Gusenga, recently told The New Times that she is now focused on redefining her music career and establishing herself among the best of her generation. A few can doubt her talent in music, but her commitment and consistency will define the personality she wants to establish in music in the next 12 months.