Stromae will come to Kigali, it's a matter of time-concert organisers

Organisers of the cancelled Paul Van Haver, better known by his stage name Stromae show are not sure of when the Belgian singer will be able to perform in Rwanda, but insist the singer will visit Rwanda at a date yet to be fixed. In a press conference at Mille Colline Hotel on Tuesday, June 16, Judo Kanobana of Postive Productions, who is among the organizers of the show, said that they were sure the singer will come one day. “Stromae has always said that Rwanda is special to him; his falling sick doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the Rwandan concert,” says Judo. “We’re definitely sure that he will come but we can’t say when.” Speaking in Dakar where he had a concert on May 13, Stromae said that “a lot of things are going to come out (in me) as I get closer and closer to Rwanda. And honestly, I don’t know what to expect.” Unfortunately, the 30-year-old Rwandan-Belgian was forced to cancel a series of concerts, including one at Stade Amahoro on Saturday 20. He had to cancel a concert in Kinshasa last Saturday after he got an adverse reaction to anti-malaria medicine. People who had already bought tickets can claim a refund from where they purchased them. The Belgo-Rwanda singer, Paul van Haver, better known as Stromae in one of his previous performances. (Net photo) Famous for his Papatouai song, Stromae rose to international prominence with his 2013 album Racine Carree. He has collaborated with US rapper Kanye West, who performed with him at the Coachella festival in California in April. According to Kanobana, there were bookings from as far as Juba, Ethiopia and South Africa. He couldn’t reveal how much money was already pumped into the show but he said their partners understood the dilemma. “If Stromae had cancelled this concert to go and perform elsewhere, that would be a different situation. But sickness is ‘God’s case.’” He adds that the partners included MINISPOC, Mutzig, Rwanda Development Board, Airtel and Isaano Synergies among others. Stromae is suffering from ‘serious secondary effects of anti-malaria treatment’ and he is being monitored in a hospital in Brussels. The cancelled gigs included appearances in London on July 5 and at the Benicassim festival in Spain on July 17, as well as a gig at the Nos Alive Festival in Chicago on August 2. The Belgian ambassador to Rwanda, Arnout Pauwels said that though there was no longer anything to celebrate he’d organize a small do at his residence. “We were to celebrate Stromae’s presence but since he is no longer coming, I will organize something at my residence if the mayor of Kigali authorizes me,” he said. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Stromae will come to Kigali, it's a matter of time-concert organisers