THERE’S A NEW KID on the block that is taking the Rwandan music industry by storm. Young CK’s appearance on the music scene started quite recently and has been making unique statements with his craft, garnering huge audience appeal. Real name, Calvin Ngabo Kagehe, the singer is a Rwandan based in Canada, Ottawa, where he relocated in 2017 to pursue his studies. Born in Nyamirambo Kigali, Young CK is the last born in a family of three. In an interview with The New Times, the singer said that music was his hobby since childhood, but later he met friends that pushed him to record and start a music career. “Back when I was still in high school, I used to freestyle on beats but never made a single track. One day I went to a studio session with my friends and requested to record,” he said. He added that listening to music and practicng many times are the tactics he used to learn music. Relocating to Canada in 2017, however, opened many doors for his career including the support he got from the Rwandan community in the diaspora. Young CK disclosed that working with producers and singers in Rwanda is something that also inspires him to move forward, although it’s still a challenge due to different time zones and distance. Having worked with many top musicians in the country including Bull Dog, Young Grace and Diplomat, he described how artistes feature from different countries. “Collaborating doesn’t mean that we have to be in the same studio. Producers back home send beats to me, after recording I send them back for mastering and addition of other voices.” “It is a strategy which is done by many musicians to connect with fellow artistes from a different zone,” he added. ‘Umugabo’ is one of the tracks that won the attention and admiration of many music lovers, and introduced Young CK to the music scene. Pacifique Cyusa is the man behind all his visuals that many admire have come to admire. “Rwandan music is rising at a good pace. By continuing working together as a team, we will achieve a lot and put our music on the map” he said about Rwandan music. His recent release ‘420’ is one of the most played tracks in pubs and cafes of Kigali, with a lot of hype from social media. “The best and yet most creative music video in the Rwandan music industry” reads a tweet by Ulysse, a fan of Young CK. The upcoming artiste grew up in Nyamirambo, a surbub in Kigali where he studied primary at Charles Lwanga and later joined IPRC Kicukiro for high school. Some of his most lovable songs include ‘Umurava’ and ‘Umugabo’ remix.
