Nigerian Hip-hop/Soul singer thrills fans with free concert in Kigali

HUNDREDS of fans Monday descended on Ishyo’s basketball court in Kigali for a concert by Germany-based Nigerian star Nneka Egbuna. Nneka told a news conference that the performance was part of her East Africa tour, sponsored by Goethe-Institut, in connection with an invitation to the Sauti za Busara Festival in Zanzibar.Nneka’s performance was great and it was indeed bound to attract huge crowds. The venue was packed to the brim, as music lovers from different walks of life jam-packed. The free concert started at 6p.m. The stage sizzled as the spinners of the night dished out the best of sounds - keeping the crowd fervently dancing.Before Nneka’s appearance on stage, Rwanda’s famous artistes Shanel, Samuel Kamanzi, Dekilo M. Bashilwango and Tharcisse Biraguma electrified the crowd with some of their hits. The local artistes, as well as Nneka and her crew were something to ‘write home about’ on stage. Nneka later took to the stage as fans screamed out her name in excitement as she performed a number of songs including “Africa”, “Lost Soul”, Babylon”, “Come”, Do you love me”, “VIP”, “Heartbeat”, “My Home” and “Sweet Mother.” Fans seemed to have eagerly been waiting for this day as they turned up in huge numbers. It was one of the best events of 2012 that will linger on the minds of many. After the concert, Director of Goethe-Institut German Culture Centre, Dr. Peter Stepan, hosted the artistes and invited guests to Shooters Bar for a light dinner.In an interview with The New Times, Nneka said that she was pleased to perform before the Rwandan audience for the first time: “You can’t believe how it felt seeing all those people singing along to my tracks.” She added that she had performed in many countries but still felt great to perform in Rwanda.“I played in Kenya the other day, and I’m proud to say, you people are just great compared to the show I had before coming here,” she stated.Nneka also thanked Goethe-Institute for sponsoring her concert. Sharing similar sentiments was Shanel, who said the show was just gripping and commended the German Culture Centre for making it possible for the local artistes to share the same stage with Nneka.A majority of fans interviewed after the show, said the concert lauded the performances.“It was a wonderful concert and I was impressed because all the artistes gave great performances,” said Sandra Umutoni. Andrew Kalisa said that: “I really had a good time here and I am already looking forward to yet another performance. These guys know how to make their fans happy and I am more than satisfied with their performances.”However, one lady by the surname of Rusaro from Nyarutarama said that apart from the venue being chock-full, she really enjoyed the show.The Nigerian singer-cum-political activist said her influences include Nigeria’s iconic Afro-beat performer Fela Kuti as well more contemporary acts like US rapper Mos Def.Born to a Nigerian father and German mother, Nneka grew up in her hometown of Warri, Nigeria, before leaving at the age of 19 to study in Germany. In her song “Half Caste”, Nneka addresses the difficulties of those who grow up as mixed-race children.“They don’t see themselves as black and they don’t see themselves as white and they don’t know how to handle the situation,” she stated.She said her most recent song “Heartbeat” - which has become an Internet hit - is “very political”.“It’s about how the Western world has abused Africa and we have maintained a colonial mentality - we have this inferiority complex,” she explained.“They even consider traditional as Vodou. I think people are now more concerned about preserving the culture, by teaching their children the importance of learning to speak their language.”“I think we are getting to a point where we want, by all means, fight against anything that would completely eradicate our culture and identity as Africans. But you must understand that the world is revolving and we must mix – it’s important, though it has both positive and negative aspects.”Nneka herself has shown a steely determination to get where she is. She initially played music to pay for her university education - she has a degree in anthropology and archaeology.“It was never my goal to go into music, I just did music to keep me going – like a therapy,” she says.Although she does not see herself as an activist, she said it is important to have a message in her work, which is perhaps a product of her upbringing.“I will say that I am not knowledgeable enough to consider myself a political activist – but I am only using my intuition, and as a woman to raise awareness and find solutions about certain issues that tend to go into political direction,” Nneka mentioned.“Warri is a very rough place – there is a lot of turmoil, a lot of tribalism, a lot of war - that has kind of strengthened me,” Nneka stated.“I always wanted to speak my mind and now I’m given the opportunity to do so on stage and by being able to produce the music.”Her first album, “Victim of Truth’’ was released in countries across Europe, including Germany, France, The Netherlands and England. The album earned her critical reviews and her profile began to rise. Her second album “No Longer At Ease”, which was released in 2008 was also successful. The 31-year-old may be petite in stature, but her soulful voice is compelling. She has extensively toured France, Italy and Portugal and in the US. She also won a MOBO Award for Best African Act in 2009. It is no surprise that Nneka lists Bob Marley and Nina Simone among her other influences. And at one point during the press conference, she joked that she would have married Bob Marley if he was still alive.Her music is a celebration of diversity. “We are all different in colour, everybody has their own experience, but we have a way to communicate and this is the essence of this tour,” Nneka concluded.

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Nigerian Hip-hop/Soul singer thrills fans with free concert in Kigali