East African festival due next month

Renowned musicians in the region will next month converge in Uganda to take part in the music festival dubbed, DOADOA-East African Performing Arts Market.Rwanda will be represented by Maniraruta Martin alias Mani Martin. He is expected to use his experience in the music industry to showcase his artistic talent as well as the Rwandan culture during the festival.The 2nd edition of DOADOA-the East African Performing Arts Market runs from May 6-11.“With such festivals, as musicians we get the chance to learn but also express and let others know of where we are from and what we have achieved in the music industry in our respective countries,” he told The New Times yesterday.Mani Martin has proved his capacity to sing in Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, English and French. This has given him the chance and opportunity to perform alongside international artistes including Femi Kuti, Mighty Popo, Ismael Lo and Lokua Kanza among others.The Urukumbuzi singer says this has indeed improved his music, adding that his exposure has greatly improved his talent. The artiste is a song writer and actor. Born in Rwanda in 1988, Mani Martin spent his childhood and school days in his small village Ntura in Rusizi district, Western Province, where his talent was discovered by his own teacher during a music lesson. He attended CISK secondary school. His talent continued to blossom at a young age, he recorded 12 songs at the age 11. He grew up as a vocal trainer and he trained many choirs and performed at community and youth functions.The song, Urukumbuzi is his first song which brought him to the limelight. As he identified himself as an ambassador of peace through his music, Mani has performed for peace keepers for the UN mission (UNAMID) in Darfur, Sudan in 2012 and at the AMANI FESTIVAL in D.R Congo (Goma).In 2012, Mani Martin won the award for Best Traditional Artist of the Year in Salax awards.He was the first Rwandan artiste to perform in one of the biggest African Music Festivals, Sauti Za Busara in Zanzibar during its 10th anniversary in 2013.DOADOA is the East African Performing Arts Market that provides a platform for professional networking and joint learning. It brings together various stakeholders and links people, organisations, businesses, knowledge and technology with a view to create demand and develop a market for the performing arts. It aims to unlock the potential of the East African creative industry, making it an important factor for economic, social and cultural development in the region.

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East African festival due next month