Bizimana’s homecoming

Belgin Bizimana is a local musician who has been plying his trade in Nairobi, Kenya. Now after more than a decade in the music game, he has decided to come and try his luck in the nascent Rwandan music industry. The Sunday Times’s Susan Babijja caught up with him… You have been doing your thing outside Rwanda for a long time so few people here have ever heard of you or your music. How do you plan to capture the attention of Rwandan music fans? Well, I am planning to hold a couple of concerts around the country. I am sure this strategy will work for me. The Rwandan music industry has been on an upward spiral over the years and there are several artistes who have cultivated a huge following along the way. What strategies do you have to compete with them favourably? Personally I think music is all about what someone produces. All I have to do is churn out Kinyarwanda tunes. What do you think has contributed to the growth of the industry? I have realised that local musicians have started getting sponsors. Initiatives like the Primus Guma Guma Superstar contest have also contributed a lot. From your own experience, what do you think our musicians are still lacking in order to be “there”? I think musicians should try as much as possible to produce music in different languages. This will market them and their music in other countries. Finally, tell us what you have in store for Rwandan music enthusiasts… Very soon I will be releasing the video clip that will accompany Icyago, one of my latest songs.