People have talked. And they are still talking. A lot. About The Nu-Year Groove.
That alone tells you something worked.
Big concerts do not happen by accident. In showbuzz, scale is sweat. Scale is risk. Scale is money, time, and sleepless nights. And when it works, the work stays invisible.
I was inside it.
When The Ben and his management called and asked me to join the organizing team, my first reaction was fear. Real fear. Not because I doubted the vision, but because I understood the weight of it. The timelines were tight. The expectations were high. And the names involved left no room for mediocrity.
Still, I said yes.
From that moment, everything moved fast. Too fast at times. We had days, not months, to mobilize resources for a concert that demanded world-class logistics. Sound. Lights. Production. Talent. Operations. Security. Marketing. The numbers climbed quickly. Tens of millions of francs. Not to impress. To deliver.
And it did not come easily.
There were rejections. More than a few. Doors that did not open. Calls that went unanswered. Meetings that ended with polite smiles and firm no’s. There were negotiations that dragged on late into the night. Back and forth with sponsors. Adjustments. Revisions. Compromises. At times, we walked out of rooms frustrated, unsure if we would close what we needed in time.
Inside the team, we did not always agree. We argued. We pushed each other. There were moments of anger. Moments of silence. Moments when pressure made patience thin. But we stayed grounded. Together. Always.
That unity mattered.
This formation was not accidental. Alex Muyoboke. David Bayingana. Uncle Austin. Fiacre Nemeyimana. Dr. Benjamin. And more than a dozen other young women and men who carried this thing quietly, relentlessly, without applause. Different minds. Different tempers. One mission.
Time disappeared. Christmas came and went. We were not home. New Year’s night arrived. We were still working. Families waited. Phones rang unanswered. Sacrifices were made without ceremony, because the work had to be done.
The Nu-Year Groove was never meant to be just a show. It is a concept. Every year has a theme. This year, The Ben and Bruce Melody agreed to host it at BK Arena. For the first time. Together.
That mattered.
Two giants. One stage. One night. A moment Rwanda’s creative industry had been waiting for, even if it did not know it yet.
Our audience was clear in our minds. Young Rwandans. Ambitious. Creative. Restless. Builders. The message was deliberate. Indifference is not neutral. It kills progress. Rivalry, when done right, sharpens everyone.
This was never about bitterness. Or ego. Or proving someone wrong. It was about excellence. Best of the best. That is why every category on that countdown mattered. Artists. DJs. Dancers. Bands. Everyone brought was there to show who they truly are when the lights are unforgiving.
Brands were part of that story too. This platform was built for them as much as for the artists. Visibility. Meaningful engagement. Cultural relevance. Live energy. National reach. Digital amplification before, during, and after. This was not logo placement. It was alignment.
Then came the night.
BK Arena was ready. Professional. Calm. Supportive. Production ran tight. Clean. Heavy. The kind of production that does not shout, but commands attention.
At one point, The Ben stood on that stage and looked around. Just looked. The Arena was packed. Fully booked. Sold out. You could see it on his face. That moment said everything we needed to know as organizers.
Whatever else people would say later, this part was undeniable.
Fans spoke. Loudly. Passionately. That is what fans do. Fanaticism is not a problem. It is proof of connection. Some applauded. Some criticized. Some argued about who outperformed whom. That conversation is as old as music itself.
Bruce showed up. Fully. So did The Ben. The contest was beautiful. Competitive. Respectful. Alive.
We delivered the audience into a new year with a bang.
Were there mistakes? Yes. Lessons? Plenty. That is growth, not so?
Right now, we are working on the numbers. Visibility. Jobs created. Vendors involved. Revenue generated across the value chain. The real impact. Those figures will speak loudly soon.
What I can already say is this. The Ben is no longer just an artist. He is a brand. A business. And that requires structure. Serious people. Experienced hands. A formation built to last.
His job is music. The rest should be handled.
Throughout the year, we will roll out projects designed to grow not only his career, but the ecosystem around him. Careers should change lives. Not just headlines.
I have read the comments. All of them. That noise fades. What remains is the work. The packed Arena. The standard raised. The people who showed up when it mattered.
Rwanda’s entertainment industry has grown up. You can feel it. Young people are watching. Organizers are learning. Brands are committing. The loop is closing.
We move on. We prepare the next theme. Bigger. Smarter. Sharper. The groove continues.
Bralirwa, Airtel, Bank of Kigali, Tecno, Engen, thank you for the support. We are grateful!
BK Arena and team; thank you, even though we have one or two issues to resolve.
Happy new year to you all, 2026 should be a year of more great things. Cheers 🥂! 
