Rwanda’s award winning musician, Bruce Melodie has revealed that he is looking for a Ugandan artist with whom to do a collabo.
Melodie was speaking during a show on Friday hosted on NTV , a Ugandan television channel based in the Capital, Kampala.
“Currently, I’m on the lookout for a collaborator, preferably a female artist who is open and comfortable working alongside me,” Melodie said adding that he has a deep appreciation for Uganda, a country that has become a welcoming home for many Rwandese.
Rwanda’s music industry has been pressing to catch up with countries in the East African region despite a host of challenges.
“Since 1994 [Rwanda Genocide], it has been quite challenging for our country to break into the music industry. However, I’m delighted to see that we now have individuals stepping up to pave the way,” said Melodie the first Rwandan musician to win a Trace Award.
He explained, “the more we put in the effort, the more we can help people appreciate our music.”
Melodie is optimistic about Rwanda’s music industry growth which has steadily attracted government support.
“If President Paul Kagame can show appreciation for someone like me, it signifies that even the Rwandan government has embraced the music industry,” Melodie said.
Meanwhile, in recognition of Rwanda’s growing Music industry, Trace marked its 20th anniversary with the launch of the Trace Awards & Festival from Friday 20 to Saturday 21 October in the capital, Kigali.
The festival focused on a global spotlight on musicians, creators, entrepreneurs and achievers from across Africa and the African diaspora.
Over 7,500 music superfans, musicians, opinion formers, style-setters and influencers from Africa and around the globe attended the festival staged at East Africa’s biggest indoor arena, BK Arena in Kigali.
The Awards recognised a broad range of music genres from Afrobeat to Dancehall, Afro-pop, Mbalax, Amapiano, Zouk, Kizomba, Genge, Coupé Décalé, Bongo Flava, Soukous, Gospel, Rap, Kompa, R&B, and Rumba, while saluting artists in a number of cultural/lifestyle categories.
