THE UNTAPPED OPPORTUNITY OF CULTURAL TOURISM

We tried commercializing cultural tourism.

What if we missed the mark?

What if cultural tourism was never about tourism at all?

What if we focused on humanising the experience instead?

Sharing reflections on cultural tourism at SACO Conference 2022, Pretoria, South Africa

“Cultural tourism” has been floating around for at least two decades. It sounds impressive. It sounds progressive. But what have we actually done with it? Mostly, we’ve dressed it in linen shirts and sent it on a safari.
We got so obsessed with investment figures, revenue charts, and hotel ratings that we forgot what culture actually is. We stopped asking real questions. We reduced the entire concept to a numbers game—how many tourists, how much money, who has the biggest airport, the most opulent lodge, the finest cocktail with a sunset view. We let the story get hijacked by the travel-industrial complex.

But people don’t travel for spreadsheets. They travel for stories—and experiences.

Food Festivals Events sites in Hawai'i

 

They want to dance. Taste. Listen. Ask questions. Sit in someone’s grandmother’s kitchen. They want to learn how to weave baskets, how to milk cows, and how to dance like the locals do. They want to go into a recording studio or join a youth football match in a dusty field. They want to fish at dawn with the village crew. They want to get lost in a jazz club, crash a local talent show, and stumble into a club night thrown by the hottest DJs in town. They want to hang with artists, painters, and craftsmen. They want to learn a new craft. They want to understand how people live, create, laugh, and move.
Yet these human experiences have been overshadowed by boardroom presentations and glossy marketing campaigns about “luxury ecotourism.”

That’s why I wanted to share this interview I did with the South African Cultural Observatory (SACO), featured in their Creative Economy Reset publication. 

Read the FULL INTERVIEW HERE 

It's an academic dialogue, yes—but rooted in my own lived experience as a DJ, a cultural activist, and someone who’s spent the better part of three decades moving between dancefloors, airports, festivals, and now policy spaces.
In this conversation, I reflect on what cultural tourism in Africa could really mean if we dared to reframe it. Because here’s the thing: there’s a projection out there that Africa’s hospitality and leisure industry will reach $261 billion by 2030. But nobody can clearly tell you how that number was calculated—or whether culture is even at the centre of it. From where I stand, we’re not aiming high enough.

Yes, tourism is an economic driver. Rwanda—my base—knows this well. Pre-pandemic, we were already seeing real returns. But when you break down tourist spending, the majority still goes to flights, hotels, and transport—over half—while only a fraction, around 17%, reaches the actual experience: the food, the music, the art, the culture. That’s the imbalance we need to fix. I invite you to consider: what if we flipped the model? What if we used festivals, cultural networks, and local experiences as anchors for travel, not accessories? What if African airlines—operating at a 71.6% average occupancy in 2022, compared to Europe’s 83% - (Source: African Airlines Association – AFRAA, 2023) - partnered with our festivals, our artists, our storytellers, to create purpose-driven travel?

What if your boarding pass wasn’t just a ticket to your seat, but a passport to the city’s soul? What if it gave you free access to a museum, a discount at a cultural retreat, a welcome drink at a jazz club, entry to a festival, or even a curated map connecting you to local creators, studios, dance floors, hidden galleries, or community hubs? What if it came with vibe, soul, frequencies, rhythm, and experiences?

From Glastonbury to Kigali, I’ve seen the ripple effect. People extend their trips because they’re moved by what they see and feel. They eat more. They buy more. They stay longer. Culture isn’t a side dish—it’s the main course.
And let’s be real: no one lands in Africa for the spreadsheets. They land for the feeling—that pulse of humanity, the warmth of connection, the mystery of places that haven’t been filtered, packaged, and turned into clichés.
If we want to grow, we have to build policies that reflect the human side of travel. Visa restrictions, inaccessible cultural calendars, and fragmented marketing—these are solvable. But only if we start from a place of respect and understanding. We have to treat people as people, not just data points. That’s when travel becomes transformative.
This blog is a space where I reflect on culture, sound, people, and connection. This interview, at this moment, is part of a larger conversation I hope we all start having. Because, as urban visionary Jan Gehl once said:

“A great city is like a great party. People stay because they’re having fun.” 

Jan Gehl, quoted by Amanda Burden, former NYC Chief City Planner

And let’s be honest—when two globally respected urban planners, one of whom shaped Copenhagen’s people-first streets, and the other who oversaw the spatial future of New York City, both echo the same quote… well, it probably holds some truth.
Jan Gehl envisioned it. Amanda Burden reinforced it on the TED stage.

With appreciation to the South African Cultural Observatory for the platform, 

and a special nod to the go-getter Amy Shelver for the invitation and continued support.

#RwandaIsOpenForBusiness #VisitRwanda

Is Africa risk-averse to invest in its own Creative Cultural Industries?

The energy in Kigali city is electrifying as the 3rd edition of the BAL 2023 unfolds. Amidst this vibrant atmosphere, I had the privilege of attending the BAL SUMMIT held at the prestigious Marriott Kigali's Kilimanjaroo Room. The themed panel, "Building Africa's Sports, Entertainment, and Music Industry" proved to be both a validation of our understanding and an eye-opening experience.

Distinguished professionals with impeccable track records shattered the misconception that funding and investments are scarce in this industry. On the contrary, there are hundreds of millions of dollars available for investment. However, what holds us back from swift progress are the inadequate physical and mental infrastructures. Despite this challenge, tangible progress is within our grasp.

Venture Capitalists (VCs) and investors are already reaping the rewards of their investments, demonstrating their satisfaction. Yet, the panelists delivered a crucial insight: investing in "people" and "ideas" is paramount. It is imperative to recognize that risk-averse investors will be left behind. Innovation inherently involves risk-taking, a flair for creativity, and faith in the potential of individuals' ideas, experiences, and talents.

The panelists emphasized the importance of embracing this reality and being willing to take calculated risks. Notably, former NBA players and designated BAL Ambassadors Joakim Noah from Cameroon and Ian Mahinmi from Benin exemplify the power of belief in talent and the African expression. They are investing their time and finances, partnering with corporations, financial institutions, and the private sector to change the lives of thousands of youth in sports and entertainment.

A significant moment occurred when Joakim Noah steered the conversation away from the prevailing trend of blaming successful individuals for playing for international teams rather than their own countries. He passionately explained to the audience the immense pressure faced by players in the NBA, where their sole focus is winning or dealing with defeat. Survival in the NBA demands complete dedication. To illustrate his point, he hypothetically questioned the scenario of an MVP African NBA player returning to play for their own country. Without functioning federations, proper courts, and inadequate infrastructures, how can this player thrive?

This raises an urgent call to action for each country on the continent. It is crucial to reassess investment policies, adapt taxation laws, and incentivise investors, institutions, and policymakers to support and invest in people's ideas. Waiting for favorable data and indications of speedy returns on investment is an unrealistic concept in the realm of innovation, creativity, and cultural expression.

Let's wrap up this blog post with a heartfelt tribute to the incredible organizers who made the BAL SUMMIT possible. A special shout-out goes to the team at Marriott Kigali, RDB VisitRwanda, and the entire BAL team! 

It's now up to us to seize the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead for Africa's sports, entertainment, and music industry, we must act swiftly and decisively. By embracing a mindset that values human potential and nurtures groundbreaking ideas, we can create a thriving ecosystem that attracts investment and propels our industries to new heights. The time for change is now, and together, we can forge a future where Africa's creative economy flourishes and leaves an indelible mark on the world stage.

'The return of NNEKA in Rwanda 2021

Taking advantage of being in East Africa for a series of pop-up performances, residencies and discussions, German born Nigerian singer songwriter / actress Nneka Egbuna will bless Rwandan of her presence for the 4th time since 2012.

Africa's prodigal daughter Nneka's musical profile has steadily risen since her 2005 debut album titled "Victim of Truth" - which was listed as one of the records of the year by Timesonline.co.uk in 2006. 

In 2009, she won the Best African Act award at the UK's Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards. Nneka has since released 4 full length albums, 2 EPs and featured in lead roles in 5 movies.

Known as a formidable writer, performer and powerful vocalist, her realness has not gone unnoticed through outspoken political activist commentary and humanitarian action on the ground. In 2012, Nneka co-founded the Rope Foundation which serves as a platform for young men and women to express themselves through art, and the charity also focuses on working with sexually abused women.

Seeking to build deeper connection with Rwanda and the creative scene, Nneka will take part in a 2 parts event on 4th and 6th November 2021.

LIVE & UNPLUGGED offers up close and personal conversation and acoustic performances by world renown pan-African artists to intimate audience in cozy settings.

A LIVE PODCAST FORMAT

100% LIVE & UNPLUGGED performance + support acts & DJ

For Booking / Schedule / Info and Tickets visit 

www.afrogroov-media.com

Creative Economy in Africa during a pandemic - Do They Really Care About Us?

End of June 2021, as the Covid variants were spiking on the African continent, the panafrican organisation Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) hosted a virtual gathering of global music experts in support of the UN Year Of Creative Economy. In light of the terrible effects of the C-19 pandemic, the need to re-think the music industry business model is vital to ensure its sustainability in the post Covid era.

Thoughts, observations and solutions were discussed with invited panelists Temi Adeniji MD at WarnerMusic SA, Monde Twala VP at Via at CBS, Tina Davies VP of A&R at Empire USA, Sam Onyemelukwe MD at TraceTV West Africa, AD Junior Head Of Marketing at TraceTV Brazil, Amy Louise Shelver Communication Officer at UN SA and your truly -
Special thanks to Kamil Olufowobi and his wonderful team.

Although the decision to declare 2021 the Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development was taken in 2019 by the 74th United Nations General Assembly, nobody could have predicted that a year later, a tiny virus would have forced a billion dollar mammoth sector of global economic activities to a halt. 

"The International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development could not have come at a more relevant time. The COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed the creative economy. From creation, production, distribution to access, no actor within the creative value chain has been spared its impact."

Of course industries and sectors across the board of the global economic activities were also heavily impacted by the virus hence governments and international organisations did their utmost best to support and design policies for competing priorities simultaneously, businesses and industries such as healthcare, aerospace, banking, construction industries etc...

As an operator working in the cultural & creative industry, it is fair to say that we were far from being on the priority lists of the IMF, World Bank and our governments when the time came to unlock budgets and distribute relief packages as the pandemic had a tremendous sometimes tragic impact on the lives and well being of many creators, artists and performers. 

So can an initiative designed by an international institution like UNESCO really fix profound issues encountered by gazillions of creatives on the African continent? WHO can barely coordinate a synchronized response to the health crisis as each governments impose different rules and measures to slow the spread of the C-19 for their own territory as if a highly contagious airborne virus took geographical boundaries, socio-economic and political inclination of each countries into consideration. The stern reality of political will and economic capacity discrepancies between developed vs developing nations are huge which has profoundly affected their ability to respond to the crisis adequately.

This gathering between global experts from the music industry enabled us to wax philosophy, exchanges experiences, observations, suggestions and ideas on this complex web of issues for the future of a sustainable music industry on the continent.

Watch the discussion here;

  

  MIPAD Music Panel Quotes

Amy Shelver – UNCTAD - SA

• Music streaming in the UK now brings in more than 1 Billion Pounds of revenue a year, but the fact remains that artists can be paid as little as 13% of the income generated. We’re talking about micro-cent on an actual cent. This is only offset on the potential of scale in the streaming arena and a global audience, but event this requires investment and that’s why we’re here today…and access that many unknown and emerging artists simply don’t have. 
• A new report released this week on the impact of the pandemic on the international Dance Music industry said it saw a 54% decline in value in 2020, now down to less than half what it was worth at 3.6 Billion Dollars. 
• A December 2020 report from the Nashville Chamber of Commerce showed how much the Corona Virus effected this famous music city’s industries. 74% of musicians said that they had experienced unemployment since March 2020 and saw their annual income plunge by 10 000 Dollars to below 36 000 Dollars a year. Nashville’s venues lost 72% of their revenues, costing the industry 17 Million Dollars in lost wages and delivering a 24 Million Dollar hit to Nashville’s GDP. 
• In Kenya last year, the HIVA Fund ran a survey which found that more than half the creative industry estimated their COVID-19 income losses as severe. Musicians surveyed said that they turned to digital platforms, but it was difficult to get attention because of over saturation in the online market and that electricity and internet connectivity issues frustrate the streaming process. 
• Kenyan artists turned online and to homegrown platforms such as Mdundo Live and Mdundo which helped mitigate the pandemic losses through strategies like ringtone downloads. Mdundo said music downloads have been rising steadily on the continent, but profitability for African producers and the platform requires time and scale that is just not there. 
• We need to be talking to government and policy makers and leveraging moments like the UN International Year for the Creative Economy to influence policy because it’s all very well to have investors interested but if the policy environment doesn’t support that if there are major copyright blocks…what is the impact because there are always unintended consequences. We the artists, we the industry should have a seat at the table to discuss these policy changes that pro industry, pro artist and pro inclusive development.
• We need to focus not only on sustainable monetization, but sustainable policy influence and use our voices and influence to shape where policy goes. 

Monde Twala – Viacom CBS, Africa

• COVID has forced all of us to re-imagine how we do business, its inspired even more heightened levels for innovation in our business and across the industry. Traditional models are challenged and this has really forced us to think differently. One critical aspect of that is how we were all used to physical events. You book an artist, an artist performs at the event, you pay them their fees, and the event is a success etc. However, we were able to review our approach as it was still very important to us to ensure that our brand remains tangible and relatable to our consumers. Beyond the fact that young people love music for entertainment benefits…it’s also a great unifier. This thinking led us to birth the virtual Africa Day Benefit Concert in 2020, in partnership with YouTube, with the objective of unifying Africans through music from some of the best talents across the continent. I am proud to say that this virtual concert has been a huge success for two (2) years running and we hope to have it as an annual event. Over the last 16 months or so of the Covid pandemic, we’ve seen music being very central to inspiring people to be able to cope with a very stressful situation. And we will, through MTV Base, Africa’s number one music and entertainment channel, continue to be a source of inspiration to our audiences. 
• In the era of social media and digitization, artists/musicians are relying less on broadcasters for visibility and reach. They now rely a lot more on platforms like YouTube and social networks. The implication of that for us is that we need to completely flip the script on how things are done, given that the relevance on previous approaches is fast dwindling. A transition is happening, and it is happening fast. And as a business, ViacomCBS Africa understands the trends and is adapting as well. Digital is growing…while we’re taking advantage of technology, we’re also creating structured revenue streams that will help creatives and artists continue to thrive. 
• Music transcends border, music elevates. That’s a big part of what we are trying to do from both an MTV and BET perspective. On an annual basis, we showcase African music even as far as Europe with the Europe Music Awards (EMAs). The last two years, we’ve had the BET Hip-Hop Awards, which now officially has an African category. A couple of years ago, an African artist wouldn’t walk the BET stage to get recognized. That was an issue for us but we’ve had to do a lot more engagement and education to finally realize a dream that has impacted music greatly on the African continent. There’s still a lot of education that is needed to really teach the world about the African culture; to use the culture to mobilize a specific narrative that can support Africans and black people around the world
• I just want to encourage and inform everyone that we, ViacomCBS Networks Africa, are open for business. Let’s knock on each other’s doors to have these collaborative conversations, implement them and make them more tangible. Let’s make this business, especially the African music industry, a priority and a aim for global success. We need to push for some kind of trade incentive for the creative industry across countries on the African continent, as that’s how we will be able to create better sustainability for the music industry that has the best pool of professionals and prioritizes best practice and scale

Tina Davis – Empire Inc - USA

• (At) Empire, we’ve always really been in a digital space, we’ve always been a forerunner and we respect where music is going and how digital streaming is taking over, or has taken over.
• Nowadays talent comes from everywhere. You find talent on YouTube, you find talent on SoundCloud. You find talent a little bit of everywhere and we use a lot of the information online to get sort of an idea of where they’re going…when the pandemic happened, when it comes to talent, we can still find talent, not matter what. 
• In the pandemic, we signed maybe 25 artists from Africa…we didn’t get a chance to meet them face to face until a week ago.
• You don’t have to sign with a major label. You can sign with an independent hybrid company and still have generational wealth.
• It’s not just about streaming. If you just look at the streaming, then you’ll miss some of the best talent that’s out. We use our gut. Digital information, digital research is really to get an idea of where they (the artists) are is their journey.
• We plan to come to Nigeria first…to do master classes…to come and speak to people about building their own empires because that’s what Empire is, we help people build their empires…we want to give back to Africa period, not just Nigeria, Africa overall. 

Sam Onyemelukwe - Trace TV, West Africa.

• On the digital, giving artist the access, the education and the understanding of what the digital landscape has to offer. From streaming to social…there’s a monetization behind that some of them may not even know about.
• We look at the streaming numbers, we look at the YouTube views, but we also go with our gut. We listen to the streets to find out what’s happening…We’re listening to all indicators to try to get the best view.
• Broadcasters have been eclipsed in many ways, we’re more part of the consuming spectrum than we were 10/25 years ago when we kind of controlled it. For us that gives us more flexibility to showcase stuff that we may love, or we may feel is hot and maybe hasn’t charted or hasn’t gotten an ear.

Eric “Soul” Karengera– AFROGROOV - Rwanda

• In Rwanda we have our artists who are striving, making music for the last 10 – 15 years, the music industry has developed very rapidly, at the same pace as the rest of the socio-economic development of the country that is documented all over the world. But in terms of our music competing on the African market, we can say that Rwanda is still at an embryonic stage.  
• The opportunity is to look into the professionalization, and education of the music makers to be able to produce a sound that is more competitive and be able to package and market it for the 21st century digital consumer, because the sound that’s coming from East Africa is going to revolutionize again the sounds of Africa.
• Music, technology and finance, I think this is where sustainable solution and new business model will be found. If there’s new business models to explore, I think that fin-tech is the best ally for the future of music.
• People can be blinded by the glitz and glamour of the industry and the understanding policy makers, decision makers and high level officials have of the value proposition and ROI mechanism of the music industry is very limited. A format that could help demystify the industry, where experienced professionals with credible track records of success could advise these people on how to design tax laws, cultural and investment policies, build infrastructures and create an environment conducive for hard working creators to be supported, thrive and evolve toward success.So there is a case to be made for designing a master class, training or webinars or some sort of educational format where high level policy makers, economists, lawyers and decision makers can learn, engage and be re-educated by credible and experienced professionals from the creative industry. 
• In East Africa, I’m observing experimentation, underground, futuristic, hybrid of sounds that’s drawn from different type cultural expression, different type of time signatures. It’s not like Afrobeats, Amapiano or House Music, it’s very hybrid. There are different types of drum & rhythm signatures, instrumentation, vocal deliveries, languages, sound aesthetic not yet heard outside of the communities to which their originate from. It’s very interesting.

In the new wave of East African electronic music, indigenous rhythms, 808 drums, synthesizers, traditional African instruments, and field recordings combine to create auditory paths to liberation. And while the music may vary widely, all of it springs from a similar spirit of defiance. “Because we [East African artists] are not truly accepted, we end up creating something that is very abstract and very different from what’s expected.

Tope Esan – Mipad, COO.

• Of the estimated 50 Billion Dollars annual global revenue from the music industry, about half, 47% to be exact comes from recorded music, meaning streaming, downloads, syncs and live entertainment accounts for the other half. All the data shows that the streaming sector saw significant growth in the absence of live entertainment.
• With over 12 Million Afro-descendants, Brazilian artists are doing streaming numbers higher than American artists. I think the language barrier is what not going you more of an opportunity.

Ad Junior – Trace TV, Brazil.

• Brazilians consume 86% Brazilian music and live music. It’s a very musical country. We have lots of different types of genre in Brazil.
• The opportunities are amazing because we have more than 120 Million blacks and Afro descendants in Brazil and they are really keen to consume new things. We started a new show called Juba talking about what is the biggest hit in Africa. It is becoming a big hit.
• The opportunity is to start a new conversation with the Brazilians, with the music, the musicians, with everything that is going on, with the COVID.
• What I think that we should do more, is people listen Brazilians and Brazilians listen to other people (music). But please don’t come talk to is Brazilians with this idea of let’s a Samba or in the carnival and Baya and stuff, no. Just listen to what we are trying to say the struggles that these people are living. That’s why they mostly cannot showcase what they’re producing, they is systemic racism that does not allow us to go abroad and do other things.
• The first step for us to do something bigger than music, but the connection through the music in order the change the world is to have key people talking to each other and looking for spaces where we can project a better way.

Kamil Olufowobi – Mipad, CEO.

• Everything that we’re asking that we need, we have it right here. We have the United Nations here…we have you who are leading voices in the music industry. One of the things we need to do is to show the policy makers the contribution of music to their different countries. In 2019, the UK music industry contributed 5.8 Billion pounds to the country. I would like to create a research document to show African regional governments what the contribution of the music industry is.

     

Genius Senegalese music showcased in Kigali - Daara J Family & Cissoko Noumoucounda

LIVE and UNPLUGGED by AFROGROOV & ISAANO FESTIVAL by Positive Production teams up for an exceptional evening of live music with double headline line up of the best live act coming straight from Senegal

Date: Saturday 22nd February 2020 - 

Venue: Kigali Cultural Village - 

Time: From 6.30pm

DAARA J FAMILY featuring Faada Freddy & Ndongo D

DJF have gained legendary status on the international music scene. Pioneering the African HipHop music scene since their beginnings in the 1990s in Dakar, Faada Freddy and Ndongo D. have worked to create a bridge between their culture and the rest of the world. Their lyrics, in Wolof, English or French, have always carried the hope of a better world with flawless optimism.

In more than 20 years of career and 1000 concerts around the world, collaboration with Wyclef Jean, Public Enemy and Mos Def in the USA, alongside Peter Gabriel during the Womad. Four albums were released between 1997 and 2010, including “Boomerang“, winner of the best album prize at the BBC World Award in 2003. Daara J Family remains one of the leading bands on the hip-hop scene from Africa and one of its best ambassadors. The duo has grown in maturity and between their respective solo projects, the two childhood friends N'Dongo D and Faada Freddy, carried by the same passion as when they started and with a new creative impulse, set off again on the roads!

Check their incredible latest single Tchekoulé - A powerful Afro Hop track fusing traditional senegalese rythm and flow with fresh hip hop sounds. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBXckIno-Q4

CISSOKO NOUMOUCOUNDA feat Fred Hirshy

One of the best and most respected Kora player in the world. This is the second time the genius of Cissoko Noumoucounda will be showcased in Kigali after a fire set at KigaliUp SoundCheck Session in 2015 when he came with the Afro Soul songstress Thais Diarra.

After years of working on projects led by others (Stromae, Alpha Blondy, Mc Solaar), Noumoucounda brings magic ancient African energy be it in studio or on stage. His new album includes collaborations with Daara J Family and Positive Black Soul, but also traditional griots such as Djiby Dramé, Daba Seye, Mamy Kanouté, and Goundo Cissokho, Xuman, Ndongo D, and Keyti. It is a mature work, underlining complex and serious themes. An urban griot who cut his teeth in the world of modern music, he speaks of development and progress but also touches upon education and African women’s rights. 

Future African Vision in Time Exhibition Closing night feat "componentsRW"

FAVT: Future Africa Visions in Time is an exhibition that travelled for many years around the globe: for example Brasil, Kuba, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Burkina Faso and Uganda.

Launched last month the Kandt Museum in Rwanda, the event attracted a diverse & cosmopolitan audience of Kigalians from all walks of life, diplomats, professionals, students, creatives and tourists immersed in a universe of arts, paintings, sculptures, sounds and visual installations created by a selected and commissioned artists from Rwanda, USA, Mozambic, Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

On Wednesday 11 December is the last opportunity to see the work of this plethora of panafrican artists!!

Supported by the Goethe Institut Kigali and local cultural center. Kigali is FAVT last stop for 2019: a reason to celebrate! ENTRANCE is FREE and drinks will be served.

Beefing up the closing night of this month-long, is a live performance by the creative collective #componentsRW, a musical project whose aims is to explore, experiment, educate and inspire.

Rooted in both the UK club culture and Rwandan performing style, the presentation of the new work is a DJ-led multi media and multi disciplinary collaborative piece featuring a slew of progressive Rwandan artists from various disciplines.

#componentsRW (by afrogroov) is a collaborative project initiated by Rwandese DJ & Music curator Kirenga Karengera also known as Eric Soul, it brings together a network of creative power-houses from Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and the UK.

This DJ-led live music project explores & translates multi-disciplinary traditional African art forms in innovative ways, with a focus on the unique rhythm signatures and story-telling style of the region. Rwandese sounds, culture and artistry are barely known outside the country borders. It is yet to be unearthed, discovered and shared with the world.

#componentsRW brings these talents and performing styles together for a live musical journey fusing these elements in a seamless piece of East African traditional soulful vibes and futuristic Black music sonic tapestry.

Since its inception, componentsRW has toured regional festivals & events in Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and more to the delight of foreign audiences hence for many it will be their first time to witness this boundary-pushing and experimental expression of Rwandan artistic performance style across traditional, urban and contemporary style.

For their FAVT's performance, the DJ is joined by the sensational singer/rapper/poetess Angell Mutoni, the multi talented traditional instrumentalist Munyakazi Deo, the soulful singer songwriter Mike Kayihura and the energetic contemporary/traditional dancer Yannick Kamanzi.

Produced and supported by
The Goethe Institute Rwanda
INMR (Institut National of Museums of Rwanda)
FAVT (Future Africa Vision in Time)

Watch componentsRW live performance at ONGEA 2017 - Kenya

Access Bank presents FALANA's Chapter One Tour - Kigali Aug 2019

Amateurs of top quality world class musical experience are up for a real eargasmic treat as FALANA's Chapter One Tour land in Kigali Friday 30th August @Marriott Kigali - Phenomenal Singer Songwriter and instrumentalist, this multi talented creative has grown between Canada and her home country Nigeria. Influenced by 70s Nigerian percussive rhythms, highlife guitar riffs produced with a global pop-soul sound, Falana’s powerful & distinctive contralto voice sings of contemporary themes of love, faith, empowerment and purpose.

With this event, Rwandan based creative company AFROGROOV reaffirms its commitment to continue curating high quality musical experiences for an untapped nice market of discerning music lovers and amateurs of arts & culture.

FALANA Live in Kigali follows up on memorable high-end showcase from alternative and progressive international world- class artists such as Joss Stone (UK), Bez, Keziah Jones & Nneka (Nigeria), Berita (Zimbabwe), Apio Moro & Sandra Nankoma (Uganda), Winyo, Nina Ogot, DJ Coco M & Makadem (Kenya), Thais Diarra (Mali/Senegal/Switzerland), Cissoko Noumoucounda (Senegal).

"The highly anticipated Chapter One Tour is sponsored by ACCESS BANK, supporting the growth of a striving creative economy in Africa, the pan African financial institution believes that setting standards for sustainable business delivers superior value to its customers and provide innovative solutions for the markets and communities they serve."

FALANA Live @ MARRIOTT Fri 30th Aug

Get you early bird ticket asap.

• click here for Lagos - Accra & Abuja 

• click here for Kigali

Press Quote:
"FALANA has already become one of West Africa most celebrated artists, she is changing the sound of global pop” THE NEW YORKER
“The Nigerian singer set to take over the music industry" ELLE S.A.
"The young performer is evolving into one of the clearest voices in Lagos culture"
VOGUE
"The Rising Of A Star" GUARDIAN WOMAN
Check her out in IG

Live Acoustic in The Independant Studio

MUSIC VIDEO

To Bernard

Start Again:

Given Into You: 

Ride or Die

Repeat