It was a night of great performances and thrilling drama and as over 10 artistes performed for a love struck crowd at the Cogebanque sponsored Soiree des Amoureux concert at the Hotel des Mille Collines by Kempinski on Valentine’s Day.
It was a night of great performances and thrilling drama and as over 10 artistes performed for a love struck crowd at the Cogebanque sponsored Soirée des Amoureux concert at the Hôtel des Mille Collines by Kempinski on Valentine’s Day.
The glamorous concert kicked off at 7p.m with Radio 10’s Claude Kabengera and Isango Star’s Aisa Cyiza as well as Phil Peter playing hosts on the evening which saw Tusker Project Fame (TPF) winner Burundian Hope Irakoze put up a heart-warming performance.
The talented singer started off with a rendition of James Brown’s I Feel Good. Hope, as he is mostly known, put up an interactive show, which was punctuated by pauses as he let the band play or the audience to fill in.
He did renditions of John Legend's All of me, Pharrell's Happy and R. Kelly's Happy People before he went on to sing his own songs like Amafaranga and Tabia Mbaya.
Joining him on stage was girl duo Charly and Nina who did renditions of popular Kamaliza songs as well songs by Beyoncé – the type of songs that fitted the theme of the night – love.
They also performed their own compositions such as Bye Bye.
Boy trio Active were next on stage and performed some of their songs such as Lift and Aisha before Elion Victory took over the stage to perform a couple of his songs.
Dany Vumbi followed with his songs such as Mpobera and Murasa before he concluded his act with his Ni Danger hit. He was followed by the smooth voiced Peace Jolis who performed his new song Turi Beza.
However, the show reached another level when one reveller popped the question to his fiancée! All things came to standstill when one Jado Kabengera proposed to his fiancée Flavia Mutoni right on stage.
The proposal came during the performance of former TPF contestant Patrick Nyamitali who, in turn, honoured the love smitten couple with the classic French love ballad La Maladie d’Amour.
The hosts then called Urban Boys on stage who went on to perform their new hit Till I Die and Tuzasazana before King James came on to thrill the audience with his popular songs such as Ganyobwe, Bidasanzwe, and Niko Nabaye , among others, getting almost everyone on their feet.
Several veterans such as Augustin Mwitenawe, who sang Wimfatanya n'Akazi, Uzaze Nawe Urore and L'Ami Fidèle as well as Naason Nshimiyimana equally thrilled the crowd like their young peers.
The sponsors, Cogebanque, gave away goodies in a raffle draw that took place before the show.
Towards midnight, curtains were drawn on what was otherwise a perfect Valentine’s Day concert.