The just-concluded Trace Awards and Festival held at the BK Arena and Kigali Convention and Exhibition Village (KCEV) was proof that the Rwandan music industry and its players are on the right track.
The awards attracted some of the biggest names on the continent, including Davido, Rema, Yemi Alade, 2Baba, Diamond Platnumz, and Zuchu, among others, who all performed at what was considered to be the best music event ever held in the city.
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From the fashion on the red carpet to the interactions, live performances, time management, and overall production of the event, the Trace Awards undoubtedly provided Rwandan artistes and organisers with valuable lessons to learn.
Here are some:
1. To get ahead, forget the ‘beef’
It was reported that at the highly anticipated event, two renowned Rwandan artistes couldn’t greet each other due to their alleged feud. Surprisingly, Davido, widely regarded as one of the best Nigerian artistes alive, was seen engaging with numerous artistes who attended the award ceremony. This includes Rema, who is often seen as the rising star among Nigerian artistes.
The lesson that artistes in Rwanda and other local musicians can learn from this is how globally influential music stars, such as Rema and Davido, ignore musical feuds. This approach has been one of the reasons that propelled them to the top of the music industry.
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2. Local events could use the red carpet glam too
When it comes to events nowadays, a red carpet is almost a necessity, something that Rwandan artistes and event organisers have completely refused to embrace.
The icons at the Trace Awards truly nailed the red carpet assignment. Over 100 celebrities walked the red carpet in front of flashing cameras, wearing some of the world’s biggest fashion brands, including Louis Vuitton and Gucci.
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Rwandan event promoters lack red carpets, hindering promotion and branding at local events.
3. "Who are you wearing?”
Nigerian afro-beat star Davido, who performed the Trace Awards, is one of the musicians with a strong sense of fashion, which is one of the reasons he has signed deals with major international brands.
Earlier this year, the singer signed a deal with multinational company, Puma, which designs and manufactures athletic and casual footwear, to produce Nigerian-inspired clothing, including tracksuits, t-shirts, shorts and hats, all in the bright green and white of the country’s flag.
Music and fashion have been inextricably linked for decades, but in Rwanda the link between the two has been tenuous, to say the least.
If Rwandan artistes can develop their fashion and collaborate with personal designers, perhaps global luxury brands will consider featuring them in their advertising campaigns and signing deals that can elevate their music to a wider audience.
4. Live act always wins
From Diamond Platnumz to Davido and Mr Eazi, all artistes at the Trace Awards performed live or semi-live, something many Rwandan artistes don’t do. Live music is still a problem and most musicians, especially rappers, don’t understood the need to perform live.
The Trace Awards should be a lesson to artistes to make live music a priority and work with renowned bands in the country.
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5. Time management counts
Over 30 artistes who performed at the Trace Awards took between three and five minutes to perform one or two songs and gave their fans the best.
The event proved that local concerts can accommodate a large number of artistes on the bill and still conclude early, ensuring that no artiste is denied a performance due to time constraints.