In a continuation of the trend of Francophone musicians headlining the Kigali Jazz Junction, this month’s edition will be graced by Zouk maestro Medhy Custos from France.

Dubbed, ‘Women’s Edition’, the March edition of the Jazz Junction will be held on March 29, at the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village (KCEV).

In the spirit of International Women’s Day, which falls on this month, Custos will share the Jazz Junction stage with Rwanda’s very own Swiss-based Afro-fusion singer Diana Teta, who will be flying in specifically for the concert later in the month.

Kigali Jazz Junction will also host Rwanda’s sole female saxophonist, Stella Tushabe, aka Stella Tush.

Stella Tushabe.

Medhy Custos comes to the Kigali Jazz Junction in the same spirit as fellow countryman Slai, who graced last month’s edition with his smooth Zouk ballads. Both musicians were booked for the show after overwhelming fan requests to organisers.

The 31-year-old Custos is known for such songs as; Pe pa Oublie’w, Franc Jeu, Pas de Glace, Elles deMandent, Lova Girl, and Me Luv Yuh, among others. He recorded his first solo album titled, Serial Lover, in 2004. Two years later, he signed at Up Music, a subsidiary of Warner Music France, and released a second eponymous album that bears his most famous song, They Ask. It is still one of his best-selling albums.

In 2008, Custos staged his first concerts in France, in a tour that kicked off in Paris, before going to Africa, the Indian Ocean, and West Indies.

Remmy Lubega, the chief executive of RG Consult, organizers of the Kigali Jazz Junction explained that, after three years of featuring predominantly Anglophone artists, it was time to avail Jazz Junction fans with more options:

"As organisers, we listen very keenly to our audience, and surely there has been a lot of talent requests that have been made to us from many parts of the world. As we grow, we choose who is available and is okay with our terms of engagement,” said Lubega.

"We are having a combo this time; Diana Teta is our very own, and there is also Stella Tushabe, aka Stella Tush, the only Rwandan female saxophonist who deserves this highlight for what she has passionately loved to do as a working female musician,” he added.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com