COVID-19: Local musicians, DJs take live shows on social media
Saturday, March 21, 2020
DJ Marnaud. Courtesy.

After the City of Kigali banned concerts and large gatherings as one of precaution measures to prevent the Coronavirus pandemic from spreading, the local events management players have come up with a new concept that brings together local DJs and musicians to take their performances on social media to entertain music fans from their homes.

Dubbed ‘Kigali Live’, the two-day live show, which was co-organized by Afrogroov, KGL FWD and Pineapple Undertones, will see Kigali’s finest DJs and live musicians staging their performances on Saturday and Sunday.

"Despite the confinement and social distancing rules to flatten the COVID-19 contamination curb and stay safe, something dope and funky is taking place this weekend,”

 "We can’t go out to the party so we are bringing the party to you. 10 DJs and live musicians come together for KigaliLive on Instagram,” reads part of Afrogroov’s Statement.

Tonight, Kigali’s finest DJs are getting their sets live on Instagram from 6pm to 2am. Performers include: DJ Kiss, DJ Infinity, DJ Miller, DJ Makeda, DJ Toxxyk and DJ Marnaud among others.

On Sunday, musicians, vocalists will join Afrogroov’s Eric Soul for a live performance while people will be able to enjoy best music vibes produced from instrumentalists’ guitars, saxophones, keyboards and trumpets among other instruments.

DJ Marnaud, one of the DJs on tonight’s line up, said he wants to give more than what he delivered to the music fans who followed him during his Friday Night Live show on his Instagram account while scratching his decks at Producer Davidenko’s studio.

"People really enjoyed the show I gave them on Friday to the extent I never imagined. I started giving them music at 8pm and over 3000 people were watching me live on Instagram.  I was supposed to close the live show at 9.30pm but they kept requesting me to continue the show until 10pm. I wanted to play the music as if I was in the club and I had to attend to people’s song requests to give them a good show,” he said.

The DJ said he does not plan to stop giving entertaining music to his Instagram followers, following a surprise big turn up on Friday.

"I was really excited and I am planning to keep the show on a regular basis. We want to give them fun while at home. I am trying to bring this in a more creative way during next live shows because I am focused on giving them quality music content to prevent people from being bored,” he added.

You only need to buy internet bundles and tune in on your favourite musician/DJ’s Instagram live and enjoy the party from home.

Meanwhile, Bruce Melodie went live on his Instagram, Twitter and YouTube on Saturday evening to record a brand new song at Country Records studio in Nyamirambo, a session which was followed by hundreds. Producer Element worked on the audio song alongside guitarist Joaquim which will be released immediately.

Before starting to record the song, the R&B singer told The New Times that he chose to proceed recording the song live so as to keep his fans on their feet and enjoy the session at home.

 "We are aware that people are at their homes because of the New Coronavirus Pandemic and I thought recording my new song live would the best way to entertain them since they can’t go out to party. I go to the studio with no idea about the song but I will leave the studio when it’s done,” he said.