Rwanda’s music industry continues to make impressive strides, debuting on global markets, attracting more refined artistes, but the quality of live music performance remains a huge challenge to not only performers but listeners.

For so long, it has become common that Rwandan artistes stage playback or semi-live performances in concerts.

"Semi-live" refers to a presentation that combines pre-recorded content with live elements, offering a mix of structured delivery and spontaneous interaction, while "Playback" is the real-time playing of previously recorded audio or video content, often used in conjunction with live events or broadcasts.

In Rwanda, live music became popular among secular artistes during Primus Guma Guma Super Star season two, when the 10 hopeful contestants of the competition returned to Kigali in June 2012 for a final round of performances.

Unlike the roadshows, which had involved ‘playback’ – singers and rappers had lip-synced along to recorded tracks – the performances at the Gikondo Expo Grounds would be ‘live’ and broadcast on Rwanda Television.

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On the bill were R&B singers King James and Knowles; boy bands Urban Boys, Dream Boys and Just Family; and rappers Jay Polly, Riderman, Bulldogg, Dany Nanone and Young Grace.

Most artistes, if not all, performed off-key, confirming what music enthusiasts had long suspected: the vast majority of the country&039;s ‘stars’ didn't know how to sing and had manipulated the public's goodwill in performing playback and semi live.

The issues highlighted during the Guma Guma Superstar competition have persisted. Recently, one of Rwanda’s top stars, Chris Eazy, sung off-key during his performance at the second edition of the Trace Awards in Zanzibar in February—a prestigious event that attracted global music stars, including some of Africa’s biggest vocalists and music engineers.

Chris Eazy’s performance, among others, raises serious concerns about Rwanda’s live music quality. It prompts critical questions: Is this a problem rooted in the artistes themselves? Is it due to a lack of vocal coaches or skilled sound engineers?

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According to Elson Kabera, a sound engineer, the challenges facing Rwanda’s live music industry go beyond music education and the availability of experienced engineers. The real issue, he argues, lies in the limited availability and poor quality of sound equipment in the country.

For instance, Kabera told The New Times that a number of artistes have embraced live performance, but the outcome is often poor if the sound setup is not properly done.

"Live music remains a challenge, but we also can’t deny that some local stars, especially gospel musicians have improved significantly. Investors should consider putting money into sound equipment. I believe this can improve the quality of our live performances, which would in turn boost the local music industry,” Kabera said.

Only a few firms in Rwanda have invested in sound equipment. Some examples include Rwanda Events, arguably the largest in the country, Alpha Sound, East African Promoters (EAP), and a handful of others.

According to Kabera, these companies are not enough to meet the growing demand and are often too expensive for up-and-coming musicians and local event promoters.

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"We have a major gap in sound, and this can only be addressed by attracting more investment into the sector,” he said, adding, "while many artists hire international engineers, the lack of relevant audio engineering courses in Rwanda continues to hinder progress.”

Producer Muriro is one of the few sound engineers in the country skilled in mastering and mixing. He believes that the problem with live music also stems from a lack of vocal coaches, especially among secular artists.

"When we’re recording, we have the time to edit and redo parts that aren’t working. But live performance requires vocal coaching and constant practice, something most Rwandan artistes lack,” he said.

He pointed out that international stars like Chris Brown travel with entire teams that include music directors, vocal coaches, sound engineers, and more when they have live concerts. These teams, Muriro said, help artistes practice consistently and form strong working relationships, which contribute to exceptional live performances.

"This is different in Rwanda, where artistes often switch bands frequently and don’t have consistent support. Aside from a few gospel musicians who have vocal training from growing up in worship teams, many still don’t understand the importance of continuous learning even after gaining fame,” he explained.

"Music is about learning and consistent practice. If more artists embraced this mindset, our live music scene would grow significantly and positively impact the industry.”

According to Peace Christine, a vocal coach and backup singer, also emphasized the importance of distinguishing between studio singing and live performance.

"Stage experience and practice strengthen voice control under pressure, which is key to delivering strong, focused live performances. If more artistes would embrace this, live performance wouldn’t be such a challenge,” she said, adding that improving in this area could help the Rwandan music industry expand into international markets.