There is no doubt that Ayra Starr has a big fanbase in Rwanda as witnessed during her first performance in Kigali during the closing concert of the Giants of Africa festival.

That audience had long waited for the Nigerian star musician to perform in the Rwandan capital and when she showed up, indeed she barely disappointed.

From hype and energetic vocal delivery to her signature fashion, Ayra stayed true to herself as she repeated what she did at world-class shows like Coldplay from the very moment she showed up on the Kigali stage.

Expectations were high from thousands of fans—some of whom made D-day ticket purchase after realizing that she landed in Kigali on Saturday morning for the show— while others had to travel from upcountry to watch her performing live at BK Arena. And it’s fair to say that she delivered.

"I had doubts that she would come for the show in Kigali. But when she arrived in town, I ran to the ticketing platform to buy a ticket. The ticketing system had closed but I managed to buy one from a friend. I couldn’t miss her performance,” said one of the concertgoers.

From "Gimme Dat” ft Wizkid, "Goodbye (Warm Up)” ft Asake and "Rhythm & Blues” to Stability and "Commas” and "Rush,” two of her viral tracks in Rwanda, Ayra Starr gave concertgoer inside BK Arena every reason to celebrate what the Giants of Africa was all about throughout the week.

ALSO READ: Uncle Waffles spins, giants rise: Kigali welcomes Africa&039;s brightest talents

As the clock ticked...

The audience deserved a closing concert like this, and none of The Ben, Kizz Daniel or Timaya spoiled the night. The Ben—the only Rwanda artiste on the lineup—again set the bar high with yet another electric performance, proving his worth from the moment he stepped onto the stage.

First a traditional dance troupe set the tone in an extraordinary way, accompanied by visuals of The Ben dribbling, reflecting the theme of the festival which merges art and sports. This raised fans’ anticipation for a memorable experience coming up shortly.

The Plenty singer appeared on stage with a calm backup female performer, under soft lighting and the gentle sounds of a piano, as he began singing the song "Habibi.”

After Habibi, he picked up a guitar and performed Best Friend, his collaboration with Bwiza. His delivery wowed the audience, showing he is a professional artist capable of both playing instruments and singing live. He followed that with Ngufite ku Mutima, featuring rapper Bushali, during which he moved to the drums and played them himself as he sang.

Next up was Plenty, the title track of his new album launched on January 1. The excitement grew even more when he performed Ndi uw’i Kigali with MC Tino, who helped energize the crowd. He later performed Thank You, Ntacyadutanya, Why, Folomiana, Sikosa, which took fans on a brief journey through his music career. The atmosphere turned even more joyful when he sang Am In Love and Forever.

One unexpected moment was when Miss Grace Ingabire, Miss Rwanda 2021, appeared on stage to join The Ben in dancing during one of his performances.

ALSO READ: 10 power players at Giants of Africa festival helping African youth thrive