Famously known for his hits like Habibi, Only You, and Urabaruta, Rwanda’s music sensation The Ben will be the headlining act for ‘Blankets and Wine’ in Kampala. The 19th edition of the ‘Blankets and Wine’ festival is scheduled for May 6 at Lugogo Cricket Oval. Joining the US-based Rwandan singer on stage will be South Africa’s DJ Heavy K, and Ugandan artistes Fik Fameica and The Roots Warriors, among others. Behind the decks will be Rwanda’s VJ Spinny and some of Uganda’s finest DJs. The R&B singer, who is currently on a business tour of East Africa, told The New Times that the ‘Blankets and Wine’ gig is part of his East African Tour. “It is going to be a great experience with my fans in Uganda. Meeting up with my fans there was part of my tour agenda and I am looking forward to having a great performance there,” said The Ben, real name Benjamin Mugisha. Earlier this month, The Ben reportedly held business talks with Belaire Rose, a French sparkling wine, where he is likely to become one of the brand’s ambassadors in East Africa. History Blankets & Wine was started in 2008 as a platform for the promotion, celebration and exposure of emerging live Kenyan music. The event series progressively evolved from a platform showcasing contemporary live Kenyan music into an Africa-wide, multi-disciplinary platform. Blankets & Wine has become a successful franchise, with one offshoot already running in Kampala (Uganda) and two others in Rwanda and Malawi. Tickets are already on sale at 80, 000 UGX (approximately Rwf20.000). editorial@newtimes.co.rw
