I write my songs to connect with people - Yvan Buravan

Yvan Buravan, real name Yvan Dushime Burabyo, is a Rwandan artiste who rose to fame with his hit songs Bindimo and Malaika. The 22-year-old had a chat with Sunday Magazine’s Sharon Kantengwa about his musical journey and how he is climbing the success ladder at a steady pace. Take us back to when you started a music career. What was it like? I started in 2015 with my first single Majunda which did not work out well, and then I did a collabo Injyana with Gaby Umutare and it was a success. The third one, Bidimo, however, is the one that put me in the limelight. I also got a chance to work with Uncle Austin on a reggae song called Urwo Ngukunda which was a big success and Malaika went viral in Rwanda and beyond. That is when I realised I had joined the industry for the long run and I have been working with a management team called New Level and producer Bob. When did you realise you can sing? At the age of 14 during a competition recommended by our house help. I came in second out of the 70 competitors countrywide, and this earned me Rwf1.5 Million. I realised I had something in me that I need to dig deeper. I have been in the industry since, singing in choirs and music bands for six years till 2015 when I began my solo career. What do you attribute this progressive success to? It’s about loving what you do, learning, having discipline and knowing what is needed and doing it. But music is about working hard and learning. Your songs are usually about love. Why love? All my songs have been love songs, except the first one that was just telling people to dance. Just a dance is also a love song because love is a topic better covered by music. I believe in the old adage ‘music is the food of love’, and I call myself a ‘cook of love’. Which of your songs have moved you emotionally? A few times the songs are from my own experience, but I write songs related to society and the people around me. I always try to make people feel as if the songs were theirs. I want to connect with people and therefore never do it for myself. I have love stories but I rarely write songs based on my love encounters. How have you dealt with the fast rising fame that comes with your talent at a young age? Before venturing into music, I knew how musicians live with fame and I was prepared for it before it came. I have always been a step ahead in planning for what is to come and it has been of help. What are your future plans, musically? Last week I released a video of my recent song This is love and I’m planning to release other songs this year although they are still ‘baby’ projects. I also plan to release my first album this year.

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I write my songs to connect with people - Yvan Buravan