It’s a sunny afternoon as we step into Michael Makembe’s studio, or ‘the headquarters of geniuses’, as he likes to call it, he takes us on a tour of his creative space, mostly decorated with different traditional musical instruments. As he walks us through, Makembe effortlessly plays a variety of traditional instruments, such as drums and his guitar, to which he skilfully strums a few chords, before saying, “This is where the magic happens.” He goes on to welcome us inside the studio, a dimly lit room adorned with musical instruments, posters of legendary musicians, and a central mixing console. ALSO READ: Michael Makembe on the rising ‘afro-fusion’ music in Rwanda As soon as he sits down at his laptop, he begins playing traditional vocals, to which he adds a layer of afrobeat and drums, as well as some percussion, his own harmonies, and chords played on the keyboard. It doesn’t take long before the room is electrified by a vibrant and distinctive sound, resonating with a sense of newness and cultural richness. Makembe, a multi-talented producer, songwriter, afro-fusion singer, and instrumentalist, aims to establish a lasting legacy by narrating tales that capture the power and resilience inherent in Rwanda’s traditional sounds. Inspired by the lack of ownership Rwandans had over their own musical heritage, previously taken during colonialisation, Makembe decided to embark on a journey to reclaim and preserve the traditional music of his home country. The idea first came to him, during a trip to Belgium, where he learned that some Rwandan sounds were not found within Rwandan households, but instead were locked away in a museum, credited to UNESCO. The realisation sparked his determination to rectify the situation and ensure that the musical treasures of Rwanda found their way back home. Then, in 2018, Makembe started venturing across Rwanda, passionately recording traditional music from various regions, capturing the essence of the everyday life of Rwandans. He would spend weeks alongside farmers, fishermen, and villagers, connecting with them on a personal level, taking time to understand their stories and motivations for singing. All the while, making sure he would give due credit to the different talented singers he would record along the way, as well as, remunerating their time and effort, as a way to honour their musical contributions. Back in his studio, Makembe goes on to fuse his earned musical compositions, incorporating elements of afrobeat, pop, and other influences while maintaining the integrity of traditional music. “The result is meant to be a blend that showcases the beauty of Rwanda’s cultural heritage while appealing to a global audience,” he explained. Driven by a deep desire to introduce Rwandan music to the world, Makembe is working tirelessly to establish an online audio library, enabling the global community to appreciate the traditional sounds of Rwanda. In the same spirit, he’s been collaborating with talented Rwandan musicians and producing songs for them, hence merging traditional gems with modern trends, creating an innovative and engaging musical experience. Notable collaborations include his recent work on Alyn Sano’s latest album, particularly the track ‘Lioness’, featuring the women of Nkombo Island. Makembe has also lent his talents to artistes such as Bushali with his ingenious fusion of Rwandan hip-hop, as well as Ish Kevin and others. For the last five years, since Makembe started travelling throughout Rwanda to collect voices, poems, songs, and recordings of traditional instruments, he has amassed nearly 1,000 unique sounds, each one a testament to the richness and diversity of Rwanda’s musical heritage. Makembe’s journey so far has been entirely self-funded through his various creative endeavours, including gigs, music production, and festival appearances. However, he remains open to whoever would like to contribute to his efforts, through sponsorship and investments. One cherished experience for Makembe is when he visited Nkombo Island, located on Lake Kivu between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. The island’s inhabitants largely rely on fishing as a means of livelihood and speak a unique language distinct from the Kinyarwanda spoken in other regions of the country. It was here that he recorded the fishers singing as they worked, forging a lasting connection with the community. Last year, he organised a concert in Kigali for them to showcase their talent and culture. As Makembe gears up to release his own album this year, he plans to incorporate some of the sounds he has collected along his journey. For him, it is just the beginning of a growing movement, which not only brings the music to life but also inspires the younger generation, to love and preserve their heritage. “Copying doesn’t help us,” Makembe passionately stated. “We are blessed with our culture and diverse local instruments that we can use to sell our music, showcasing our culture to the rest of the world. It’s time we trust ourselves and embrace the richness within our own heritage, he said. Although Makembe’s passion for traditional Rwandan vocals and instruments began later in his life, his love for music dates from a while back. He started singing at the age of 10 and enhanced his talent during his time at Nyundo School of Music and Arts. He plays musical instruments such as the kalimba (a musical instrument with a wooden soundboard and metal keys), harmonica, and guitar.
