TANZANIAN GOSPEL STAR Rose Muhando is expected to perform in Kigali at the forthcoming ‘Praise & Worship Live Concert’ slated for March 6, at Canal Olympia complex in Rebero. The concert is being organised by Matts Rwanda services in partnership with Rwanda Gospel Music Union to celebrate and recognize gospel artistes who made a difference during the ‘Rwanda Gospel Stars Live’ contest which concludes with the award giving gala next month. According to Aimable Nzizera, the brains behind the initiative, Muhando was the perfect choice for the concert as they believe she can deliver entertainment to the gospel audience which has been missing live concerts due to the persistent pandemic. “It’s been a long while since we last had a big concert which can entertain gospel music lovers like the one we are anticipating from Muhando. Her music is admired here and we look forward to seeing her entertaining gospel music enthusiasts again,” Nzizera told The New Times in an interview. Muhando will touch down in Kigali two days before her performance where she is expected to visit some important places in the country and meet local artistes who are participating in the ‘Rwanda Gospel Stars Live’ contest and share experience with them on how to become a successful gospel musician. Launched in May last year, the contest was initiated to not only empower gospel artistes financially but to also promote and support the gospel music industry to the vast audience of the creative industry in general. The contest brought together 15 artists, upcoming and established, who were selected by a team of journalists, gospel musicians’ association, and music pioneers closely following the gospel music industry. The inaugural editions of the contest should have been closed in August last year but was delayed, till March 6, due to circumstances associated with covid-19. When the contest returned in January, artistes joined the campaign to raise awareness among Christians in churches to support gospel musicians so they can earn a living out of their careers. They were also empowered in terms of capacity building in entrepreneurship so they can turn the projects they pitched into income-generating businesses that can financially bring impact to not only their lives but also the community surrounding them. The best project will be announced during the award giving gala slated for March 6. Nzizera said that they are, in the next few days, announcing a panel of judges that will assess artistes’ projects and their music before the winners are announced. “Their works speak for them and we trust the jury will decide who wins transparently,” he said. The winning project, among other prizes, will be rewarded a cash prize of Rwf7 million. To make the gala a colorful one, Muhando will share the stage alongside local, but popular, gospel musicians Israel Mbonyi, Aline Gahongayire, Theo Bosebabireba, James and Daniella and Gaby Kamanzi, among others. Rose Muhando, 46, last performed in Rwanda in 2013, where she performed for Christians during her four-day evangelical conference held in Northern Province. She made a name for herself with popular songs like ‘Nibebe’, ‘Mtamu wa Yesu’, ‘Uinuliwe Baba’, ‘Unipe Uvumilivu’, ‘Nipishe Nipite’ and ‘Mungu Kwetu Nikimbilio’ among many others.
