Ayra Starr, The Ben and Co. shut down Kigali at GOA closing concert

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'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 The unexpected stage became a nightmare Up next was Timaya, real name Inetimi Alfred Odon, a renowned Nigerian artist, who faced unexpected challenges on stage during his first-ever performance in Rwanda. The 44-year-old singer took to the stage at exactly 7:30 PM, following an aura-dominant performance by The Ben, who had already set a high standard and hyped the crowd in a performance that cemented his status as one of the country’s top musicians. However, as Timaya began his performance, it quickly became evident that the vibe wasn’t what he or the crowd had hoped for. Many in the arena seemed unfamiliar with his songs or not in the mood to connect with them. He tried to warm up the crowd by performing popular hits like Balance, Cold Outside, Sanko, Sweet Us, among others, but the reception remained lukewarm. As the crowd stayed unusually quiet, showing little enthusiasm, Timaya attempted various tricks to hype them up, including borrowing lines from other well-known songs. At one point, he playfully shouted: “If you’re happy, clap your hands!”, a phrase more commonly associated with kindergarten songs than concert stages. Still, it didn’t lift the crowd’s energy. Despite a rocky start and a disengaged crowd, Timaya won over fans in the house with charm rather than music. Sensing the lack of connection, he shifted gears, opening up about his love for Rwanda and joking about marrying a Rwandan woman, which finally drew loud cheers. He added praise for the country’s beauty and its women, slowly regaining the audience’s attention. To wrap up, he brought two women on stage, dancing and lifting one in a playful move that sparked excitement. Though seen by some as a last-minute attempt to save the show, the “Bang bang” singer was later honored with a Giants of Africa jersey, recognizing his role in the festival. At exactly 10:34 PM, Kizz Daniel who landed in Kigali hours before the concert, started off his performance with Mama, followed by Yeba and other hits that immediately energized the audience and won over their hearts. After these songs, he performed his viral track Cough, known widely on social media for its popular dance moves. During the performance, he was joined by Divine Uwa, one of the local dancers who thrilled the crowd. He continued with Nesesari, which got the audience on their feet, then performed “Lie,” during which he invited a woman on stage and danced with her, a moment that delighted the crowd. Next up on his performance list were Madu, Woju, and No Wahala, followed by RTID (Rich Till I Die), Gwagwalada and Marhaba. He wrapped up his set with the hit Buga, which had featured in the 2022 FIFA World Cup festivities. He performed the song alongside dancers dressed similarly to those in the song’s music video. To cap off the night, Kizz Daniel was given a Giants of Africa jersey and applauded by Masai Ujiri after an electrifying 40-minute set. .

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Ayra Starr, The Ben and Co. shut down Kigali at GOA closing concert