Dancer and choreographer Thierry Ishimwe, widely known as Titi Brown, launched a new music and cultural project aimed at promoting Rwanda as a tourism and cultural destination, through a debut song and a wider creative campaign. Titi Brown said his idea emerged from his experience in choreography, where he noticed how dance and visual creativity can elevate music and strengthen an artist's identity. I realized that I could do dance for different artistes and people would love it, and that also helps in branding the artist. Then I thought, why not use the same approach to brand my country through music, he told The New Times. At the centre of the project is the new song Urare, which carries a direct invitation to both Rwandans and international audiences to visit and experience the country. The idea behind Urare is simple: come and spend time in a beautiful country, a country with good leadership, a country where we celebrate and perform, he explained. He added that the song is intended to remind people of Rwanda's beauty, peace, and hospitality, positioning the country as an attractive destination for visitors. It is a song that encourages foreigners and Rwandans in the diaspora to come and visit Rwanda because it is a country of peace and a place worth seeing, he said. A collaborative creative movement The project features a wide range of creatives from across the entertainment industry, including filmmakers, content creators, musicians, and journalists. Urare features artistes Peace Jolis, Magna Romeo, Luna, Kenny Mirasano, and Fox Makare. He said the aim is to bring together young people who are active on social media to amplify Rwanda's image collectively. The song features many stars from different fields—cinema, content creation, music, and media. We want to unite young creatives who speak with one voice about Rwanda so that the message reaches far, he noted. The music video also brings together well-known figures spanning music, film, comedy, and journalism, including The Ben, Chriss Eazy, Papi Clever & Dorcas, Seburikoko, Mariya Yohana, Irene Murindahabi, Scovia Mutesi, Fally Merci, and Luckman Nzeyimana. Beyond music: Rwanda in Mirror project The song forms part of a broader initiative titled Rwanda in Mirror, which Titi Brown described as a long-term cultural storytelling project showcasing Rwanda through creative expression. He said the project will include visits to prisons and schools, where participants will share messages about the country and its development journey. Rwanda in Mirror is a big project with many activities. We will visit prisons and talk about Rwanda, and we will also go to schools. It is about showing Rwanda as we see it in the mirror—a beautiful country that has come from far and is still rebuilding, he said. Ultimately, Titi Brown said he hopes the project will contribute to national branding and help people who do not yet know Rwanda discover it through music and storytelling. I expect this project to help brand my country and make people who don't know Rwanda learn about it through this song, he said. He added that Rwanda in Mirror is only the beginning of a series of creative works aimed at promoting national pride and international visibility. There will be more projects after this, he said.
