Kenyan reggae and R&B star Wyre is set to headline the seventh edition of the Oldies Music Festival on July 25 at Kigali Universe, in what promises to be another celebration of timeless hits from the 1970s through the early 2000s. Wyre, born Kevin Waire, will lead a lineup that also features local DJs Nano, Fresh Freddie, Infinity and RY, who will take revellers on a nostalgic musical journey spanning four decades. Event organiser Basile Uwimana told The New Times that this year's edition marks a major milestone for the festival, as it welcomes its first international recording artiste after previous editions were largely headlined by DJs. This year, we wanted to introduce something different. In previous editions, we featured DJs, except for last year when we added a live band. This time, we are bringing one of the most celebrated veteran artistes, Wyre, Uwimana said. He added that the organisers plan to continue expanding the festival by inviting more veteran musicians in future editions while introducing new experiences for lovers of old-school music. Our goal is to keep bringing more legendary artistes and other attractions that will help people celebrate old-school music in different ways, he said. Beyond the music, fashion has become one of the festival's signature attractions, with attendees encouraged to dress in outfits inspired by the 1990s and early 2000s. One of the highlights of the festival is the fashion. People come dressed in old-school outfits from the 1990s and early 2000s—clothes they either wore growing up or remember their parents wearing. It adds to the nostalgic atmosphere, Uwimana said, adding that the best-dressed attendees will receive prizes. The venue will also host an exhibition of vintage music equipment, including vinyl records, cassette tapes and classic audio players, giving younger audiences a glimpse into how music was enjoyed before the digital era. According to Uwimana, the festival was created to fill a gap in Kigali's entertainment scene, where most events are centred on contemporary music. When we started the festival more than four years ago, we realised most entertainment venues mainly played recent music, often songs released within the last three years. We wanted to create an event that celebrates music from the past four decades, he said. Presale tickets are available for Rwf10,000.
