August 15. The Rwandan duo will perform on the second day of the two-day multicultural festival, which celebrates African culture through music, fashion, art, food, dance and cultural exchange. Nel Ngabo described the opportunity to perform at a major European festival as a significant milestone for his career and Rwanda's growing music industry, providing an opportunity to introduce the country's unique sound to a wider international audience. It's a privilege and it's a big thing for me and my career to be on a big stage like that one, the Kina Music artiste told The New Times. According to the singer, international festivals play an important role in helping Rwandan artistes expand beyond the local market by exposing them to new audiences and creating opportunities to connect and collaborate with musicians from different countries. It's a very big step for local artists because you get to connect with people outside the country and also connect with other artists from other countries that you will be performing together. It's a big thing for someone's career to connect beyond the local industry, he said. Nel Ngabo added that festivals such as Afrostrava also provide a platform to promote Rwanda's culture and music to audiences experiencing them for the first time. People who don't really know the culture or the sound from Rwanda get introduced to it. It shows that the industry is growing even beyond borders, he said. ALSO READ: Nel Ngabo ‘enjoying the ride’ under Kina Music management Only high-energy performance Nel Ngabo said festivalgoers can expect an energetic performance and encouraged Rwandans and other East Africans living across Europe to attend in large numbers. I would like to tell every Rwandan, Burundian, Ugandan and Kenyan in Europe to come through so that we can have a good time with them. We have to show people that we have a big audience connecting with us in the diaspora, he said. It doesn't matter where you are in Europe; you don't have to be living in the Czech Republic. Come through so we can give you a proper show. Although performing before an international audience requires a different approach, Nel Ngabo said an artiste's responsibility remains the same: to connect with the audience and deliver a memorable performance. When you're performing for people inside the country after appearing on many stages, you already know how to connect with them. But with new people, you have to find a new strategy to approach them. At the end of the day, you just have to give your all on stage and give them what they came for, he said. Sharing the stage with CKay Performing alongside CKay, he added, will also provide an opportunity to interact with one of Africa's leading musicians and exchange ideas about music. It's a big thing because we get to connect with him and hear his perception of Rwandan music, he said. ALSO READ: Why Rwandan music is attracting global artistes ‘Our roots make us unique’ The Afrostrava Festival is an annual multicultural event held in Ostrava, Czech Republic, celebrating African culture and its connection with the wider world through music, fashion, art, food, dance, workshops and panel discussions. The 2026 edition will take place on August 14-15 at Dolní Oblast Vítkovice (DOV). The opening day will focus on African arts, crafts, cultural exchange and hands-on workshops, while the second day will feature live performances spanning Afrobeats, Amapiano and Afropop, alongside an African Fashion Market.
