Musician King James has revealed plans to take his 20-year music anniversary celebrations across Rwanda following the overwhelming success of his two sold-out concerts at BK Arena over the weekend. Speaking after Sunday's second show, the singer said the idea was inspired by fans from different parts of the country who told him they were unable to travel to Kigali to attend the concerts. Some people I met upcountry told me they couldn't attend my concerts in Kigali, either because they couldn't afford the tickets or due to other financial challenges. I completely understood them, he said. I hope to celebrate my 20-year anniversary in music in a different way, and my team and I will share more details soon. The singer also confirmed that he has performances lined up in Brussels, Belgium, and is exploring opportunities to stage concerts in the United States and Canada. King James made history by becoming the first Rwandan artiste to sell out BK Arena on two consecutive nights, with his anniversary concerts held on August 1 and 2 attracting capacity crowds. The milestone came after tickets for the first show sold out within just three days, prompting organisers to add a second date, which also sold out amid overwhelming demand. Thousands of fans, mostly youth, packed BK Arena on Sunday for a concert that celebrated King James' two-decade career with performances alongside artistes from different generations of Rwanda's music industry. ALSO READ: King James writes history as fans yearn for more ahead of Day 2 Hosted by emcees Luckman Nzeyimana and Zuba Mutesi, the evening opened with rising singer Phil Emon, who entertained the audience with his hit songs Delicious and Umunyarwandakazi before handing over the stage to the night's main act. King James made his entrance at around 8:20 p.m., opening with Naratomboye before taking fans on a journey through some of the biggest songs of his career. The crowd rose to its feet as he performed fan favourites including Naramukundaga, Ntamahitamo, Yantumye and Biracyaza, with thousands singing along throughout the show. The concert also featured guest appearances by artistes who have collaborated with King James over the years. Pianist Clement Ishimwe joined him on Ntamahitamo, while Mico The Best performed their collaboration Umugati. Uncle Austin and Safi Madiba reunited on stage for Bagupfusha Ubusa, P Fla thrilled hip-hop fans with Nisubiyeho, Bull Dogg joined King James for Ayo Arya Nayanjye, and Chris Eazy performed Wakanaka. King James brought the historic night to a close with Ndagutegereje. Even after the final song, fans continued singing and chanting for an encore, but after an energetic two-hour performance, the singer took his final bow. With two sold-out concerts in just 24 hours, King James has set a new benchmark for Rwanda's music industry. The singer said the success of the concerts would not have been possible without unconditional support of his fans, management team, fellow artistes and family. His mother particularly attended both concerts. “I’ve had so much support from my family,” a visibly emotional King James said. “Seeing my sisters who traveled from abroad, my niece and, most importantly my mother who has been there for me at both concerts, was so special.” “I have no words to explain how thankful I am to them, to everyone who showed up. My team did the best they could, the way I expected, the fans showed up because they had faith in me...and I trusted them as well,” he added. Speaking after the concert, rapper Bull Dogg described King James as one of Rwanda's greatest musicians, saying the achievement reflected both his talent and professionalism. King James is a great artiste, and he proved it today. It is an honour to have worked with him. When I was starting my career, he was already there supporting me. I am proud of how far he has come, he said. Bull Dogg believes the achievement should inspire other musicians to build long-term careers based on consistency and quality. What he has done is incredible. I hope other artistes, including myself, can learn from him. Filling BK Arena for two consecutive nights shows that Rwandan artistes have the potential to achieve great things, not only nationally but also regionally and internationally. ALSO READ: Can King James make history with two straight BK Arena sellouts? He added that the double sellout reflects the remarkable growth of Rwanda's music industry. There are even international artistes who cannot fill BK Arena for two consecutive nights. This shows how far our music industry has come. Those who have the capacity should continue supporting Rwandan artistes because promoting our artistes is also promoting Rwanda. Veteran artiste manager Alex Muyoboke echoed those sentiments, saying King James has demonstrated that local musicians can stage major arena concerts without relying on foreign headliners. I have watched King James grow from his early days as a rapper before establishing himself as a singer. What he has achieved is extraordinary and shows how much our music industry has evolved, Muyoboke told The New Times. We have seen artistes like The Ben, Bruce Melodie and others fill BK Arena, and now King James has done it on two consecutive nights. It's a lesson for young artistes to believe in themselves and build lasting careers. Muyoboke attributed the singer's success to discipline, consistency and a rich catalogue of hit songs rather than heavy promotional campaigns. King James didn't rely on massive advertising or billboards. What carried him was the legacy he has built through talent, discipline and countless hit songs. Young artistes should learn from his journey and understand that lasting success comes from consistently giving fans quality music. King James officially launched his professional music career in 2006 while still in high school at APE Rugunga. Over the years, he has built a loyal fan base and released an extensive catalogue of music, including eight studio albums that have helped define contemporary Rwandan R&B. With eight albums under his belt, King James' music has been rewarding, winning several awards including the Artist of the Year at Salax Awards in 2011 and Primus Guma Guma Super Star prize a year later.
