Two historic back-to-back sold-out shows at BK Arena were followed by a series of concerts that also drew impressive crowds in cities across Europe. But King James is not done yet, as he now looks to celebrate two decades in music with his fans in the United States. The singer took a brief break after his two Kigali concerts before travelling to Europe, where he performed in Brussels, Belgium, before taking his tour to Bremen, Germany. Both shows attracted impressive turnouts from Rwandan diaspora communities in the two countries. King James now has several bookings in the United States, but he has so far confirmed only one performance. He will take the stage at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 28, while his management continues talks for shows in other cities before the tour concludes in Canada. According to Afrohub Music Ent, a US-based events company owned by Rwandan entertainment entrepreneur and Recording Academy member Ernesto Ugeziwe, tickets will officially go on sale on September 29. However, demand is already high. A limited number of tickets were made available ahead of the official sale, and Ugeziwe said they were surprised by the strong response. “We were so surprised. I would just advise people to buy tickets as soon as they are out, otherwise they could miss,” he said. How did he get here? King James officially launched his professional music career in 2006 while still in high school. His passion for music was nurtured through performances at church and school, where he quickly gained recognition among peers and mentors. The release of his single Intinyi around 2008 marked a turning point in his career. The song received widespread acclaim and significantly raised his profile. He followed it with a string of popular tracks, including Yarahindutse, Ndagukumbuye and Biracyaza, further establishing him as one of Rwanda’s leading R&B artists. By the end of 2010, King James had firmly established himself among Rwanda’s top musicians, competing for audiences alongside contemporaries such as Tom Close, Meddy and The Ben. He later signed with Kina Music, a move that further boosted his career. In 2011, he released his debut album, Umugisha, followed by Umuvandimwe in 2012. He went on to release projects including Ntibisanzwe in 2014 and Ubushobozi in 2021, demonstrating his consistency and ability to evolve musically. King James has won several individual awards, beginning in 2011 when he was named Artist of the Year at the Salax Awards. A year later, he won the prestigious Primus Guma Guma Super Star competition—two achievements he continues to regard as defining moments in his career.
