Rwanda’s planned Formula 1 African Grand Prix is turning attention toward the country’s international ambitions, including the music industry, where artistes are building audiences through cross-border collaborations, streaming platforms and live performances. Formula 1 announced a 10-year agreement on October 13 to bring the African Grand Prix to Rwanda in the early 2030s. The race will take place at a purpose-built circuit planned for Bugesera, south of Kigali. ALSO READ: Who’s listening? Rwanda’s top 5 Spotify artistes mapped The agreement will return Formula 1 to Africa for the first time since 1993, when the championship last raced in South Africa. From Bruce Melodie’s mainstream hits to Kivumbi King’s genre-blending rap, five artistes featured by Billboard Africa offer a snapshot of Rwanda’s evolving music scene. Bruce Melodie: The mainstream hit-maker Bruce Melodie has built a profile through popular releases and collaborations with artistes beyond Rwanda. His collaboration with Jamaican reggae and dancehall star Shaggy, “When She’s Around (Funga Macho)” debuted at No. 20 on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and No. 8 on the World Digital Song Sales chart in March 2024. The song, released through S-Curve Records in October 2023, helped make Bruce Melodie the first Rwandan artiste reported to have entered the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. His cross-border reach once again reflected on “Pom Pom,” a collaboration with Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz and Nigeria’s Brown Joel that featured among the East African collaborations highlighted in Spotify’s Global Impact List for the first half of 2026. His album ‘Colorful Generation’ won Album of the Year at the 2025 Isango na Muzika Awards. The Ben: The R&B veteran The Ben, whose real name is Benjamin Mugisha, represents an established strand of Rwanda’s R&B and pop scene. His collaboration “Why” with Diamond Platnumz brought together two artistes from different East African markets. The Ben was named Best Male Artist at the 2025 Isango na Muzika Awards. His album Plenty Love was also among the releases considered for Album of the Year. Kivumbi King: The genre-blurring rapper Kivumbi King brings a hip-hop perspective to the group, working in a scene where rap increasingly intersects with melodic and alternative sounds. He won Best Hip Hop Artist at the 2025 Isango na Muzika Awards, beating nominees including Riderman, Bushali and Bruce The 1st. He has also appeared on international-facing stages. At the inaugural Move Afrika concert in Kigali in December 2023, he joined Ariel Wayz and Bruce The 1st for a performance of “Demo.” The event, headlined by Kendrick Lamar, drew a sold-out audience to BK Arena and formed part of an initiative designed to build a pan-African touring circuit. Ariel Wayz: The alternative R&B voice Ariel Wayz has built her identity around R&B and Afro-pop, while using collaborations and major live events to broaden her reach. Her 2023 Move Afrika appearance placed her on the same bill as international acts including Kendrick Lamar and Tanzanian singer Zuchu. In June 2026, she released “Waiting” with Kenyan singer-songwriter Bensoul through Universal Music Kenya. The collaboration adds to the cross-border connections forming between artistes in the region. In October, the song was reported to have reached the first-round ballot for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards in the Best African Music Performance category. Alyn Sano: The soulful performer Alyn Sano’s work draws on Afro-pop and soul, with songs built around personal storytelling and vocal performance. Her 2023 debut album, Rumuri, contained 13 tracks and explored a range of themes, helping establish a body of work beyond individual singles. In June, Sano performed at the FIFA Fan Festival in Houston, Texas, part of the official entertainment programme accompanying the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Her June 17 appearance coincided with the Portugal versus DR Congo matchday. Sano described the opportunity as “a moment to represent Rwanda and the wider continent to a global audience.” The proposed Grand Prix could offer another platform for Rwanda’s music industry, particularly if event organisers include local performers in race-week entertainment and related cultural programming. Formula 1 and the Rwanda Development Board have presented the Bugesera project as part of a broader development plan, with ambitions extending beyond race weekends to tourism, entertainment and commercial activity throughout the year.
